How Technology is Transforming Traditional Manufacturing

Pundits love to use the term 行业4.0 to describe the future of 制造业. But what does the term really mean, and how will the tenets of 行业4.0 impact day-to-day 制造业 operations?

行业4.《威尼斯注册送38元》杂志2016年4月5日的一篇文章解释说，0代表“第四次工业革命”.

第一次工业革命(IR)是关于机械化的(想想:水和蒸汽动力). 第二次工业革命以大规模生产为中心(多亏了电力和装配线的出现)，而第三次工业革命则以计算机和自动化为基础. The fourth 工业 Revolution is all about “cyber physical systems,” says Forbes.

专业服务公司德勤(Deloitte)给出了更详细的解释:“工业4.0.0包含了一场新的工业革命的希望——将先进的制造技术与物联网(IoT)结合起来，创造出不仅相互连接而且可以通信的制造系统, 分析, and use information to drive further intelligent action back in the physical world.”

物联网是指包括手机在内的装有传感器的智能设备组成的在线网络, 电视, 暖通空调系统, 灯, 汽车系统, 等. 收集和共享数据, 响应数字命令, and perform automated functions, 如果是这样编程的.

物联网的子集, often referred to as the 工业 Internet of Things (IIoT), describes similar networks in 制造业 settings. 传感器, 相机, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, and other electronics are linked to 机s to gather data. 其他 technologies that play an important role in 行业4.0包含大数据, 云计算, 增材制造(AM), Advanced Robotics and Augmented/Virtual Reality (AR/VR) says London, 英国软件公司, AFMG.

智能工厂加速发展

采用这些技术的制造设施有时被称为智能工厂. Using such high-tech tools and methods, manufacturers can dramatically boost efficiency, 安全, 生产力, 和可追溯性.

“Smart factory initiatives typically accelerate business value creation. Companies report on average 10 to 12 percent gains in areas such as 制造业 output, 工厂利用率, and labour 生产力 after they invest in smart factory initiatives,德勤和制造商生产力与创新联盟(MAPI)在2019年的一份调查报告中表示。.

Machine monitoring is one of the most obvious benefits of a plant-based IIoT network. 安装在机器上的传感器和摄像头提供生产数据，这些数据可以在笔记本电脑上查看, 电脑, 或智能手机. 持续监测为制造商提供有关其机械性能和状态以及输出的真实或接近实时的数据.

Predictive maintenance can be scheduled if a 机 appears to be faltering, 工厂员工也能更好地意识到什么时候需要更换机器，或者什么时候需要改变生产设备.

A sensor-based network inside a warehouse or stockroom can precisely track inventory. 如果库存不足, 电脑s can be programmed to automatically place orders for replacement parts, 材料, 或消耗品. In similar fashion, the system can send out an alert if there’s an overflow of stock.

An online IIoT network can also be fashioned for finished products. 传感器 and RFID tags can keep tabs on the number of finished products inside a plant, 当它们被运送时, 以及交付过程.

Improved quality assurance is another key benefit of 行业4.0. 装有传感器和机器视觉软件的检测设备可用于发现有缺陷的部件并统计生产线上的输出总量. 传感器 can also provide data about material usage, scrap consumption and waste management in 制造业 facilities.

大数据

Having massive amounts of information is obviously handy but can be overwhelming. This is where two other components of 行业4.0, namely Big Data and 云计算 come into play.

“大数据是一个描述大量数据(包括结构化和非结构化)的术语，这些数据淹没了日常业务. But it’s not the amount of data that’s important, it’s what organizations do with the data that matters. 通过分析大数据，可以获得洞察力，从而做出更好的决策和战略业务行动,U解释道。.S. analytics solutions company SAS.

“在制造业, there are many different types of data to take into consideration, 包括来自配备传感器的生产设备的数据，以及来自ERP(企业资源计划)CRM(客户关系管理)和MES(制造执行系统)的数据库,AFMG补充道。.

This flood of data can be interpreted and broken down using various digital tools, allowing manufacturers to make better business decisions.

“Machine learning models and data visualization can aid data analytics 过程es. 一般来说, 机器学习技术应用强大的计算算法来处理大量数据集, 数据可视化工具使制造商能够更容易地理解数据所讲述的故事,AFMG解释道。.

云计算 offers a safe and convenient way to store all this information. 在云计算中，信息被保存在远程服务器上，并通过互联网访问. 即使制造工厂的所有计算机都崩溃或被病毒破坏, information in the cloud will be preserved.

数字双胞胎和协作机器人

The use of Digital Twins is another cutting-edge 行业4.0创新.

“A Digital Twin is a digital representation of a real-world product, 机, 过程, or system that allows companies to better understand, 分析 and optimize their 过程es through real-time simulation,AFMG解释道。.

数字孪生存储工业物联网设备发送的数据，然后使用这些信息“预测潜在问题，以便采取先发制人的措施”. 例如, 操作员可以使用数字孪生来确定零件故障的原因或预测产品的使用寿命. 这种连续模拟有助于改进产品设计，并确保设备正常运行时间,AFMG说。.

行业4.0也涵盖了机器人领域. While robotic systems have been used in 制造业 circles for decades, the new buzz word is “cobot”—short for collaborative robot. AMFG says that a cobot is a robot that is “designed to work safely around people, freeing workers from repetitive and dangerous tasks.”

同样的道理, 加法制造, 也叫3D打印, is a new spin on traditional machining methods. 在历史的大部分时间里, 工业零件或部件是从固体材料中切割或雕刻出来的(这种工艺称为减法制造)。. 在增材制造中, parts are literally printed in plastic or metal, 使用特殊的3D打印机. The part is shaped according to a 3D digital design and customization options are huge.

增强现实, 就其本身而言, “superimposes virtual images or data onto a physical object” such as a smart phone, smart glasses or tablet 电脑, 说AFMG.

“In the context of 制造业, AR could enable workers to speed up the assembly 过程 and improve decision-making. 例如, AR glasses could be used to project data, 比如布局, 组装指南, 可能出现故障的地点, or a serial number of components, 在实部, facilitating faster and easier work procedures.”

慢一点，聪明一点?

While all these technologies are breathtaking, 值得记住的是，在北美任何地方都很少有功能齐全的智能工厂.

“只有5%的美国人.S. 在最近的一项研究中，接受调查的制造商报告称，至少有一家工厂完全转变为“智能”状态，另有30%的制造商表示，他们目前正在实施与智能工厂相关的举措,德勤报告说。, 在2020年一篇题为, 智能工厂已经到来.

Most recently, COVID seems to have spurred interest in 行业4.0的解决方案.

“与我们交谈过的许多公司都迅速转向扩大行业4的使用.0 technologies in their plants in response to the disruptions caused by COVID-19,” notes a recent Deloitte article.

预防感染, officials at 制造业 plants installed 电脑 vision systems for virtual tours, 给员工配备了可穿戴设备，当有人靠得太近时就会发出警报，并增加了值班机器人的数量, 德勤的报告.

需要提到的是，在在线网络中连接所有机器和计算机是有风险的. 制造网络显然对意图制造混乱的计算机黑客或从事商业间谍活动的间谍具有吸引力.

“With much of industry using IoT and related industrial control devices, 这类设备很有可能遭到破坏，进而危及关键的制造能力 . . . 这也为知识产权的损失提供了另一个载体，因为受损的设备会转发收集到的信息，或者被劫持的摄像头会传输不知情所有者的图像等等,” reads a December 2016 paper from the U.S. 国防部.
Good cyber defences, however, can go a long way in warding off hackers and spies. And clearly, the benefits of 行业4.0是巨大的.

更好更快的未来

至于未来, 预计制造商将开始将更多的人工智能融入到他们的运营中.

人工智能和机器学习“通过更深入地了解客户，帮助企业提高价值链的效率，做出更好、更快的决策. 人工智能分析工具使制造商更容易识别客户需求的变化，从而调整生产线，而机器学习正在帮助企业提高产品质量, optimize inventory-management 过程es and track products across a supply chain,” notes a paper from professional services firm PwC Canada.