Industry 4.0 / IIoT

With increased value provided by edge computing to security improvements with Blockchain integration, IoT platforms across the board are just starting to get sexy. By Joseph Zulick, Manager at MRO Electric and Supply

Joseph Zulick, Manager at MRO Electric and Supply, explores how controls, automation, and instrumentation can help with integration and use of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies. As advances in technology make it more cost-effective to deploy IIoT, industries will need to acquire a strategic approach to integrating new sensor data with pre-existing data environments.

An IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) development kit for the HARTING MICA (Modular Industry Computing Architecture) edge computer has been introduced by RS Components. The IIoT kit is a simple plug-and-play system that enables fast digital condition monitoring of multiple sensor inputs from machinery.

A recent interview, Nikon's Corporate Vice President Tadashi Nakayama provided insight into the strategy of the firm's Industrial Metrology Business Unit, of which he is Deputy General Manager. In particular, he explained the company’s strategic focus on Quality 4.0, where digital, automated and connected inspection enables complete process control from design through to manufacture.

Implementing Industry 4.0 can seem daunting for sheet metal companies. However, Lantek has some software tools which provide the first steps, aiming to deliver practical and relevant solutions at an affordable cost, to produce an immediate impact on efficiency and customer satisfaction.

The industrial automation specialist, Festo, has published a new technical paper entitled Using the Festo IoT Gateway in Enterprise Networks. Network security is paramount to ensure the integrity of data when implementing Industy 4.0 principles in the manufacturing industry.

Combining human expertise and artificial intelligence, BOFA are showcasing its latest innovations in laser fume extraction in Hall 4 Stand 4D19 at the LASYS trade show in Stuttgart, Germany from 5th-7th June. Members of BOFA’s world-renowned research and development division, along with in-house laser health and safety experts, will share a platform with their award-winning technologies that are set to bring the concept of ‘Industry 4.0’ - the fourth industrial revolution - to life.

A centre for manufacturing large enclosures is currently under construction at Rittal’s Rittershausen plant, based on Industry 4.0 principles. While work there is ongoing, Rittal is also installing high-tech production lines for its VX25 large enclosure, at a total cost of €120m. The company is gearing up its production to Industry 4.0 through consistent digitisation of processes and fully automated profiling, welding and panel manufacturing units, making the new centre a model for all Rittal production plants worldwide.

The business landscape changes daily and with that comes new ‘buzzwords.’ You know those ones that really bug you – those where you kind of know what they mean, but they can mean lots of things and different things to different people. Well here is one for you: ‘servitisation.’ This term captures so many of the other current industry terms and buzzwords around Industry 4.0, digitisation, IoT, mobility and much more.

The first was wireless data communication from an Iemca barfeed, allowing much more information to be transmitted compared with a hard wired connection. Andrea Psotti, Iemca’s Area Sales Manager assists 1st MTA in looking after the UK sales market, and explained that the solution is unlike those offered by others in that it allows the customer to integrate the equipment more conveniently. Instead of having to be connected into a factory’s intranet to achieve wireless data flow, the Iemca barfeed and lathe communicate via the cloud.