The fourth industrial revolution is coming

Following revolutions in steam power, electricity and digital technology, a new industrial revolution is on the horizon. Where design, production and distribution were once isolated silos, the factory of tomorrow is a highly integrated and automated system, in which smart machines communicate with each other to co-ordinate and carry out each stage of the manufacturing process with degrees of speed, flexibility and efficiency never seen before.

This factory can identify the location and status of people, equipment and goods in real-time, adjusting scheduling, inventory and calibration on the fly. The results are fast, customisable workflows that eliminate defects and downtime, waste and waiting.

“The key to all this is the IoT, in which physical objects or equipment, embedded with electronics, software and sensors, are able to store data and communicate with each other via a network,” says Professor Detlef Zühlke, Director of Innovative Factory Systems, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence and founder of SmartFactory. “Through a complex interplay of devices, software and automation processes, the factory is now able to make smart and timely decisions about matters in the real world and take action to meet constantly changing demands with minimal human input.”

Professor Zühlke founded SmartFactory in 2005. Since then, together with a consortium of 16 partners, the company has constructed a 12m-long prototype production line to demonstrate how the Industry 4.0 vision could work. The production system is controlled entirely by wireless technology to produce business card holders and can be quickly reconfigured using plug and play components that respond to internet-based commands issued remotely, to change the colour or design of the holder, for instance.

“As the real manufacturing world begins to converge with the digital world, there is immense potential for CWIEME Berlin’s core audience,” says Professor Zühlke. “First, there will be a huge increase in demand for suppliers in the automation and electronic components and systems sectors, as automated factory equipment packed with electronics that capture, store and transmit data becomes standard in factories around the world. Secondly, Industry 4.0 offers all manufacturers, whether they make transformers, electric motors or electrical components, the opportunity to drive top line growth by increasing productivity.”

Professor Zühlke will be presenting the Industry 4.0 concept as well as its opportunities for the global coil winding, insulation and electrical manufacturing industries in a seminar titled A smart dynamic: How the SmartFactory broke the mould at CWIEME Central on 6^th May.

Chloe Theobald, Content Manager, CWIEME exhibition series, says: “It is a huge coup for us to have Professor Zühlke joining our seminar programme for CWIEME Berlin 2015. He is the industry authority on smart factory technology and has so many invaluable insights to share with our guests at the show.”