We’re in the midst of an industrial revolution. Industry 4.0 is an umbrella term that covers a multitude of technological advances that are transforming the world’s manufacturing and production industries. This means that every individual machine, system and set of processes across the factory and throughout the enterprise will be integrated and connected to the internet. It’s as much an evolution of existing automated systems (like assembly line robots or packaging equipment), as it is a revolution. This unprecedented level of connectivity allows information to be captured at every point in the production process and throughout the supply chain. The resulting Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) data can then be analyzed and managed to make every manufacturing sequence as fast and accurate as possible.
Simply put, the holy grail of maximum efficiency could be realized with coding automation. Adem Kulauzovic, director of Coding Automation at Domino Printing Sciences, highlights the five ways in which you can achieve this through coding and marking.
Defeating downtime through proactive monitoring
Manufacturers want peace of mind that their printers will remain operational at all times, and utilizing Industry 4.0 concepts, such as integration and smart servers, makes this feasible. By using an array of integrated sensors to automate system monitoring and send data to the cloud, engineers can use this information to monitor their printers and detect any reliability issues.
With this type of technology, this can be done remotely – there is no need for engineers to go to a customer site to diagnose a fault. If a fix is required, engineers can turn up on site prepared with the knowledge and any spare parts they need. Additionally, the use of the cloud by eGoldFax enterprise faxing solutions will ensure engineers are automatically alerted of any faults and potential issues with the printers, which enable issues to be managed faster and resolutions sought before they impact the production line. The data collected by the cloud can also be used to discover trends and provide root cause analysis that can be used to determine proper preventative maintenance in the future.
Empowering customers through automation and IIoT
It does not just support teams and engineers that can monitor printers, customers also have valuable insights into their printer operations at their fingertips.
With the use of a connected online system, a customer can check the status of their printers from any location, remotely diagnose faults, plan for refills and reorders by watching ink levels and usage. They can set alerts if, for example, ink levels reach a dangerously low level – and can take action before downtime occurs – all without physically needing to be at the printer’s location.
Eliminating recalls caused by operator error
When errors are introduced, the impact can be detrimental and significant. Consider that the average human makes one mistake for every 300 characters entered. Incorrect information entered on printers by operators results in costly recalls and reworks. It’s a significant cause of unplanned production downtime. Integrating printers with factory automation systems, such as Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems enable labelling data to be coordinated automatically without the need for human input.
Seamless interoperability through standardization
Communication standards enable the seamless transfer of data between equipment and factory systems to reduce setup, support and development costs. They provide a universal method to collect and share production information across production areas; measuring and adjusting production throughput while reducing the risk of data inconsistency across different pieces of production equipment.
If you imagine a production line in its entirety, data and instructions flow through a variety of equipment that is often supplied by different companies – devices like printers, check weighers, vision systems and PLCs, and whole packaging systems from OEMs. By adopting a common data language, setup times are reduced, and there’s no need to develop software to interface between equipment – reducing development time.
Protecting consumers through serialization
There are several solutions for unique identification, aggregation, tracing and verification of products to meet the challenges of serialization. These serialization products can generate encrypted, unique numbers and enable multiple levels of aggregation and integration with government databases, enterprise systems and contract manufacturing organizations.
Online portals enable live tracking and authentication of products through the supply chain. If items are removed or changed during production, or damaged during transit, the associated serial numbers are decommissioned, and the data in the central repository is updated. Scanning products at the point of purchase gives assurance to consumers and retailers.
Don’t just survive – thrive!
Industry 4.0 is not just a revolution but an evolution of technology, attitudes and techniques across every section of the world’s manufacturing and production environments. The benefits of the fourth industrial revolution are clear to see. From increased performance and profitability to customer empowerment, to servitization and serialization, each advantage is working towards the ultimate goal for any production environment to achieve maximum efficiency.
However, Industry 4.0 cannot be achieved overnight. Due to the breadth of changes, from both a cultural and technical standpoint, this transformation will require time to take effect. Yet this transformation is happening, and it is a truly unique opportunity for us not just to survive – but thrive as innovators and early adopters while the world’s latest Industrial Revolution steadily marches on.
