What is Industry 4.0 ?

The fourth industrial revolution is usually more succinctly called Industry 4.0. Since this revolution is still in its infancy, it is not easy to define all of its attributes or to specify how much it will change the industry or economic landscape. However, it is predicted that by 2020, the number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices used in manufacturing will exceed 900 million and play an important role in the transformation of Industry 4.0. Let's discuss what industry 4.0 entails.

Industrial Revolution 4.0 or Industry 4.0 refers to the use of automation, robotics, the Internet of Things and data integration to create smart factories that can manufacture products almost autonomously. This industrial transformation is not bound by industry and will result in higher quality products with higher efficiency and lower cost.

Industry 4.0 aims to digitally manufacture by leveraging technological advances in data acquisition, processing and storage as a major aspect of the Internet of Things. Since we are in the early stages of this revolution, its widespread use in all walks of life and its full impact are open-ended. However, we can define some important properties as follows:

Major Attributes of Industry 4.0

Industrial IoT (IIoT)

IIoT refers to an IoT structure within an industrial facility where machines communicate and exchange data with each other and other system devices.

Cloud

The cloud will serve the same purpose as it does in IoT, for storage and data transfer to remote (from the factory floor) locations.

Automated Robotics

The ability of machines to operate autonomously and interact with other machines will improve the accuracy and speed of operations.

Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing will be used to build customized components and devices, especially those comprised of special materials.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

VR and AR will be used to simulate processes before actual physical runs are done to reduce downtime for changeovers.

Big Data Processing

As industrial operations grow, the ability to transfer and process large volumes of data quickly will be essential for Industry 4.0 facilities.

The above list is not exhaustive and does not include other advanced manufacturing techniques that may be utilized to enhance Industry 4.0 implementation.

At SDY, our facilities and processes are designed to support your Industry 4.0 PCB development. And we are prepared to work with you throughout development to ensure these requirements are met. Contact us for more questions if you have.