As a species, we’re in the midst of the 4th Industrial Revolution. Also known as Industry 4.0, this particular revolution is built upon automation and data exchange. Industry 3.0 gave us computerization. Industry 4.0 is taking that foundation to a whole new level. Industries across the globe are beginning to embrace IoT. How can manufacturing make their way into Industry 4.0 and embrace IoT?
The Rise of the Smart Factory
Two decades ago, robotic automation was considered the wave of the future. Digital tools are becoming commonplace in the industry, from warehouse management software to robotic assemblers, but these advancements, for the most part, stood alone. The smart factory uses IoT to bring everything together, creating a massive network of devices that can talk to one another, collecting information and sending it back to the hub, removing the need for manual data collection.
Sensors can monitor equipment through every step of the production process and can analyze the health of each piece of machinery to prevent costly downtime caused by equipment failure. Smart factories have five primary features ” a connected network, an optimized factory floor, broad supply chain transparency, a proactive attitude, and the agility to change as problems arise.
The IoT manufacturing market is thriving. It was worth $12.67 billion in 2017 and will continue to grow up to $45.30 billion by 2022.
Modern Innovations Changing the Industry
Innovations have fueled the manufacturing industry for millennia. We’ve been using our lungs as air compressors since the invention of fire, but the advent of metallurgy meant that higher temperatures were required, and new technology was needed to fuel the fires. We’ve come a long way since primitive blacksmiths used leather bellows to compress the air they needed to fuel their forges. Today, air compressors have changed the way the manufacturing industry works ” from powering tools to cleaning materials and aiding in production.
Smart technology will only serve to augment air compressors and other equipment, making the entire production process more efficient, reducing waste and improving the manufacturing industry as a whole.
IoT Security Concerns Now and In The Future
Smart factories are on the cutting edge of manufacturing, but many managers and supervisors are neglecting the most important part of Industry 4.0 ” cybersecurity. As with any networked system, there is always the risk of a breach. A persistent hacker can make their way into your systems and steal client information and intellectual property, or in a smart factory, even shut down your equipment or cause damage by interfering with normal operating procedures.
There is a secondary danger with IoT devices and that is a botnet hack. Hackers can co-opt your IoT devices, using them for Dedicated Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks across the internet. A similar attack happened in 2017 when a botnet virus made its way through thousands of unsecured commercial IoT devices. These devices hadn’t had their default password changed, giving the hackers a way in.
IoT is changing the way we look at manufacturing, but security ” especially cybersecurity ” will be more important than ever in the coming decades.
Embracing IoT in Manufacturing
Supervisors and business owners might be hesitant to embrace IoT because it requires additional training and adopting new technology, but soon it won’t be an option for companies that want to keep up with their competition. The Internet of Things is here to stay and while we are in the beginnings of the 4th Industrial Revolution, we won’t stay there for long. It’s up to company owners and supervisors to get in on the ground floor, so to speak, and start embracing IoT in manufacturing before its too late to teach an old industrial dog new tricks.
