INDUSTRY 4.0/SMART FACTORIES
WAREHOUSING, HANDLING & STORAGE
WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO THINK ABOUT INDUSTRY 4.0?
Recently, we’ve seen how economic, political, and natural events can have a dramatic effect on demand for manufactured goods. Anticipating and responding to changes in both supply and demand requires a company’s manufacturing operations to be agile and resilient. A key enabler of this resiliency are advanced manufacturing capabilities, writes Paul Baldassari, Executive Vice President at Flex.
E
xternal events can quickly peak demand for a product or an entire industry. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic there was an urgent need for oxygen ventilators with an immediate pressure on manufacturers to increase production. During the pandemic, the demand for consumer electronics soared as more people stayed or worked from home. Today, there is high demand for diesel powered generators to supplement domestic heating systems as European consumers worry about energy prices this winter. While these peaks in demand are not always predictable, an inability to respond can leave you more vulnerable to the competition. Manufacturers, however, must also find ways to improve their entire operation, not just to meet peak demand. Customers are looking for manufacturing partners who can speed time to market, quickly ramp new production, reduce waste and improve quality. Many are looking to advanced Industry 4.0 technologies to create digital factories, what some call the factory of the future.
AT THE HEART OF INDUSTRY 4.0 IS DATA
Digitalisation enables data to be shared between machines, within a factory and between factories, suppliers and customers. This allows a much higher level of visibility and efficiency to be achieved, benefiting every stage of the product life cycle. For example, the process of setting up a production line can be significantly improved using simulation and modelling technology. At the early stages of production planning, an entire production line can be simulated virtually and allow customisation of multiple factors including the design plan, production layout, human resources needed and materials used.
Testing different methods and configurations in a virtual world can save the time, cost and material waste of experimenting in the real world. It also allows the optimised production data to be shared with product designers, customers and the
production team. If a change is needed, it’s simple to run a new simulation model that allows analysis on multiple layers for each function.
The ability to digitise the entire life cycle of a product and the production configuration greatly increases real time decision making, efficiency and quality.
DRIVING ADOPTION
For the past 10 years, manufacturers have been focused on testing the promise of Industry 4.0 for many applications. For machine maintenance, advanced digitised systems can use artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) sensors to monitor and anticipate maintenance and resolve failures before they occur.
Advanced digital factories rely on
implementing interconnectivity, automation, real time data and other innovative technologies to help drive throughput, optimise processes and streamline efficiencies.
The massive supply chain disruptions over the past few years have encouraged European governments to push for greater localisation of the supply base to make manufacturing faster and closer. At Flex, it is not uncommon to make the same product at multiple sites around the world, so that products are closer to the end customer. To achieve consistent quality and production volumes, we make use of automation and robotics. These technologies can streamline repetitive assembly tasks, reduce variability and the possibility for error, while increasing safety and freeing up workers for more valuable work.
THE HUMAN FACTOR
Upskilling people in this working environment is important too. For example, with automation and digitisation, systems-thinking becomes incredibly important. With so many connected machines, employees need to understand the ripple effect of their actions. For example,
when they change something on one section of the line, it won’t have a negative downstream impact on another area.
Continuously developing the capabilities of operators, line technicians and automation experts to operate equipment will help streamline the introduction of new technologies and keep operations running smoothly. Collaboration between workers at other sites is also facilitated by technology.
At the advanced level we use augmented reality to enable colleagues across the world to work together to troubleshoot issues on equipment or production lines. At the simpler end, video conference applications are commonly used to connect production staff and allow organic knowledge sharing.
THE ROAD AHEAD
Industry 4.0 technologies represent a much-needed step forward that helps improve efficiency and quality. The increased and detailed data helps people at every level of business make better decisions, more quickly.
The right time to think about implementing or expanding Industry 4.0 technologies is now. If you are just beginning your journey, I would suggest you look for solutions that:
Simplifies repeatable dangerous, dull, dirty, or difficult tasks and frees up workers’ time for higher level, more complex activities.
Empowers employees from the shop floor to the corner office with real-time data that can enable quicker decisions.
Drives communication, flexibility and ensures resiliency throughout the manufacturing process. While technology may drive innovation, people are at the heart of manufacturing and are the critical ingredient to implementing, analysing and managing the technology in place.
Flex
flex.com
12 OCTOBER 2022 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
39
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58
