October 2019

| APPLICATIONS | generated and stored on-board. Connecting a series of CPX valve terminals to, for example a Festo CPX- IOT Gateway enables manufacturers to gather the required data, aggregating, channelling and filtering it as required. This data then can be accessed for Industry 4.0 services either in the cloud or on-premise, so manufacturers can utilise the data. Cloud hosting services enable data to be viewed securely and globally by manufacturers across the internet, transferred via APIs or exported. On-premise devices are deployed to reduce the amount of data that is transferred to the cloud, saving data transmission and storage costs and further restricting access to confidential information. They are installed in the plant, with manufacturers or service providers storing and utilising the data locally. It is contained within the boundary of the factory. Both have their advantages www.smartmachinesandfactories.com October 2019 | 29 | Industry 4.0, 5G and AI: delivering a digital future The next generation 5G wireless networks and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be crucial elements to enable Industry 4.0 to be wholly implemented. Smart Machines & Factories reports M anufacturers are under constant pressure to increase production efficiencies, boost profitability and improve product quality, while at the same time enhancing security, safety and sustainability. Industry 4.0 is hailed as enabling industries to achieve all this, and is, without a doubt, gaining traction. It has moved well beyond the concept stage– we are now more than four years into a 20-year digital transformation – although there is still a long way to go until the infrastructure is fully in place and all its benefits can be realised. The next generation 5G wireless networks and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be crucial elements to enable Industry 4.0 to be wholly implemented. Industry 4.0, connectivity and the cloud Central to Industry 4.0 is connectivity – both the link between human and machine, and machine-to-machine. Industry 4.0 depends on being able to connect to the application so manufacturers are in a position to use data to gain insight about their assets and make informed decisions to optimise their processes. Industry 4.0 relies on fully networked, adaptive production through intelligent products with “embedded functions” – cyber- physical systems. The first building block, as shown in figure 1, is the use of smart products on a machine, which gather data about its performance. Smart products already exist with the capability of connecting and networking. For example, Festo’s Steve Sands, says his company’s CPX valve terminals have on-board intelligence and use the Industry 4.0 standard OPC-UA communication protocol to enable access to the data Figure 1. Steps to realising the full benefits of Industry 4.0