Manufacturing industries have always led progress. Steam power transformed industries, cutting costs to the point where ordinary people had more consumer options. Electrification, assembly lines, and robotics drove further efficiencies. Today, Industry 4.0 is the new revolution that connects people, machines, and systems in previously unimaginable ways.
At Advantex, we’re helping manufacturers to benefit from this transformation, helping them to build smarter, more agile, data-driven solutions that further enhance both quality and efficiency.
What is Industry 4.0?
Industry 4.0 is the fourth manufacturing revolution. It follows steam (1.0), electricity (2.0), and computing and automation (3.0), bringing connectivity, intelligence, and integration into the mix. It aims to merge physical operations with digital technologies, allowing factories to gather, assess, and adapt to real-time data.
Industry 4.0: Historical Context
The terms “Industry 4.0” or “Industrialisation 4.0” go all the way back to 2011 when the German government launched an initiative to promote the adoption of high-tech solutions in manufacturing. Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF), would bring it to a wider audience when the Fourth Industrial Revolution became the theme of the WEF’s 2016 annual meeting.
Today, Industry 4.0 is a fusion of technologies that work together to make manufacturing more efficient, interlinked, and responsive than ever before. It’s no longer a matter of experimentation. Smart factories are a reality. They work with digitally interconnected systems that not only gather and analyse data, but also adapt to changes, optimising processes, often without the need for human intervention.
Core Industry 4.0 Technologies
Industry 4.0 manufacturing connects a variety of different technologies, with each element working in concert. The modern factory is, therefore, intelligent, connected, and self-optimising. Key elements include:
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
Smart sensors and devices collect data from equipment, production lines, and logistics systems. Quality assurance is a direct benefit, but the data also enables predictive maintenance and tracks efficiency.
Big Data and Analytics
Data is not helpful unless it is analysed and interpreted, and complex production lines produce vast amounts of it. Advanced analytics processes and interpret data, detecting anomalies that might otherwise lead to increased waste, quality issues, or costly downtime.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Creating, optimising, and adapting production schedules need no longer be a completely manual process. By “learning” your process, AI can set the stage for more efficient processes, help your manufacturing concern adjust energy use, and even suggest product design enhancements based on real data.
Cloud Computing and Edge Computing
Cloud computing makes data available from any location, while edge computing processes data locally to provide critical insights, enabling greater responsiveness. For example, data storage and analysis across multiple locations may occur in the cloud, while edge computing enables instant adjustments at each location.
Automation and Robotics
While some processes may be fully automated, others may involve collaboration between robots and humans. In this scenario, robots handle hazardous or repetitive tasks. These “cobots” can easily be reprogrammed and redeployed, allowing for automation in smaller production runs.
Digital Twins
Process changes can have unintended results. Factories can now model performance and test process changes using digital twins. As an additional advantage, digital twinning can help to predict wear, facilitating the development of predictive maintenance schedules.
Cybersecurity
With connectivity between each element in a manufacturing system, cyber security becomes more important than ever. Operational technology (OT) threats are as real as the more widely recognised IT threats, and both forms of technology must enjoy robust protection.
How Industry 4.0 is Changing Manufacturing
Just as earlier revolutions in manufacturing changed the way that businesses thought and operated, Industry 4.0 is leading to a paradigm shift. Linear production is being replaced with adaptive ecosystems in which every component, from materials supply to end user, is linked by data. Notable changes include:
- Smart production lines that can adjust themselves to minimise waste and reduce energy use
- Predictive maintenance improvements that reduce equipment failures and downtime
- Flexible manufacturing that allows for greater customisation and small-batch production runs that can be as efficient as larger-scale mass production.
- Responsive, data-driven decision-making thanks to real-time analytics that identify trends and bottlenecks as they occur.
- Improved supply chain visibility featuring end-to-end tracking, allowing for better supply chain decisions and agile responses to disruptions.
Apart from optimising efficiency, Industry 4.0 helps to boost sustainability, enhance quality, and helps manufacturers to maintain a competitive position in an ever-changing global market.
Manufacturing 4.0 in Action
Manufacturing 4.0 is a digital transformation, and as such, Advantex provides the necessary ingredients to build a connected, intelligent factory ecosystem. Foundational requirements include:
- Integrated network infrastructures that securely connect machinery, sensors, and systems across production environments.
- Data platforms that provide centralised analytics and at-a-glance visualisations of operational data that will guide their decision-making
- Cloud and edge computing to enable data collection and analysis in the moment while safeguarding data integrity, performance, and security
- Cyber resilience through layered cyber security, designing for network resilience, and contingency planning
- IT-OT convergence brings operational technology and information technology together, allowing manufacturers to realise the full potential of automation coupled with analytics
Gartner, cited in Supply Chain Digital Magazine, acknowledges that manufacturers seeking to implement Industry 4.0 face challenges. However, with strong commitments and partnerships, along with recognition of the need for a measured approach, implementation can allow for the realisation of many benefits.
The Benefits of Industry 4.0
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers reports that many UK manufacturers are lagging behind their counterparts, particularly those in Japan and Germany, where one in four machines is networked. Japan is not far behind. Early adopters will certainly maintain a competitive edge thanks to benefits like:
- Efficiency gains
- Cost reduction
- Quality improvements
- Agility and scalability
- Sustainability
In essence, Industry 4.0 creates factories that are faster, smarter, and more responsive. With systems constantly “learning” and improving, and worldwide adoption on the rise, Industry 4.0 is already expanding to serve smaller manufacturing businesses.
Preparing For an Industry 4.0 Future
Digital readiness is rapidly becoming a prerequisite for success. A shortage of skills, frequently cited as an obstacle to adoption, need not stand in your way when you choose the right partners. At Advantex, we work with manufacturers, not only providing the infrastructure they need but also guiding them through the change process. Let’s work together to build your future-ready, fully-modernised manufacturing environment. Talk to us about IT solutions for the manufacturing industry today.
