Ready for the next step with Industry 4.0
27 March 2018
Many companies are not yet quite ready to adopt Industry 4.0, but there’s no reason why the new equipment that they buy shouldn’t be ready to help them take this important step at some time in the future.
Of course, fully equipping a machine or control system for Industry 4.0 when the associated functionality may not be used until some unspecified time in the future might well be uneconomic, but there are many small tweaks that can incorporated at the design stage – at almost no cost – that will make future upgrades easier.
Nothing divides the engineering sector like the concept of Industry 4.0. Some believe that there is no other way of advancing a company and moving with the times whereas others are trying to resist it and dismiss the concept as just a buzzword. But Industry 4.0 is not an ‘all or nothing’ affair. There is nothing to stop you deciding for yourself which parts of the trend suit your industry sector and objectives. You may well conclude that not every piece of equipment on your shop floor has to be Industry 4.0 ready, but that there are nevertheless some steps that could be taken in that direction – steps which will provide immediate efficiencies and cost-savings.
For example, in the case of a control panel design, space can be allowed for mounting additional sensors, and provision made for their connections. Components can be chosen that support IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things), or are at least interchangeable with devices that do. This approach represents a reliable foundation for future upgrades and helps spread the cost of preparing for Industry 4.0.
A step that can most certainly set your company off on the path toward a more integrated automation approach is putting data at the centre of the your infrastructure and increasing interoperability with outside applications – these steps are widely accepted as helping to transform factories so that they become profit centres rather than cost centres.
By now it should be clear that companies don't have to make a huge investment to start enjoying the benefits of Industry 4.0. Taking advantage of the possibilities opened up by the convergence of the physical and virtual worlds to turn factories into profitable innovation centres can be achieved in a multi-phase manner. This means harnessing new ideas and technologies like IIoT, horizontal integration through value networks, and cyber-physical systems. It is important, however, never to forget that the foundations for all of this are laid at the design stage.
Designing with Industry 4.0 in mind can best be achieved by employing a good CAE system that, for example, supports templates to speed design work and promote a consistent approach, and aids compliance with standards to ensure not only the safety but also the interoperability of equipment.
The CAE package should also generate accurate and reliable documentation, which will be essential when the time comes for the full adoption of Industry 4.0, and the package should provide access to reliable data for the most up-to-date components. The best CAE packages facilitate data transfer between departments and disciplines allowing engineering information to be concentrated in a way that increases efficiency and reduces the risk of problems in the implementation phase of the project.
This type of design strategy can include for instance the linking of process data to schematic logic as an aid to optimisation, for preventative maintenance and to fault-find. Collecting and using data effectively in this way is one of the key characteristics of Industry 4.0 and, even with a simple implementation it creates possibilities for maintenance engineers to access crucial real time information to speed fault-finding and cut downtime. In addition, data analysis and the resulting failure probability predictions can be used to minimise the risk of breakdowns and downtime in the future.
With all of the hype that surrounds Industry 4.0 and, in particular, its unhelpful positioning as “a revolution” rather than “evolution in manufacturing technology”, it’s easy to see why many companies perceive it as a challenging prospect that is sure to involve disruption and a high level of upfront investment. The truth, however, is that incrementally implementing Industry 4.0 strategies – with the support of a well formulated design process that uses the latest CAE technology – can be a smooth and painless process which produces immediate cost-savings that will continue throughout the lifetime of a system. From higher energy efficiencies to almost error-free manufacturing, these benefits are available now from systems that are well prepared for integration into comprehensive Industry 4.0 implementations.
If all of this still seems daunting and complex, there is fortunately a convenient, accessible and affordable solution – enlist the support of an Industry 4.0 expert! A suggested option is CAE provider EPLAN, a company that has been involved with Industry 4.0 from its earliest days. EPLAN offers not only design software, but a comprehensive strategy for ensuring all your designs are in perfect harmony and most importantly, they are scalable and can be developed so that you are well prepared for Industry 4.0 and whatever else the future may bring!
Contact Details and Archive...