Industry 4.0, which has been mentioned a lot lately, and also known as the 4th Industrial Revolution, directly concerns the modern automation system, data exchange and production technologies. This revolution, which gives birth to the smart production economy of the future based on the dynamics of digital transformation, will shape the future of industry globally. R&D and Technical Support Engineer Ibrahim Ekmekci from Ozdisan Elektronik answers some common questions on this 4th Industrial Revolution. The environmental, economical and social changes that are being experienced also bring with them some requirements. Throughout the history, there have been 4 different industrial revolutions that have radically changed production. The 1st Industrial Revolution, which started with the steam engines, reached to the 4th Industrial Revolution, in accordance with different needs and competitive conditions over time. The need to observe the transactions made, analyze the historical data and use the results of these analyzes in the optimization of future processes has put the industry on a completely different path. Now, instead of the systems communicating with each other internally, each system will be able to work interactively with the others. This idea also forms the basic idea of Industry 4.0. Thus, instead of a machine being repaired after it malfunctions, it will be determined in advance that “it is going to malfunction” and the repair process will take place before the machine malfunctions. In this way, a huge optimization will be made in terms of both time and energy.
Objects Interact With Each Other
The Internet of things, by its simplest definition, is that the things around us talk to each other and are in communication. Thanks to the sensors and chips manufactured for this purpose, these objects can talk to or communicate with each other, and transfer data with other objects that have access to the internet around the world. For this, of course, the objects need to be able to access the internet in order to communicate with each other. There are many ways to ensure this access. In addition to solutions such as Wi-Fi and Ethernet, other solutions that do not necessarily rely on the existing environment are also possible. To clarify this “relying on”… The access tools such as Wi-Fi, ethernet, etc. “rely on” an internet network in the existing environment. A Wi-Fi network is required to connect a Wi-Fi module, and an Ethernet line is required to connect an Ethernet module. However, cellular-based (GSM-based) modules do not need any network in the existing environment. Creating their own networks with the help of a SIM card attached to them, they can easily open the object, to which they are connected, to the internet and enable it to communicate with other devices.
Costs Are Reducing
With Industry 4.0, it has become easier to manufacture products and offer services with high added value. This revolution offers the opportunity to manufacture at a lower cost, save time, use minimal energy, work at high speed with few resources, and offer more efficiency and quality products. With Industry 4.0, companies will be in constant communication with each other, from the suppliers to factories, and from distributors to manufactured products. In this case, companies will be able to measure their production processes better and manage their supply chains easier. Since the demands of the end users can be measured more accurately, the costs will reduce.
The Smart Manufacturing Economy of the Future Is Underway
Industry 4.0 comes across as a requirement for the institutions that aim to be at the forefront and pioneer in the global competitive environment. Because, the definition of productivity in enterprises is now being rephrased from the beginning. The traditional automation and manufacturing industry is being replaced by production systems integrated with information technologies. In other words, the information technologies and the manufacturing sector are cooperating. With this, the smart production economy is also emerging. Companies are strengthening their production lines, and the productivity is increasing. It is estimated that billions of machines will be in communication with each other in the next 5 years. Along with intelligent production technologies, the global trade volume will increase and this will trigger innovation.
An Increase in Employment Is Expected
The possibility of job losses, which is one of the main concerns about Industry 4.0, is considered unrealistic by the experts of the subject. Together with Industry 4.0, lifting heavy parts or assembling parts that require precision will be performed by robots to a significant extent, which will allow the workforce to be shifted to different areas. Thus, worker capacity will be directed to higher value-added jobs, and health standards will be improved.
New Areas of Technology Are Gaining Importance
Advanced technologies, including robotics and mechatronics, are at the heart of Industry 4.0. As a result of the integration of cyber – physical systems and internet networks with the industry, the following areas of technology are gaining importance.
