AUTOMATION OCTOBER 2020
Manufacturers must start seriously considering the role of automation in their operations
BY MARTIN WALDER, VP OF INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION AT SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
Industry 4.0, 4IR and the Industrial Internet of
Things are manufacturing buzzwords. However,
despite their singular importance with their own
benefi ts – they all share one common thread.
They are all centred on the digital transformation
of business.
The turbo-charging eff ect of smart technology is
enabling factories to produce more while lowering
costs. In particular, technologies including big data,
robotics, machine learning, artifi cial intelligence,
augmented reality, 3D level of control play a big
role in the effi ciency and productivity of factories.
Not only this, but the oversight they bring can help
to create a digital twin of an entire manufacturing
system. The benefi t of these digital twins is the
increased business performance and greater realtime
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understanding of an object or process in play.
Lighthouses: Brightening up the future
The benefi ts which a smart factory can bring
are limitless. Smart factories embrace planning,
supply chain logistics and all aspects of product
development and innovation. Those failing to
adopt smart manufacturing technologies and
practices are the ones who will fall behind the
competition and ultimately are likely to disappear.
With this in mind, for factories to become
truly smart, they fi rst need to understand what
‘smart’ means. The World Economic Forum
has branded nine of the world’s smartest
factories as ‘lighthouses’ that shed light on the
benefi ts of Industry 4.0. These factories are the
ones that have successfully implemented the
smartest technologies, whilst keeping people and
sustainability at the heart of what they do.
The future of the industry
One of these lighthouses is Le Vaudreuil, Schneider
Electric’s motor control manufacturing plant
in Normandy. Nominated as WEF’s model for
the future, this factory represents the future of
manufacturing. Inside, there
are mini data centres storing
critical site data, all USB keys
pass through a decontamination
terminal, and sensors monitor
machinery to predict – as
opposed to reacting to all
factory maintenance needs. As
a result of augmented reality,
the factory is benefi ting from
a 7% increase in productivity,
and energy savings of up to 30%.
This factory not only showcases
the benefi ts of embracing smart
technologies but also the ease at
which any business can begin its
own digital journey.
Stay on the bandwagon
Smart technology will continue
to evolve over time and
manufacturers must keep
up. At the moment, the main
focus is on Industry 4.0, but
soon we’ll be seeing the rise
of Industry 5.0. This will focus
on the human elements. It will
no longer be all about machine
and system interconnectivity,
but about how machines and
humans can work together.
While automation may
replace certain human tasks in
a factory, humans are essential
for operations and improving
performance. Whilst new
technologies are vital for future
success, so too is human input.
Be it by off ering a sense of
direction, or gathering and
analysing data, there is still a lot
to be done. Smart factories are
here to stay, but they aren’t here
to replace our jobs. They are
here to help businesses remain
competitive and successful. And
with greater success, comes
more jobs. Ultimately, smarter
factories will also facilitate more
jobs in the long run.
Another important
development is the arrival of 5G.
It will bring faster downloads
and faster responses from
applications as a result of lower
latency. Sensors will become
even more widespread and
responsive, and businesses will
be able to react to information
in real time. With 5G technology
having now arrived in the UK,
we must assess how it can
make smart factories even
smarter – such as preventative
maintenance and controlling
machines remotely.
To ensure manufacturers stay
on top of their competition, they
must embrace new technologies
to truly become a smart
factory. With more than 70% of
companies stuck in pilot phases
of adopting Fourth Industrial
Revolution manufacturing
technologies, the nine lighthouse
factories are a great example of
what the future of manufacturing
has to off er. Any manufacturer
should take inspiration from
them and ensure their factories
adopt similar technologies to
succeed into the future.
TAKING IT TO
THE NEXT LEVEL
Lighthouse
factories show
the future of
manufacturing
today, says
Martin Walder
/www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk