The fourth industrial revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, is transforming the manufacturing industry but without uninterrupted wireless connectivity it could be dead on arrival.
With the integration of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics, Industry 4.0 is enabling manufacturers to create smart factories that are more efficient, agile, and productive than ever before. But to fully realize the benefits of Industry 4.0, manufacturers must embrace private wireless technology.
So why is private wireless technology essential for the success of new Industry 4.0 initiatives?
Enhancing operational efficiency
Industry 4.0 is all about creating smart factories that are more efficient and productive. The “smarts” come from the ability to move around data from critical production systems and quickly analyze it to gain business insights and make better decisions that streamline operations. Consequently, connectivity becomes the key to success.
Using new shared cellular spectrum now being made available by telecom regulators around the world, private wireless is a crucial enabler of this transformation. It not only eliminates the requirement to purchase expensive spectrum licenses or enter into cumbersome contracts with a public cellular carriers, but also overcomes many of the inherent Wi-Fi issues that have long hampered the success of industry 4.0 applications.
Conventional enterprise Wi-Fi simply struggles to maintain a consistent wireless connection in challenging manufacturing environments that are littered with electromagnetic noise, metal obstacles and obstructions that negatively impact the propagation of strong wireless signals.
Meanwhile, network-dependent workers and systems automatically roam around the plant, fighting to keep a solid connection to the network as clients connect and reconnect to different access points.
This often causes applications to freeze and packets to be dropped as end devices constantly try to figure from where the strongest signal is coming. These so-called “handoffs” are the death knell for autonomous systems that are operated by programmable logic controllers (PLCs) over network connections. If a connection fails or flaps, everything effectively stops.
Private wireless skirts these issues and several others by leveraging cellular technology that can reach farther and faster to deliver much more deterministic wireless connections.
Instead of user devices determining for themselves when, how and where to best establish a wireless connection with no real context of the entire wireless environment, private wireless uses a centrally controlled model where the network schedules and dictates how connections are made. In this model, the network has much more information about the entire infrastructure and is in a better position to orchestrate media access controls and roaming decisions.
Enabling autonomous operations
One of the most exciting developments in Industry 4.0 is the move towards autonomous operations. Autonomous operations use AI and robotics to automate production processes, reducing the need for human intervention
This was the case for Del Conca, a global manufacturer of fine Italian tile. Having heavily invested in automated guided vehicles (AGVs) that rely on network connectivity to move essential materials around its manufacturing floor, Del Conca experienced constant disconnections to its Wi-Fi network due to coverage, interference and roaming issues. This severely impacted operational productivity from the production line to the shopping dock.
Figure 1: Del Conca tile manufacturing facility in Loudon, Tennessee
Consequently the organization replaced its legacy Wi-Fi infrastructure with a private wireless system that effectively eliminated these problems – using 75 percent fewer wireless access points to cover its massive 30-acre indoor/outdoor facility in Tennessee.
By providing a secure and reliable private wireless network, manufacturers can connect all their devices and machines to a centralized platform, enabling them to collect and analyze data in real-time. Real-time data collection and analysis provide manufacturers with valuable insights into their operations. They can identify areas where they can reduce downtime, optimize production, and improve quality.
A manufacturer can use sensors connected to a private wireless network to monitor the temperature of its equipment. If the temperature exceeds a certain threshold, the system can automatically shut down the equipment, preventing costly damage and downtime. Furthermore, private wireless technology enables manufacturers to implement predictive maintenance programs.
Predictive maintenance uses real-time data to predict when machines will require maintenance. By scheduling maintenance proactively, manufacturers can reduce downtime and prevent costly breakdowns.
Enabling flexibility and agility
One of the key advantages of Industry 4.0 is its ability to create flexible and agile manufacturing operations. With private wireless technology, manufacturers can quickly adapt to changing production needs and respond to customer demands.
By reliably connecting all its machines and devices to a centralized platform that uses AI algorithms to optimize production in real-time, enterprises can radically improve operational agility. If there is a sudden increase in demand for a particular product or process, the system can automatically adjust production to meet that demand.
Private wireless technology can also enables manufacturers to create “smart warehouses.” A smart warehouse uses IoT sensors and devices to track inventory levels, monitor shipments, and optimize the storage and retrieval of goods. By automating these processes, manufacturers can reduce labor costs and improve inventory accuracy, enabling them to respond more quickly to customer demands.
Improving safety and security
Manufacturing operations are inherently risky. The use of heavy machinery, chemicals, and other hazardous materials means that safety is always a concern. Private wireless technology can help to improve safety in manufacturing operations by providing real-time monitoring and alerts.
For example, a manufacturer can use private wireless technology to monitor the levels of hazardous gases in its factory. If the levels exceed safe limits, the system can automatically alert workers and shut down the affected area.
Private wireless technology can also help to improve the security of manufacturing operations. With the increasing threat of cyber attacks, manufacturers must take steps to protect their operations from hackers. Using secure media access mechanisms, end-to-end encryption and flexible traffic segmentation, private wireless networks provide an added layer of security, making it more difficult for hackers to gain access to critical systems and data.
Ultimately, to reap the reward of new Industry 4.0 initiatives aimed at digitally transforming virtual every aspect of the manufacturing process, the adoption of private wireless has become non negotiable. Leveraging dependable cellular technology, private wireless now gives manufacturers a secure and reliable canopy of connectivity to better control network-dependent devices and machines vital to streamlining business operations.
