As manufacturing advances, the number of industrial facilities and factories using industry 4.0 technologies is growing. Industry 4.0 technologies include automation, the industrial internet of things (IIoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and many more.
Though a few modern factories are entirely connected, operating without human workers on-site, it’s much more common for manufacturers to implement only one or a few technologies. Examples of industry 4.0 are found throughout the world, and adoption of these smart technologies is driving progress in the industrial sector.
Industry 4.0 Technologies
As manufacturing is evolving, factories are changing from dark, dirty industrial environments to innovative facilities that feature the latest tech. And while some of these technologies — such as automation and robotics — have been implemented throughout industry, other technologies — such as additive manufacturing and extended reality —have lower adoption rates.
However, to optimize operations and pave the way for connected factories, manufacturers must start investing in more industry 4.0 technologies. They offer substantial benefits to manufacturers, and increasing adoption will help lower the barriers to entry for small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies.
Artificial Intelligence
AI is perhaps one of the most discussed technologies right now, with usage soaring both professionally and in everyday life. Within manufacturing, AI is a core technology when creating a connected factory. AI can connect with sensors and/or computer vision systems to collect and analyze data.
The AI systems use this data to increase production efficiency, reduce downtime, and improve product quality. AI helps fuel a number of other industry 4.0 processes and technologies in manufacturing, including digital twin models, predictive maintenance, and cobots.
While manufacturers significantly benefit from AI, challenges are associated with adopting this technology. Some of the main issues are implementation costs, cybersecurity threats, and data quality. AI is a great tool for analyzing data, but manufacturers often lack the high-quality data that makes AI usage so beneficial. And with AI being one of the main technologies used in digitally connected operations, it leaves manufacturers open to more cyber threats.
These concerns — paired with the large upfront investment of AI — mean it will be several years before the technology is more widely used in manufacturing facilities of all sizes.
Automation and Robotics
Though everyone has been focusing on AI lately, the technologies that have truly taken over manufacturing facilities are automation and robotics. A 2022 study from McKinsey on global industrial robotics states that 80% of surveyed companies have either already adopted automation or are likely to in the near future.
Automation technologies clearly have a large presence in the manufacturing sector. For many industrial companies, this technology is their first step into the world of industry 4.0. Large industrial robots and automation have taken over many dull, dirty, and dangerous manufacturing jobs, leaving human workers to focus on more value-added tasks.
Automation and robotics are so commonplace now that it’s almost becoming necessary for manufacturers to have them. Aside from needing automation to implement industry 4.0 in operations, manufacturers need it to remain competitive in today’s industrial landscape.
The high rate of adoption for automation, robots, and collaborative robots — known as cobots — has driven more offerings of this type of technology to manufacturers and helped lower the cost of implementation. Any example of industry 4.0 in manufacturing starts with automation.
Industrial Internet of Things
While AI, robots, and automation help to advance a manufacturing facility and optimize operations, IIoT technologies digitally connect everything — turning traditional facilities into industry 4.0 factories. IIoT leverages sensors to connect machines and devices through a digital network. This connection is what allows AI to offer real-time analytics and enables manufacturers to improve automated processes.
Industry 4.0 represents the digital integration of these advanced technologies within a facility to create a truly connected factory. With IIoT setting the basis for this connection, it is the final step for many companies hoping to create a true smart factory setting. But the manufacturing sector still has a long way to go before these types of facilities are common.
Many larger manufacturing facilities may have fully automated production lines and AI-enabled decision-making processes, but they still aren’t perfect examples of industry 4.0. They need to implement IIoT technologies to create a true lights-out factory that runs with minimal human intervention.
Some of the barriers to implementing IIoT will naturally be solved throughout a manufacturer’s digital transformation journey. Primary concerns include putting robust cybersecurity policies and infrastructure into place, managing large amounts of data, and analyzing all that data for actionable insights.
Several of these barriers also exist when adopting AI, and will be resolved by a company that is at the point of implementing IIoT technologies. The other main challenges are lack of understanding and cost of implementation. These extensive barriers to implementation are why there are only a few true industry 4.0 examples of entirely connected factories.
Industry 4.0 Examples: The Factory of the Future
One of the most well-known examples of an entirely digitally connected factory is Deloitte’s Global Smart Factory Network. This network is made up of five factories, with two in Japan, and one each in the United States, Canada, and Germany. This network is designed to help manufacturers understand what is possible when working with smart manufacturing technologies.
Another notable example of these factories of the future is FANUC in Japan, which has been running lights-out manufacturing production since 2001. These examples show it’s possible for manufacturers to achieve an entirely digitally connected factory. As more companies work to digitalize their operations and create smart factories, there will be fewer barriers for manufacturers of all sizes to embrace industry 4.0 technologies.
For more examples of industry 4.0 and to get an up-close look at smart manufacturing technologies, consider attending the Manufacturing Technology Series.