Industrial Internet of things solutions, 3D printing and blockchain are some of the biggest technologies leading the new era of secure supply chain.
What is intelligent manufacturing?This is not a single concept, but a series of technologies that bring efficiency and new opportunities to the manufacturing industry – as well as opportunities to the entire supply chain.
This industrial revolution is called industry 4.0.Here are some of the most important technologies in industry 4.0, and how they can help manufacturing enterprises work more intelligently, plan better and open up global markets with unprecedented confidence.
Networking equipment makes maintenance intelligent
Intelligent manufacturing begins with intelligent machinery.Industry 4.0 offers a number of opportunities for manufacturers who want to reduce maintenance burdens and costs and extend machine life.
Industrial IOT solution providers offer a variety of networking and communication tool kits to transform old devices with “smart” features, while heavy equipment manufacturers are designing networking and smart devices from scratch.But what are the benefits of manufacturers bringing physical devices into the digital age?
When machines can communicate with each other, they can more accurately synchronize and optimize their activities, and adjust production and throughput according to the conditions of docks, machine shops and other places.Using sensors to collect data about the health of the machine, engineers can plan maintenance intervals around the production plan and extend the service life of the parts as long as possible before replacing them.In short, make it really predictive.
To make machines intelligent is not to exclude human workers.Admittedly, some low-income jobs may not last long, but on the other hand, the manufacturing industry needs to bring in more workers with experience in analysis, automation, data science and robotics in the next few years.Labor force is not shrinking as rapidly as automation disaster forecasters say, but the composition of labor force in industrialized countries is certainly changing, and the demand for high paid jobs is also increasing.
Blockchain, tracking and traceability, and supply chain transparency
Manufacturers and consumer goods companies can fully enjoy the benefits of blockchain.
Through the blockchain, each partner in the supply chain helps to establish a decentralized ledger that permanently and transparently records operational information.The result is a secure deposit of production details (e.g. origin, manufacturer, delivery time) and financial details (e.g. payment amount, transaction date, names of parties), and a true traceability is created throughout the supply chain.For example, the traceability chain blockchain Traceability Technology, through the plastic ring to complete the hairy crab code, and then consumers scan the ring QR code through the code scanning tool to verify the origin information, and view the certificate records of traceability data.
Because each product or batch of products has a unique password identifier, it is easier than ever for companies to track the source of product defects, handle recalls more effectively and protect their reputation, and make daily compliance activities easier than ever.
3D printing
If we don’t talk about “3D printing”, we can’t talk about intelligent manufacturing.
The key of intelligent manufacturing is not to adopt new technology just because of the existence of new technology, but to identify those technologies that provide opportunities or solve problems.According to some estimates, today, the average waste of traditional manufacturing accounts for 21% of materials, and 3D printing can not only reduce the overall waste of materials to less than 10%, but also significantly reduce carbon emissions.
3D printing also makes it faster and more cost-effective to produce more prototypes.This speeds up the testing phase of product design and makes it more likely for designers and engineers to detect defects before mass production.
For manufacturers and the whole supply chain, the most exciting impact may be to bring the means of production closer to customers.Customers will soon order 3D printed items, including customization options, from Amateur stores, auto parts stores, department stores, electronic boutiques and even clothing stores.
The impact on global supply chains can be huge.Manufacturers should start planning for the future instead of shipping finished products and partially assembled products around the world.The technology to obtain 3D printing products from a variety of materials or embedded electronic devices is also rapidly maturing, which will enable 3D printers to assemble truly diversified products.
Security issues and some solutions
Of course, all of these connections come at a price.Gemalto’s research shows that 48% of the companies surveyed are still unable to detect security vulnerabilities based on the Internet of things.Interestingly, the same study shows that 79% of business decision makers want the government to develop IOT security guidelines.
Many companies have deployed IOT solutions, but lack of internal talents and tools for intrusion detection, which is a very serious problem.
Over the years, we have seen some eye-catching cases, even the networked heating and cooling equipment – there are many such devices in the manufacturing industry – have opened the back door for cybercriminals.
When it comes to making temperature control, refrigeration and refrigeration systems more intelligent, there are huge benefits for Industry – and energy and cost savings are just the beginning.But if we want to be secure, all of these Internet connected infrastructures need to be in the right way.Some network security experts believe that due to network attacks, 60% of small and medium-sized manufacturers have suffered downtime or key data loss.
Protecting IOT devices requires a team that understands the relevant stakeholders and best practices.Some estimates say that by 2021, there will be 36 billion internet of things devices in the world, which is a huge threat.In a simpler way, as long as the machine firmware and security updates are updated in time, the manufacturer’s security can be guaranteed.At a higher level, companies can use virtual local area networks (VLANs) to isolate connected machines from external interference, rather than completely isolate them from other company operations.
But despite the threats, industry 4.0 is still making manufacturing and the world a better place.
Nothing is more important than data for the daily operation and long-term survival of a company – and industry 4.0 and the Internet of things provide a lot of ways to understand data flow in depth.
These technologies clarify problems in equipment performance and supplier management, and also provide a way to protect the company and its good reputation when an audit arrives or when it is necessary to trace the root cause of the problem.