From IIoT to AI: The Building Blocks of a Smart Factory

Manufacturing for a global economy requires modern solutions, often in the form of integrated technology. Much has been made of the use of smart technology for automating tasks that used to be done by hand, generating data that can drive smart decision-making, and cutting costs that could otherwise sink a business. 

These technologies can revolutionize the manufacturer space as they do industries like construction. By considering the factors involved in building a smart factory, manufacturers can find opportunities to optimize their processes and reap the benefits.

The Industrial Internet of Things

Implementing tools that allow machines to supervise much of their processes creates an opportunity to reduce expenses, time, and system failures during production.

The Internet of Things describes equipment, devices, and sensors that record data about the product life cycle and transmit it to systems that can process that data into useful information for the manufacturing team. 

These tools are fundamental components of the smart factory, helping manufacturers to confirm that they meet production goals while maintaining strict standards for quality.

Automation & Robotics

Optimizing order processing and manufacturing processes involves regular use of automation and robotics. Recent labor shortages have driven manufacturers to implement tools that minimize the number of workers needed to produce components and handle orders. 

Automation allows computer systems to immediately read the information contained in an order and send the correct details to the manufacturing team. With the use of robotics, manufacturers can generate complete products at a faster rate, with a higher degree of quality and accuracy.

Automating these aspects of the process leaves more space for human employees to provide necessary oversight.

Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing

Supply chain volatility highlights the importance of finding paths to limit the distance and time between the harvesting of raw materials and the production of a key component in manufacturing. 

To address this issue, manufacturers are looking for ways to bring their suppliers closer to home, including the use of additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing or 3D printing uses a machine and quantities of raw material to build a custom component from scratch. 

Outside of producing parts in-house, manufacturers rely on other sources of custom components, such as custom wire assemblies to ensure consistent connectivity.

AI and Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence provides a seamless integration for these systems, incorporating data to assist manufacturers in making production more efficient. 

AI relies on extensive training on a vast amount of data, allowing the system to establish algorithms for proper performance given a specific set of circumstances. With its ability to process data and evaluate systems for inefficiencies or potential failures, AI can mimic human oversight to a large degree. 

With the addition of machine learning, the systems themselves can identify mistakes in their processes and continue to improve without requiring unique updates to the software.

Big Data

Manufacturers who take advantage of big data can find opportunities to optimize their processes, from equipment maintenance to small parts production. Big data involves the collection and management of mass amounts of data from sources inside and outside the factory. 

Information about production performance, equipment failures, and supply chain disruptions can drive manufacturer decisions about future projects. AI can use this data to create predictive analytics to better estimate timelines, including determining when machines are most likely to require maintenance or the best inventory to keep during supply chain instability.

Cloud Computing

In a smart factory, many devices are generating or processing data that needs to go to a single source for management. Cloud computing provides an offsite repository to store this data so that all stakeholders have access to the same information at the same time. 

Cloud platforms can customize options for businesses, providing a seamless, scalable way to streamline data collection and processing in the factory. Implementing a cloud platform for the management of a manufacturer’s data can increase security, minimize downtimes, and create other opportunities for optimization.

Blockchain

Although centralized access to data is a major component of the smart factory, the record-keeping should involve some level of decentralization.

Blockchain describes a process of keeping records in multiple locations, to increase transparency and prevent tampering with the data. Blockchain is a vital component of preserving the accuracy of traceability of parts, supplies, materials, and equipment for manufacturing. 

The use of blockchain in the factory arrangement provides a verifiable chain of ownership that can help manufacturers comply with government regulations and transparency goals.

Cybersecurity

The collection and processing of massive amounts of data creates security challenges that a smart factory must be able to handle. 

Cybersecurity meets the demands of the modern age by using many of the same tools to identify potential weaknesses, root out bad actors, and ensure the security of data even during downtimes. AI in particular shows promise in information security for its ability to use predictive analytics to identify the most likely causes of compromise. 

A robust, interconnected system can spot suspicious behavior almost immediately, limit access to the system, and alert administrators to take prompt action.

Smart Integration

Smart integration in manufacturing is more than just a way to cut costs on labor or improve output. It streamlines the entire process, from the ordering of supplies to the processing of orders, production of goods, and handling of the final shipments. 

Implementing tools toward the goal of creating a smart factory can help manufacturers stay relevant in a global economy, increasing their efficiency and prospects for future customers.