To be effective, IoT connectivity solutions for cold storage and environmental enclosures need to be scalable—from limited complexity refrigeration units to whole property Energy Management Systems (EMS). IoT solutions are not intended to replace existing refrigeration controls, but instead, act as a supplement to provide a more cohesive solution. In short, IoT solutions allow walk-in freezers and coolers to be connected to a more extensive system, allowing monitoring and predictive warnings before issues occur.
Connectivity is Becoming a Way of Life
We use the power of connectivity every day to tell us the best route to drive, play our favorite game on our phone, or pay our bills. IoT technology, or Industry 4.0, is now taking connectivity to a whole new level. In fact, it’s estimated that the total number of IoT connected devices will reach over 75 billion worldwide by 2025, a fivefold increase in just ten years. This tremendous growth will change the way our economy works—an effect we are already beginning to see. News, consumer goods, food, and even relationships are increasingly stemming from a connected world. And now, your walk-in and store environment are becoming connected as well, delivering energy savings, performance data, predictive maintenance, team member usage, and much more.
Introducing the KPS Global Connectivity Solution
IoT connectivity solutions for cold storage are now available to all KPS Global customers, whether as a new installation or in a retrofit situation. The KPS Global Connectivity Solution is a system of controllers and sensors applied to a walk-in to monitor and manage its operation. The system uses a collection of compact components that can effortlessly sense, measure, report, and analyze the operation of the walk-in and its surroundings 24/7. This information is delivered to the owner or facility manager in real-time, enabling these stakeholders to pinpoint potential maintenance issues, assure compliance of daily tasks by team members in areas such as HACCP programs, compare the performance of different locations, and monitor conditions such as internal and external temperature, humidity, and power usage.
In addition to monitoring, the data can be used to improve operational efficiency and implement a predictive maintenance program to drive uptime for our cold storage solutions. And the KPS Connectivity Solution can also work with the systems surrounding the walk-in, including food prep, HACCP food safety, OGP execution, appliances, HVAC, lighting, and energy management. Best of all, our learning applications can be leveraged to manage the equipment more effectively than humans alone can.
The Benefits of the KPSG Connectivity Solution
One of the main benefits of our patent-pending IoT connectivity solutions for cold storage is the visibility it provides. When implemented to both monitor and control a unit, the system will deliver not only visibility into critical temperatures and conditions within the walk-in but also enable remote control and access to important diagnostic information and unit settings. This ability provides technicians with the information they need to efficiently troubleshoot and diagnose equipment. It even enables the repair of units remotely, reducing or eliminating downtime in your operation. Other key benefits realized when using a connected solution for your walk-in include improvement in inventory quality, reduced inventory loss, lower energy consumption, and longer equipment life.
How the KPSG Connectivity Solution Works
Our full IoT connectivity solutions for cold storage include smart, connected controllers and a variety of sensors, including coil sensors, room temp sensors, motion sensors, and door sensors. These devices are networked together and connected to the Internet, enabling data to be collected and transmitted to a cloud platform where it can be stored and used for analysis and diagnostic purposes. Reports and analytics provide owners and managers with valuable, actionable information surrounding performance, equipment conditions, usage, runtimes, and more. This information can also be used to compare performance and maintenance needs across an entire portfolio of products, allowing owners to better direct and leverage their resources and maintenance dollars.
Contact KPS Global to Find Out More
KPS Global® is the industry-leading manufacturer of walk-in coolers and freezers along with insulated panel systems. KPSG has earned our reputation for manufacturing excellence by creating thousands of custom boxes for retail, industrial, and scientific applications. And now, the Connectivity Solution offered by KPS Global delivers powerful new capabilities that will allow retailers to identify potential problems in critical equipment before an issue arises.
To find out more, contact us today.
