A division of Hurco Companies Inc.
Industry 4.0
The Current Phase of the Industrial Revolution
Industry 4.0 represents the fourth industrial revolution and the next stage in manufacturing best practices and technology.
We’ve identified three areas where Industry 4.0 technology can greatly improve shop operations:
Identifying Areas for Shop Improvement
Internet connected machines collect large amounts of data that help keep maintenance, performance, and other issues in line so manufacturers can optimize their production efficiently by identifying what needs attention.
The collected data can also be analyzed to identify insights and patterns that would otherwise be too time consuming for humans to perform.
Implementing Robots
Robotics are now affordable and available to all shop owners, not just high volume/low-mix production shops like years past.
From talent acquisition, to cost competitiveness, to workforce productivity, robotics can greatly improve a shops productivity and, ultimately, their bottom line.
Utilizing The Internet of Things
An important part of Industry 4.0 is the Internet of Things, which is characterized by network connected devices. By cloud-storing data, shop equipment and operations can be optimized using data-driven insights to keep everything moving efficiently.
The Industry Internet of Things (IIOT) directly deals with manufacturing technology.
Where does Industry 4.0 fit in?
We are currently in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution, with three industrial revolutions behind us. The fourth industrial revolution builds upon the revolutions before it.
Industrial Revolution Through the Ages
Industry 1.0
End of the 1700s
Introduced mechanical manufacturing production using steam-powered and hydroelectric equipment.
Industry 2.0
Start of the 20th Century
Introduced mass production via electricity and use of assembly lines.
Industry 3.0
Late 1960s and Early 1970s
Introduced production automation using electronics.
Industry 4.0
Today
Introduction of networking and exchange of information between machines and people.
What’s in it for me?
The first question a shop owner should ask is: is industry 4.0 technology worth it for my shop?
Even if you have just one machine:
Industry 4.0 Can:
- Help shop owners fine-tune their operations through data-driven insights.
- Monitor their machine data in real-time from anywhere.
- Automate low-skilled machine tending so shop owners and operators can spend their time on skilled tasks.
- Help to future-proof job shop operations in regard to labor and overall cost of operations.
Industry 4.0 Cannot:
- Magically solve all shop issues.
- Automatically make job shop production more efficient – strategic implementation with specific goal outcomes is still required.
- Replace skilled labor.
Experience the ProCobots Difference
At ProCobots, we don’t just provide products—we deliver peace of mind, empowering manufacturers to embrace automation with confidence.
Ready to revolutionize your production process? Contact us today to learn more about our solutions or schedule a demo.