Industry 4.0 is a broad term that encompasses technologies such as the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), cloud computing and edge computing,as well as other defining concepts such as machine-to-machine communication (M2M),digital twins, and augmented reality (AR) and cyber-physical systems (CPS). IIoT helps to connect previously discrete systems using hardware and software, provides information transparency, enhances human decision-making, and decentralizes decisions inside technological systems so that people need to intervene less frequently.It should be noted that,this continuous process improvements and waste reduction are also at the heart of lean manufacturing practices, which have been widely embraced throughout the global industrial ecosystem. Simply put, IIoT is a modern way to further ensure that your manufacturing setup is lean and efficient.
Digital transformation and Lean manufacturing
Lean manufacturing concepts are not new ideas, but they are relevant at any point. The Lean concepts were initially developed to increase manufacturing efficiency, but they have now been adapted for use in all businesses.Defining value, mapping the value stream; and producing flow utilizing a pull system, and chasing perfection are the fundamental phases of lean manufacturing.
Monitoring systems and data collection from all machines, processes, and activities are essential in lean manufacturing for process control, optimization, and preventative and predictive maintenance. This information drives all decision-making processes to achieve operational excellence and increase customer value. Many businesses have reaped the benefits of incorporating lean manufacturing approaches into their design, production, assembly, inventory, supply chain, maintenance, and recycling processes.
Lean manufacturing principles aren’t just for the manufacturing industry; it is widely employed by many businesses today. Sensors and actuators have been progressively used in machines, manufacturing processes, and industrial activities to monitor and regulate their operations for maximum performance and quality to capture the full benefit of lean manufacturing. However, technological improvements are also driving the widespread adoption of lean approaches.
Manufacturers use technology to increase productivity
Businesses keep introducing and optimizing lean manufacturing production methods to improve a manufacturing facility’s labor and equipment productivity output and income. Lean manufacturing comprises streamlining production inventory, automating procedures, and reducing downtime and critical product defects. Small, medium-sized, and large-scale businesses can use lean manufacturing techniques to get resources as and when needed. This will provide the businesses a competitive edge over its competitors globally as it satisfies its customers.
The four objectives of lean manufacturing are to enhance the quality of products and processes, reduce waste, decrease production and processing time, and lower expenses. However, regardless of their size, organizations face internal obstacles. Their technical teams are overburdened with existing work, hiring new talent is costly, and there is no relief from time-to-market pressure. Kalycito assists their customer in bridging this gap and building innovative new business models.
Next generation manufacturing with Kalycito
Industry 4.0 is releasing a slew of new technologies driving lean manufacturing. The heart of these solutions is the extraction of data from operations and the use of that data to drive better, faster decision-making across the business, whether the user is controlling maintenance, quality, production, or the entire plant. Beginning with the basics and focusing on them will help lay the groundwork for a smarter, more connected lean operation.
An organization’s ability to automate new workflows smoothly will determine how successful the new business model is. The capacity to execute the algorithms and make judgments at the Edge and a technique to model leveraging cloud infrastructure are required. Organizations could also wish to foresee and predict changes after deployment in addition to simulating modifications beforehand. As a company with a digital transformation, one can anticipate receiving real-time notifications on crucial metrics and events to let authorized users make decisions quickly. Companies would expect not being inundated with automated messages and would value clear communications delivered through the proper channels and workflow-enabled ticketing-based management of urgent situations. The company could also want to configure channels, whether for app push, SMS, email, audio alerts, digital outputs, MQTT, or REST API communications.
With the help of Kalycito’s web-based platform, the company can model, simulate, test, forecast, and deploy the workflows. A robust device management interface for IoT devices, a user-management interface for new user types (FTE, On-demand, Customers, Vendors, Visitors, etc.), authentication, authorization, and certificate management for devices, security management interface for MFA, TPA, and an interface to easily configure HMI screens and alerts are all necessary for the digital transformation of business model. Interfaces to track and charge for the added value one creates for their clients may also be desirable. Kalycito provides companies with a NoCode/LowCode library that can be used to quickly and cheaply develop the management above interfaces. The library’s simplicity makes it possible to modify the business logic in the future easily.
To meet all IIOT reporting and analytics needs, Kalycito assists companies in developing and managing their time series data storage solutions on-premises or in the cloud. Kalycito tools assist companies in analyzing immutably chronologically sequenced Edge data through beautifully designed visualizations, and Kalycito’s web-based solutions’ modularity makes it simple to integrate them with customers’ current installations.
Kalycito is excellent at integrating IT and OT technologies across the whole stack, which helps customers get reliable and interoperable IIoT solutions on time. To help customers successfully implement Industry 4.0, Kalycito IIoT Starter Kit – Microsoft Azure Certified for IoT expands the portfolio of lean platforms, mature and agile processes, tools, technology skills, and domain know-how. Kalycito provides COTS that are efficient, interoperable, and secure, and customers can use them like LEGO pieces to construct the digital solutions they need.
Read: IIoT digital transformation
Watch: Industry 4.0: Eight Stage Technology Adoption Framework