Industry 4.0: Technologies Integrations, Security, People/Workers and Society

A great change happened in people life from all sides because of the industrial revelations: The first industrial revolution in the 18th century through Water steam power and Mechanization. And the second industrial revolution in the 19th century through the discovery of Electricity and assembly line production. Then the third industrial revolution began in the ’70s in the 20th century through partial automation using memory-programmable controls and computers.

And now we are currently implementing the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Industry 4.0 definition as digital transformation of manufacturing, leveraging third platform technologies and innovation accelerators in the convergence of IT (Information Technology) and OT (Operational Technology) to realize connected factories and industry, smart decentralized and self-optimizing systems and the digital supply chain in the information-driven cyber-physical environment of the 4th industrial revolution (sometimes called 4IR)

What does industry 4.0 Mean?
Industry 4.0 means building connected environment of data, people, processes, services, systems and IoT-enabled industrial assets with the generation, leverage and utilization of actionable information as a way and means to realize smart industry and ecosystems of industrial innovation and collaboration.

As mentioned industry 4.0 builds connected environment. Industry 4.0 is a vertical/ horizontal integration between all systems of IT, business, Production, manufacturing, development, …etc

Horizontal Integration: integration of “IT systems and information flows across production and business planning processes with all stakeholders” And ” processes inside and outside the value and supply chain: from suppliers of materials and utilities to internal processes to internal processes to distributors and customers”

Vertical Integration: it’s about the integration of IT systems at various hierarchical production and manufacturing levels: These hierarchical level are respectively  The Field Level [interfacing with the production process via sensors and actuators], The Control Level [regulation of both machines and systems], The Process Line level or Actual Production Process level[that needs to be monitored and controlled], The operations level [production planning, quality management and so forth]and the Enterprise Planning Level [order management and processing, the bigger overall production planning etc].

Industry 4.0 change the automation pyramid to industrial transformation pyramid with industry 4.0 where integrate and connect sensors and actuators to new services and business model. And other integration from supplier to consumer: it includes integration of IT systems and information flows across production and business planning process with all stakeholders and processes inside and outside the value and supply chain: from suppliers of materials and utilities to internal processes to distributors and customers.

• Productivity: Connected environment of people, data, systems, …etc have a great help in enhancing the productivity though very high level of automation that reduces production time and inventory management.

• Flexibility & Customization: Moving from mass production to customization production through using technologies such as 3D printing, Machine learning, Artificial Intelligence and technologies that enables the machine to customize the product by enabling the machine to do multiple functions.

• Quality: Monitoring and inspecting your product in all production phases is available by using technologies such as machine vision technology by using sensors or industrial cameras that is capturing real time images for your product and then analyzing the captured images through Deep learning algorithms and taking actions based on the analyzing result. Which means learning your machines to understand the difference between the defected product and ideal product. Not only detecting defects of your product, It can do some functions such as verification, identification, gauging, counting, classification …etc from actual operations to the delivery of a product to an end customer.
• Better working conditions and sustainability: Improving working conditions based on real-time temperature, humidity and other data in the plant or warehouse, quick detection and enhanced protection in case of incidents, detection of presence of gasses, radiation and so forth, better communication and collaboration possibilities, a focus on ergonomics, clean air and clean factory initiatives.

• Increased Speed: Building and Finishing the product through consistent data and simulation opportunities result higher business continuity through advanced maintenance and monitoring possibilities.

Machines and devices generate massive amount of data, Industry 4.0 requirement is to make them useful through analyzing the data.

How can we make Data analytics?
Analytics framework includes four categories or Stages: Descriptive, Diagnostic and Predictive analytics & Prescriptive analytics. Diagnostic and Predictive analytics are performed in traditional quality with traditional data, but new insights are realized with Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Prescriptive analytics are exclusively in the ML/AI domain

• 1. Descriptive: “What is happening?” – gather and connect data result of sensing, monitoring, machines, network, process, …etc [from Data to information].
  2. Diagnostic Metrics: why it happened ? – understanding [From Information to Knowledge].
  3. Predictive: what will happen?” – predict failure and specify what should be done to address or change the outcome, and usually include some level of autonomous behavior.
  4. Prescriptive: What actions should be taken, autonomous level.

Industry 4.0 strongly focus on Security, Not Only data of communication networks, data protection (including personal data protection, e privacy regulations, …etc) but also  the protection and security of workers, industrial assets, critical infrastructure and ‘physical security’.

It is not about using robots, automating workflows or becoming more data driven. Industry 4.0 introduce new way or running business and gain a big change in every thing even if people. Employees will be hired for Knowledge base production roles rather than manual work. So leaders will manage not only the physical change in the business but also people emotions that will start with resistance and anger till acceptance according to the change adoption curve [Four Points Consulting].

According to Industry4.0 magazine,  a study from the made smarter review that is led by Juergen Maier, CEO of Siemens UK and an honorary professor at the university of Manchester – the benefits to the UK economy of adopting industrial digital technologies over the next decade could reach ‎£445‎ billion, linked with growth in manufacturing of up to 3% PA, The creation of 175,000 jobs and 4.5 reduction in CO2 emissions.

DevisionX is building Quality inspection Systems – that is integrated with industry 4.0 revolution – by using Machine vision and Deep learning Technologies to solve your quality challenges in all your production phases.

Want to build a product with global quality standards! we would like to learn about your challenges and how can we solve it through our technologies and solutions. Contact us at info@devisionx.com

References [images & content]: i-scoop – lnsresearch.com – wikipedia