How IoT Is Helping Factories Go Dark

Hello readers,

Welcome to the IoT For All newsletter! This week we’re talking about the dim (but bright) future of autonomous manufacturing, unleashing the potential of IoT analytics, how eSIM tech simplifies device management, and more!

Always on, lights off

Imagine a factory where the lights are off, the floor is empty, and machines hum away in perfect sync. No workers on the line, no breaks, no downtime. It sounds like science fiction, “lights-out” manufacturing is quickly becoming reality—an emerging answer to labor shortages, volatile supply chains, and the relentless push to produce faster, cheaper, and with greater precision.

At the core is an IoT-driven tech stack. IIoT sensors feed continuous streams of machine health, environmental, and quality data. AI and ML algorithms turn that data into predictions and optimizations, scheduling maintenance before breakdowns and adjusting processes in real time. Digital twins serve as the orchestration layer, simulating workflows and disruptions in a virtual model before changes are pushed to the shop floor. Together, these systems transform factories from collections of machines into self-optimizing organisms.

The business case is compelling. Automated systems slash defect rates, ensuring consistent output in industries with no margin for error. Continuous 24/7/365 uptime squeezes more throughput from every piece of equipment. And removing humans from “4D” jobs—dirty, dull, dangerous, and repetitive—reduces injuries while shifting labor toward higher-value work in analytics, robotics, and cybersecurity.

Real-world deployments prove the point. FANUC has operated a “self-replicating” factory for years, where robots manufacture more robots. Philips runs a hybrid facility with 128 robots and nine humans, relying on predictive maintenance to keep quality high. Xiaomi’s fully autonomous smartphone plant shows what’s possible at the extreme end: one phone produced every second, with AI resolving issues on its own.

That said, full autonomy remains rare. The cost and complexity of going completely dark mean most factories are “lights-sparse,” automating islands of high-value processes while keeping humans in the loop. This phased approach delivers efficiency gains while retaining human judgment, making it a pragmatic middle ground for most manufacturers.

Lights-out is less about eliminating humans and more about elevating them. With IoT, AI, and digital twins as the foundation, manufacturers can boost quality, resilience, and agility while experimenting with new models like Manufacturing-as-a-Service. But this isn’t the finish line. It’s an ongoing shift in how the industry builds, competes, and creates value.

📖 Top Articles

From Raw Data to Real-Time Insights: Unleashing the Potential of IoT Analytics

In today’s connected world, installing IoT sensors is only the beginning of the digital transformation journey. Across industries—from manufacturing plants to smart buildings—organizations often find themselves collecting vast amounts of raw sensor data but struggling to turn it into meaningful insights. Without the right analytics strategy, that data sits unused, and the opportunity for operational improvement is lost.

Read more

• 5 IoT Lessons Learned Across Industries: From Factories to Farms

• Rethink Cellular Integration: The Factory Floor is the New Edge for Connectivity

• Mastering Enterprise LoRaWAN Deployments: Best Practices for Success

• Multi-IMSI SIM Explained: How It Works and Where It’s Used

• AI and Industry: The State of Production Health 2025

🔥 Rapid Fire

• Teltonika and Com4 launch RUT241 with preloaded eSIM for IoT

• Milesight recognized as top innovator in global smart building sensor market

• Infineon debuts NFC bridge tag for contactless IoT device authentication

• Kenya sees slowdown in IoT adoption

• Retailers like Walmart and Lowe’s use digital twins of physical stores

• OEMs are still getting IIoT pilots wrong at scale

• Nokia and Boldyn power private 5G network at Finnish mining testbed

• Geespace secures $281M for IoT constellation and global HQ

🎙️ The IoT For All Podcast

In this episode of the IoT For All Podcast, Gaurav Johri, co-founder and CEO of Doppelio, joins Ryan Chacon to discuss software validation and testing in IoT. The conversation covers the vital role of virtualization, the increasing complexity and distributed nature of connected products, the benefits of combining physical and virtual testing labs, the pitfalls of simulator-based approaches, intelligent automation in DevOps, the ROI of early validation, and future trends in AI, edge computing, and 5G.

YouTube • Spotify • Apple • YT Music • Amazon

🗓️ Events & Webinars