How to upgrade your Legacy Equipment for industry 4.0

Scholar and leadership expert Warren Bennis once said, “In life, change is inevitable. In business, change is vital.” This wisdom resonates with every business owner, but none more than the manufacturer.

We are in the midst of a new industrial revolution, one which will significantly impact the manufacturing industry. Experts are calling it Industry 4.0, the fourth wave in the industrial revolution behind steam power, electricity and computing.

According to TechRadar, Industry 4.0 is “the label given to the gradual combination of traditional manufacturing and industrial practices with the increasingly technological world around us.” Industry 4.0 is ushering in a new era of production where automation and data exchange are integrated into the manufacturing process to streamline productivity.

Sounds great, right? It is, if you can upgrade your legacy equipment. Nobody enjoys the process of upgrading, let alone talking about it, but this is a revolution you don’t want to miss. Here’s how you can upgrade your legacy equipment to successfully ride the wave of Industry 4.0. 

Industrial Internet of Things

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is the interconnection between manufacturing and production equipment. This equipment uses sensors and internet connectivity to communicate with themselves and one another to create a more efficient production output. As a result, equipment can consider factors like stress on the electrical grid and projected weather to determine the most efficient way to operate at any given time.

According to Gartner, a leading research and advisory company, more than half of major new business processes and systems will incorporate some element of the IIoT by 2020. What’s more, McKinsey Global Institute reported that in the last five years, the number of connected machines has grown by 300 percent.

These businesses are onto something; there are many benefits of integrating the IIoT into manufacturing processes. Information gleaned from the IIoT provides access to real-time data and insights on equipment’s performance and use. Operators can also closely track the lifespan of their machinery in order to proactively plan for maintenance and upgrades. IIoT integration also aids in the automation process. Digitally connecting the machinery creates a mesh that seamlessly translates into full automation. Finally, clients can more readily track the progress of their order with insights provided by the IIoT.

Integrating the IIoT with existing equipment can be challenging, but it isn’t impossible. Most legacy equipment can be retrofitted with sensors and other online monitoring devices.

Smart Factories

In the past, many manufacturing facilities relied on Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) software to integrate the many independent facets of the production process. Unfortunately, this technology is not able to manage production processes in real-time.

Smart Factory software integrates every part of the production process, including production, resources, supply chain, maintenance and human resources, in order to create a single, efficient output.

This technology enables factory managers to examine data once unavailable, informing decisions about production and other business processes. With Smart software, operators can be more responsive to several factors, including resource availability and cost, consumer demand, market fluctuations, and more. 

An Example of Wireless HART mesh network

Digital Supply Chains

Digital supply chains aren’t simple A to B, B to C, C to D processes. In these systems, relationships between different parts of the overall production process are affected by changes or events elsewhere in the system and able to adapt to those changes.

To create a truly digital supply chain, the facility must consider all factors that could potentially impact each part of the supply chain, all the while remedying any issues that may impede the supply chain from operating as designed. Insights from a digital supply chain give manufacturers a real-time overview of every link in the supply chain. As a result, they can quickly respond to problems and simulate scenarios to proactively plan for the future.

To do this well, factories must integrate every step of the product life cycle. This includes everything from sourcing and shipping raw materials, to ordering packaging, advertising the product, and scheduling employees on the factory floor. The digital supply chain system acknowledges that creating a product isn’t black and white. It is a highly sophisticated process that involves many interconnected variables.

 You can also read: Introduction to Industrial Automation

Industry 4.0 is here to stay. Upgrades can cause growing pains, but in the end, change is almost always a good thing. Be a part of the next industrial revolution. Integrate your equipment and transform your business.

About the Author:

Page Long is the Marketing Operations Director at PDF Electric & Supply, which is based out of Cary, NC. PDF Electric & Supply is an automation supplier specializing in Legacy GE PLCs.

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