Concept and Evolution of Industry 4.0

Concept of Industry 4.0

• Industry 4.0 is the technological evolution of cyber-physical systems from embedded systems.

Overview of the Four Industrial Revolutions

• The first industrial revolution started in 1784 with the invention of mechanization and mechanical power generation.
• The second industrial revolution was kickstarted by the invention of electricity and mass production lines in the late 19th century, lasting into the early 20th.
• The third industrial revolution emerged in the late 1950s when manufacturers incorporated electronics and computer technology into factories.
• Industry 4.0 is also known as the fourth industrial revolution, emerging from optimizing computerization and adding new disruptive technologies from the third revolution.

Evolution of Industry 4.0

• The first mechanical loom was made in 1784.
• Cincinnati slaughterhouses used the first production line in 1870.
• The first programmable logic controller, Modicon 084, was made in 1969.
• The first industrial revolution involved water and steam-powered mechanical manufacturing facilities; it ended at the end of the 18th century.
• The second industrial revolution involved electrically-powered mass production based on labor division starting in the 20th century.
• The third industrial revolution involved electronics and IT for production automation; it started in the 1970s.
• The fourth industrial revolution is based on cyber-physical systems from today.

Components of Industry 4.0

• Big data analytics involves the analysis of large datasets about customer preferences, correlations, market trends, and other information to benefit business operations, marketing, and the customer experience.
• Big data concepts can be applied to accelerate a business' competitive advantage by solving challenges, measuring, and monitoring productivity and innovation.

The Industrial Internet of Things

• IoT is embedded in Industry 4.0.
• IoT is similar to the concept of cyber-physical systems.
• IoT provides a platform for objects and devices like sensors, actuators, and cell phones to communicate with devices, machinery, and humans to identify, report, and work out solutions.

Cloud Computing

• Cloud computing is a component of Industry 4.0.
• The cloud refers to IT resources that offer virtual storage and processing capabilities to multiple users.
• Cloud computing provides the platform for technologies like IoT and big data analytics.
• Cloud computing helps automate, integrate, and facilitate the management and administration of client-based server systems.
• Examples of cloud systems include Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, and BlueCloud

Autonomous Industrial Robots

• Robots are used in manufacturing to solve complex tasks.
• Autonomous robots create a human-robot interface for workstations tasks.
• Operators or cloud-based control systems feed information to autonomous robots which can be remotely controlled.

3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing

• 3D printing is the customized production of goods by building an object by depositing material in multiple layers from 3D model data.
• 3D printing is most commonly used for prototyping or producing goods in small batches while avoiding overproduction and minimizing inventory.

Simulation

• Simulation software serves as a digital twin to the physical world and optimizes production to increase quality.
• Digital tools can configure shop floor management systems and reconfigure existing ones for increased effectiveness.
• Simulation offers adjustments to complex systems.
• Simulation is a dynamic investigation tool for strategic planning with real-time data acquisition.

Augmented Reality

• Augmented reality enables users to interact with a virtual world based on real-life surroundings.
• Augmented reality enables human-machine interactions and remote control of factory maintenance and inspection tasks.
• Augmented reality-based service and support systems provide virtual training to learn to interact with machines.

Enhanced Cybersecurity

• Cyber-systems are hackable, which can allow misuse of critical information, so Industry 4.0 still relies on unconnected systems.
• Industry 4.0's increased connectivity and communication systems must protect industrial systems and manufacturing lines from threats and terror incidents.
• Cybersecurity measures increase confidentiality, integrity, availability, and information privacy.
• Preventive solutions and defensive systems are a major part of Industry 4.0

IT Integration

• IT integration integrates various IT systems used in different stages of manufacturing and business planning for the exchange of materials, energy, and information.
• IT integration provides end-to-end solutions and vertical integration of IT systems at different hierarchical levels, from actuators and sensors to corporate planning.
• With IT Integration, Industry 4.0 companies can manage tasks of exchanging product and production data among multiple partners dynamically.

Benefits of Industry 4.0

• While past mass production systems failed to address custom customer requests, Industry 4.0 with smart factories enables profit for firms with low production volumes.
• Cyber-physical systems enable agile manufacturing and agile supply chains to achieve increased output in a short duration by accommodating shortages.
• Reconfigurable manufacturing systems in Industry 4.0 enable industries to change and modify their processes and systems by rebuilding.
• Industry 4.0 provides necessary trade-offs between resource use and potential savings via calculations from smart factories, since excessive raw material and energy consumption can lead to environmental threats, such as climate change
• Tracking of the value chain with cyber-physical systems optimizes manufacturing in terms of resource utilization, energy consumption, and emissions.
• Smart factories and assistance systems enables firms to overcome labour shortages and replace human involvement in difficult tasks.
• Employees can focus on innovative tasks, instead of wasting time and energy on routines.
• Connecting products with the internet, combined with real-time control, smart manufacturing, business partners, and 3-D printing is still in its early stages, but industry 4.0 has sparked research and innovation to explore new technologies.
• Firms will need advanced cybersecurity in place.
• Firms will encourage research and technologies to counter cyber-attacks.

Potential Accomplishments of Industry 4.0

• Industry 4.0 accomplishments include: supply and demand matching; smart product and service creation; mass customization; decentralized production control; supply chain connections; connected lifecycle innovation; agile collaboration networks; data-driven operational excellence.
• Industry 4.0 driving sectors: driving, organizational, technology, innovation, and operational sectors.
• Industry 4.0 design principles: interoperability, practicality, real-time strength, decentralization, service location, and modularity.

Design for Sustainability

• I.4.0 can influence the transformation of industry; it digitizes manufacturing, automates networks for information inheritance, and connects production sections with automated information exchange.

Applying Sustainability to the Supply Chain

• I.o.T. empowered producing relates to good producing technologies used to regenerate typical manufacturing sources through sensing, interconnection, and action.
• Human-to-human, human-to-machine and machine-to-machine communications are accomplished to empower materials through I.o.T.
• l.o.T. is a contemporary producing idea under I.4.0, including the newest information technology infrastructure for knowledge acquisition and sharing.

Robot Interaction for Human Sustainability

• 1.4.0 engineering analysis to ensures employee security and transcends limitations of divided space.
• Machines activate protection mechanisms during assembly if there are no hazards or interruptions to meet any legal requirements for employee security.
• Robotic cycles/sec update relationships with dynamic taste designing, active contact shunning and adaption automation management.

End of Life Disposal and Sustainable Industrial Waste Management in Industry 4.0

• End of life disposal uses a product for a period of time, then disposes of it.
• Every product has a usable life period.
• Some products can be recycled after their period of use, which is monetarily beneficial and saves time.
• 'End of Life Disposal' is needed, due to; hazardous wastes in landfills, increased use of incinerators, and the improper use of recycled products.
• Some recent regulations make companies liable for the proper disposal of the product after disposal.

End of Life Disposal of Computers

• Materials obtained from computer disposal include lead 6.3 wt%, iron 20.47 wt%, copper 6.93 wt%, glass 24.8 wt%, plastic 23 wt%, important metals 0.02 wt%, and aluminium 14.17 wt%.
• Reverse logistics can be used for the recovery process to recycle computer hardware.
• Computers can be received and inspected to separate recyclable materials.
• Material should be properly disposed if it cannot be recycled.
• Recycling techniques produce material to be reused.

Sustainable Waste Management

• A primary problem is consumers requesting new products without repairing and recycling older products.
• Maintaining sustainability and profits is challenging for some industries.
• There are country-related issues with sustainability, innovation, automation, and digitalization.
• Sustainable waste management can be resolved with Industry 4.0.
• The most important element of the industry is regeneration or recycling waste products.
• Sustainability can be reached when strategies like consistency, efficiency and sufficiency are applied.
• Sufficiency can be described as reducing the input for production processes.
• Efficiency relates to economical use of resources.
• Consistency recycles waste.

Smart Industries

• Smart industries are dynamic factories with intelligence and flexibility.
• Automated systems and sensors can be used to monitor production and waste management.
• The machines can optimise the production process and waste management.
• Necessary elements must be considered when converting older factories.
• Smart factories must have a large, managed efficiently.
• Management must arrange training and workshops for sustainable waste management.
• Infrastructure of a smart factory is complicated, but requires a high-quality communication systems.
• Bad communication systems lead to major losses.
• Chemicals must be disposed of properly.
• Changing materials, technology and parameters can reduce resources and create sustainable production.

Advantages of Sustainable Manufacturing

• Sustainable manufacturing has advantages like reduced energy consumption, reduced water use and wastage, reduction in solid waste, and reduction in gaseous emissions.

What is the linear economy?

• The linear economy is a conventional business model where products are purchased, used, and thrown away.
• Resources are taken from their source and manufactured into consumable products that accumulate in landfills or are incinerated.
• Raw materials are extracted from nature and turned into products to be sold.
• This economy is unsustainable; virgin raw materials extracted too fast.

What is a circular economy?

• The circular economy reuses, repairs, and recycles materials and has 4R imperatives: reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover.
• The circular economy brings together environmental, economic, and social factors to minimize waste, conserve resources, and reduce pollution.
• The first step is to salvage secondary raw materials from existing products.

Linear Economy VS Circular Economy

• The approach of a linear economy is to take-make-waste, while a circular economy reduces, reuses, recycles, and recovers.
• Linear economies use short-term profitability, while circular economies use long-term sustainability.
• Linear economies minimize environmental impact, while circular economies maximize environmental benefits and resource value.
• Linear economies use a product-centric approach, while circular economies use a service-oriented approach.

Transitioning from a linear to a circular economy

• The shift to circularity goes beyond recycling and reusing materials and requires impact evaluations and actions.
• Demand for green products and services grows with low emissions offerings.
• The transition to circular models allows companies to enter new markets and increase their share.
• A circular model helps companies attract and retain talent.
• Shifting to a circular economy will minimizes virgin materials by incorporating alternative materials from existing products.
• Companies reduce dependence on suppliers and corporate risks.
• Sustainable materials improve a supply chain's resilience and customer demands are met.
• Shifting to a circular economy requires companies to reevaluate products, technologies, processes, and business models.
  • Circularity is key for innovation.
• Reverse logistics manages the return of goods and services to close gaps using reusing/recycling.
• Selecting reusable/recyclable materials minimizes new resources, while standardized components simplify repair/recycling.
• Designing durable products advances transition, conserves resources, and plans for end-of-life scenarios.