The Revolution of Industry 4.0

 

In today's post on our blog, we would like to begin series of articles devoted to the topic of Industry 4.0. We found that this modern solution concentrate more and more attention by companies focusing on production or companies from manufacturing industry. This topic deals with a brief introduction and the characteristics of these solutions. In the next article of this topic, we would like to respond rather from a practical standpoint. You can look forward to the contribution that will contain facts how our society responds to the trend of Industry 4.0 what solutions we deliver and what all these technologies can bring to small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises.

 

The first period when the processes of mechanization elements began to appear is known as the first industrial revolution and the era of steam engines. Another important milestone in the history relates to the discovery of electricity and beginning of mass production based on the division of labor and the introduction of production lines. The third industrial revolution we can certainly mark a period of digitalization, automation and robotics characteristics by invention of microprocessors and using computers. Electronics and information services were deployed to the manufacturing processes to support automation.

 

Earlier this decade comes in a revolutionary era - time when computers, electronics and automation are used by revolutionary and modern methods. The idea is to link remote machines and computer systems using algorithms that can learn new features and acquire new control techniques with minimal involvement of the human factor. Intelligent systems take over activities previously carried out by people. These are called Industry 4.0, smart factory or factory of the future. Industry 4.0 comes with cyber-physical systems monitoring processes in factories and production facilities on which it can make decisions in a decentralized manner. Nowadays these systems and their interaction of wireless communication channels referred to as the Interned of things which brings new possibilities of control, monitoring and providing sophisticated revolutionary services.

 

For manufacturing companies, factories and Industry 4.0 systems should be typical:

 

Interoperability - machines, devices, equipment, sensors and people that connect and communicate with one another.

 

Information transparency - the systems create a virtual copy of the physical world through sensor data to contextualize information.

 

Technical assistance - both the ability of the systems to support humans in making decisions and solving problems and the ability to assist humans with tasks that are too difficult or unsafe for humans.

 

Decentralized decision-making - the ability of cyber-physical systems to make simple decisions on their own and become as autonomous as possible.

 

Implementation and acquisition of these modern technologies in manufacturing companies is not easy. However, if Industry 4.0 model is implemented and deployed properly it outweigh the concerns that many businesses may worry. Such systems are capable of dramatically improving working conditions in dangerous work environment. Supply chains can easily analyze data at all levels of the production and supply process. Manufacturing and production company has a much more reliable and consistent productivity and performance. These technologies merit attributed to the increase in revenues, profits and market share.

 

The question is not whether the advent of a new era Industry 4.0 is coming but how fast. As well as large and voluminous data and other business trends that we can already feel we can conclude that companies able to accept risk of implementation of these technologies will be rewarded with a competitive advantage in the market. If this article aroused your attention do no miss the continuation and follow our blog.