The concept of Industry 4.0 technologies was first introduced at the Hannover Messe in 2011. It refers to the application of the Internet of Things (IoT) to the factory domain. In an IoT factory, everything and everyone is linked into a network.
Machines, products and humans – yes, even humans – become smart elements in a production process and reduce cost and engineering efforts. Experts forecast that more and more companies will migrate to Industry 4.0 technologies and Industrial IoT equipment in the next few months. Nowadays, production managers, heads of maintenance and electric engineers cope with obsolete infrastructures and devices, they are therefore always on the lookout for affordable ways to upgrade the lines. Revamping to Industry 4.0 is a popular trend and a “natural” evolution of the progress. Industry 4.0 will help to improve communication and maximize production, and in the meantime, it will make our factory more efficient in terms of cost and energy.
End-of-life devices are likely to cause delays in the production lines. We all know how costly breakdowns are! For this reason, it is paramount that we keep all our equipment well-functioning, replacing old components and having in place a preventive maintenance program. By doing so, we not only reduce the risk of inactivity but we also extend the life of the system.One of the main principle of Industry 4.0 is the interoperability. You must keep this principle in mind if you aim to migrate to Industry 4.0. Interoperability will, in fact, allow your system to operate as a whole, rather than as individual components.
Usually, this is done by implementing a monitoring and control system such as SCADA or DCS. Do you want to start right now? To be a step closer towards the future a simple integration of a new generation HMI that better visualizes process and reports on the production line, could be enough to start with. You can then slowly retrofit the entire system. As a SCADA system supplier, JMartans can widely assist you and walk with you the path that leads to a more efficient and cost effective factory.
