The industry 4.0 term is used for indicating the beginning of the fourth industrial revolution. While the three previous revolutions were based on mechanical and serial manufacturing, Industry 4.0 is built on digital and automation systems.
We can claim that Industry 4.0 is the simple combination of the three previous ages but actually, Industry 4.0 is getting ready to be more effective than this. Industry 4.0 is outlined in Professor Klaus Schwab’s The Fourth Industrial Revolution book and this field includes new technologies impacting all disciplines, economies and industries by combining the physical, digital and biologic worlds.
These technologies have a huge potential to continue to connect billions of people to the internet and significantly increase business and organization efficiency. This revolution that shows full development especially for automation systems has a structure to automatize tasks with various machines and device automation systems. This revolution is directly related to the manufacturing world with its application and global Industry 4.0 understanding.
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What Is Industry 4.0 Technology?
Industry 4.0 also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution is about making tasks more intelligent, more automated and simpler with automation systems. While the Third Industrial Revolution focused on transforming mechanical and analogous processes into digital processes, the Fourth Industrial Revolution focuses on transforming the machines into self-sufficient beings that can talk to each other and think by making the digital technology impacts deeper. Industry 4.0 technology is built on taking the shift from steam power to electricity in the Second Industrial Revolution to the automation systems to create a fundamental change on the business operation for progress.
How Can Industry 4.0 Technology Impact Manufacturing Around the World?
Industry 4.0 is a technological step that includes all the processes from manufacturing planning to delivery with solutions for deep analytic, workshop data sensor, smart warehouses, automation systems, simulation changes as well as product and inventory monitoring.
This new technological revolution for the manufacturers will also be innovation and open the door for easier operations to see the gaps between the separate processes, makes them more visible and close these gaps more transparently across the entire organization with insights.
Industry 4.0 and Big Data
Today, data can be gathered from everywhere including systems, sensors, automation systems and mobile devices. The challenge here is that the methods to best interpret the data are still in the development process. Industry 4.0 that will change the organizations and the way to work in these organizations is an evolution. Teams can make better and smarter decisions with the new industrial revolution.
Industry 4.0 and Autonomous Robots
Autonomous robots are self-sufficient machines that can intelligently manage tasks without a human operator. Although these machines are complex, they can complete repetitive tasks fast and accurately and there are only a few or almost no cut off other than maintenance. Autonomous robots can be used for holding or carrying heavy elements on a production line.
Using autonomous robots will help to prevent human injury during welding, assembly and palletizing processes. At the same time, autonomous robots can choose the most efficient way to analyze and collect the elements even for multiple orders and can help with collecting orders at the warehouse level. Since these robots don’t need resting, they can be used for continuous manufacturing.
Automation systems that we commonly hear and will continue to hear are still progressing.
Industrial Internet of Things
Industrial IoT means the small sensors that can collect, monitor and process real-time data across businesses. Basically, IoT sensors can be used with everything including illumination, HVAC (heating, ventilation, air-conditioning) and factory machinery. Industrial IoT is one of the fundamental technologies of Industry 4.0. The benefits of using connected equipment are significant in terms of better decision-making for various levels of the organization.
If there is an IoT device that monitors the production efficiency, usage, operation time of each machinery at every stage of manufacturing, these data can be used for industrial communication with a machine learning algorithm. If there is a problem in the system, this will determine which machine part causes the highest risk and how to correct this problem.
Industry 4.0 and Cloud Technology
The term cloud represents various online connected systems. In general, it means a server outside your physical business. “Cloud” can also be used for software and data stored on the internet (ex. a different server) rather than a local machine. Cloud offers various advantages to manufacturers.
Cloud can keep the customer data safe. It can be used for calculations. Calculation-based tasks such as risk modelling with machine learning can be carried out on the cloud to reduce the general costs of high-power machinery.