Industry 4.0

Propelling Smart Manufacturing in APAC to the next frontier with AI

Attributed to: Leonard Lee, President APAC, Beyond Limits As one of the global hubs for manufacturing, Asia Pacific (APAC) accounts for about 48.5% of the worldwide manufacturing output. In the region, opportunities are ripe for smart manufacturing to move to the next level, largely due to the well-developed manufacturing ecosystem and government support. Spending within the artificial intelligence (AI) market is also expected to grow to US$49.2 billion in 2026, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.5% from 2021 to 2026. The increased investments are expected to fuel the growth of automation through the use of technologies such as robotics and control systems, thus enhancing the performance metrics of the production processes. For APAC manufacturers, the most pressing challenges in the implementation of Industry 4.0 include the reluctance to embrace new technology, a shortage of skilled personnel to oversee its implementation, as well as difficulties in measuring the ROI of smart manufacturing digital solutions. There is also a sense that competitive differentiators are rising in importance. Manufacturers know they must step up on their digital investment, as those companies with higher digital maturity have shown greater resilience and are better able to adapt to supply chain challenges with increased supply chain visibility. Providing manufacturers with a competitive advantage AI has already transformed many enterprise processes, and the use of AI technology is now treated as a business imperative. Manufacturers are exploring ways to effectively utilise their existing data and insights, boost efficiency, reduce expenses, and achieve operational advantages. However, conventional AI technology that manufacturers still rely on acts as a “black box” that creates models from data without providing any explanations. To allow manufacturers to reap the full benefits of technology, they must pivot to Cognitive AI. Cognitive AI acts as a “glass box”, providing detailed justifications for […]

EMA & Industry 4.0: Company Profile -RML

RML has been providing high-performance innovative robotic and automation solutions to their customers for the past 40 years. From robotic automation systems, cartoning, case packing, conveyor solutions, custom assembly, palletising, lidders, closers and components. RML has worked with large and small production lines throughout New Zealand and Australia. Problem or Opportunity As a machine builder, RML have identified key issues which were stopping their customers from maximising the value of their investments. Primarily, it was difficult to be connected to machines from outside of the customers’ plant. This led to site visits being required to provide customer support and delivering upgrades that increased customers productivity. The lack of network connectivity also meant that machines were generally standalone, with limited integration with the customers business systems, thus not delivering the performance data to the teams that are. The Solution RML identified that current PLC technology is great for controlling plant, but is lacking in the ability to fully control machines and harness the full potential of Industry 4.0. To make their products Industry 4.0 ready, RML moved to using Industrial Controllers (IC’s) about six years ago. IC’s are similar to a Windows computer. They have the ability to run real-time control and allow a suite of additional programs to be installed, beyond simple machine controls. This has also helped them bridge the common access or security issues which machine builders face with PLCs. Using IC’s, it is now easier to support customers in real-time while ensuring security needs are met. The IC’s allow for the remote adjustment of settings to help when troubleshooting, allowing remote support and troubleshooting, and allowing RML to train new operators online. This ensures machines are back up and running quickly, effectively maximising production. Also of benefit is the ability to collect real-time data using the PLC […]

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Endeavour Fund awards more than $10m to HERA to build world-leading construction sector

HERA, the heavy engineering research association, has been successful in the 2022 round of the prestigious Endeavour Fund, which supports important scientific research projects seeking to address some of our biggest challenges. HERA has been awarded a grant of close to $10.3 million to support a four-year research project focused on transforming the construction sector in Aotearoa New Zealand using Construction 4.0 approaches. Fundamentally, it will improve productivity for the construction sector more broadly, with key outcomes including better economic performance, building and infrastructure affordability, and a larger workforce which is more skilled, innovative, and digitally literate. HERA CEO Troy Coyle says, “Our research team is both excited and thankful that the Science Board, assessors and the Minister of Research, Science and Innovation appreciate the significant contribution this project will make to the sector and New Zealand economy. “This programme not only addresses key challenges identified by our members and wider industry, but will be world-leading in creating data-driven decision-making for the future of construction. “Currently there is a profound limitation in the way we perform construction in Aotearoa New Zealand. Complex decisions are being made based on simple data inputs and in linear silos with little inter-connection or data-derived decision support. “This project will improve design to construction (and beyond) by bringing together industry and a team of global experts rigorously vetted, who will use complexity science to build upon developing nascent global Construction 4.0 knowledge. “We also recognise the Science Board’s focus on Vision Mātauranga as it is something that aligns strongly to our own commitment in this space. We see this as an opportunity to bring a more holistic approach to the key components of the program of Industry 4.0, sustainability and mātauranga Māori. Our linkages internationally, to industry, and to existing research programmes will ensure project […]

Q&A Holger Heinzel, HERA

Digitisation and new technologies are having a profound impact on every facet of the manufacturing industry. As has been discussed in this forum, Industry 4.0 is upon us – enabling and also pushing businesses to collect and analyse data to streamline and improve the efficency of their systems and processes. The new tech gives so much – freed-up time and productivity boosts, less waste, far better and faster insights for a business to improve. We appreciate, though, that innovation requires investment and this is a time when many organisations are maintaining a hawk-like eye on capex and opex. The good news is that it’s worth it: HERA’s 2021 report in collaboration with BERL modelled the potential economic impact of Industry 4.0 on the New Zealand construction industry and found that gains over the next five years could be as much as $8 billion, and a heartening $4 billion at the moderate optimistic forecasting. And that is only for that part of the NZ economy. The potential for individual businesses and the wider industry is clear if we can take advantage of it. To that end, we are focusing on tools and methodologies to help members and other manufacturing organisations with the transition to Industry 4.0. A good starting point for company is to establish where they currently sit at, as a starting point for their transformation journey or how far they might have already come. What is the SIRI Assessment? Siri, short for Smart Industry Readiness Index, is an Industry 4.0-focused global assessment scheme. It was developed out of Singapore and is available to manufacturers in New Zealand. In the past four years, over 300 companies worldwide have used the SIRI Assessment to formally evaluate their facilities and processes and kick-start their Industry 4.0 transformation. The tool works for a wide […]

Technologies enable smart factories to self-adapt

By Jarrod Kinchington, Infor ANZ vice president and managing director Judging by the headlines, continuous logistics issues, continued pandemic restrictions, and rising prices for raw materials will mean that manufacturers have their work cut out for 2022. In addition, the drive towards sustainability is adding pressure to readjust the manufacturing footprint. Most manufacturers are still stuck with a geographic footprint, which was driven by labour arbitrage around the globe, rather than by factors such as closeness to customers or ecological concerns. To increase efficiency, many producers have started to implement Industry 4.0 technologies. Industry 4.0 came with the promise of a smart factory being profitable at the production lot size of one unit. The concept was introduced at the brink of the millennium change with the introduction of cyber-physical systems to share, analyse and guide intelligent actions for various processes in the industry to make the machines smarter and to lower downtime. Analytics can also be used for other aspects like logistics, demand forecasts, production scheduling and quality control, capacity utilisation and efficiency boosting. But we still stand at the beginning for leveraging the true potential of Industry 4.0. Smart technologies offer no less than the possibility to redesign the global manufacturing footprint, to position factories closer to markets, reduce logistics nightmares and increase visibility of the ecosystem partners, including suppliers and customers. There are six important ingredients for a strategy to create the future-proof smart factory: Customers increasingly demand highly personalised products as well as an enhanced customer experience. Manufacturing companies adopt highly agile cloud-based solutions to gain the ability to increase individualisation, service additions, and serve higher flexibility requirements. The need to reduce delays and transport costs, as well as the drive toward a more sustainable production and the imperative to reduce the distance to the physical end-consumer […]

Industry 4.0 technology proposed to ACC to augment and improve employees lives through use of wearable tech

-Greg Buckley, Innovation and Transformation Architect, HERA Late last year HERA, with industry partners, submitted an expression of interest to ACC’s Injury Prevention Fund, which invited EOIs specifically relating to innovation to reduce harm and injury in the workplace associated with psychosocial and mental health risks. We have since engaged further with ACC and submitted a full proposal explaining how these risk factors could be reduced in sectors relating to our organisation through the use of Industry 4.0 technology. The potential employee wellbeing and financial benefits from better management of psychosocial risk factors in higher-risk workplaces (such as construction and heavy engineering) are massive. In 2020, approximately 170,000 workers were employed in the New Zealand construction sector, with the ACC-related cost of the construction sector totalling nearly $450m over the past three years. HERA currently has 250 member organisations with around 25,000 workers in total, which equates to an approximate ACC cost per annum of nearly $22m. What is HERA, with its partners in innovation, proposing to introduce with the support of ACC? A three-year programme of work, including ongoing research, which involves the deployment of wearable technology to track biological and physiological markers among employees who work in fields where heavy machinery is operated. The programme is aligned with emerging research on the link between the stress response and bio-markers that indicates an individual’s propensity to psychosocial risk and negative mental health impacts. By measuring health vitals such as heart rates and sleep cycles – as well as other bio-markers associated with stress – the wearable technology can track individual responses and overlay this data with survey data on mental health submitted by each employee. It is an example of using wearable tech to gather and marry up data to optimise health and safety in the workplace. If someone […]

EMEX 2022

The long awaited EMEX 2022 expo runs from 31 May to 2 June 2022. With 200+ exhibitors already booked and many visitors expected, the show is looking to be one of the busiest to date. EMEX brings together the technological advancements over the past four years, including applications of the Internet of Things and an exceptional line-up of speakers, show features, new products and new suppliers. Exhibitors at the show include those specialising in Additive Manufacturing; (CNC) Machine Technology; Control and Instrumentation; Health and Safety; Industrial Automation; Industrial Engineering and Maintenance; Industry 4.0 and IoT Applications; Robotics; Tooling; and Welding, Forming and Cutting. Over the years EMEX has worked hard to deliver the best line-up of speakers, presenting on up-to-the-minute topics and 2022 will be no exception. Day 1 starts off with the hot topic, 3D printing, and EMEX presenters bring a range of information on leading edge additives and metal componentry. On Day 2 a stellar line-up of speakers and topics powered by Callaghan Innovation will frame up “what is Industry 4.0?” and how this set of advanced and connected technologies can help a business secure a bright future. Day 3 is all about innovation and how New Zealand companies succeed by doing things differently. With over 40 years hosting EMEX, the team at XPO Exhibitions are looking forward to reuniting the thousands of people in the engineering, manufacturing technology and electronics sectors. Many professionals in the industry won’t have seen each other for three to four years and the opportunity to catch-up with colleagues and technology makes this the most anticipated show ever. NZ Manufacturer has again partnered again with EMEX and you can expect to hear more about the up-and-coming show over the coming months. For those looking to exhibit, limited space is available by contacting Aad […]

Adoption of Industry 4.0 paves the way for growth in manufacturing

by Dr Troy Coyle, CEO, HERA Our world is changing. Climate change and pandemics have garnered much attention but there is another revolution underway. One that is likely to change the very fabric of the way we live and work. It is called Industry 4.0 and is the next stage of the industrial revolution. In 1794, the industrial revolution forever changed manufacturing with the introduction of the mechanical loom. Things changed fast. A mere hundred years later the first production line enabled mass production. Jump forward another hundred years and we witnessed the birth of industrial robots, that together with advances in electronics and IT have automated much of the manufacturing process. Today, we are entering a new age – Industry 4.0 – the age of cyber-physical systems; the marriage of physical production, and smart digital technology. It is not sci-fi. It is not the realm of filmmakers and futurists. Change is happening now and promises to transform industry as much, if not more so than, the introduction of water, steam, and electricity did in the past. What is Industry 4.0? In essence, Industry 4.0 enables companies to have better control and understanding of their business. The new technologies save time, boost productivity, and reduce waste. A panacea for considerable and sustainable growth. A quick search of the internet will provide you with a mountain of anachronisms – IoT, IIoT, CPS, AI, Big Data – to explain Industry 4.0. It is a catch-all term that encompasses all the technologies that enable businesses to collect and analyse data to help automate and streamline their systems and processes. It promises faster response times, increased efficiency and profits, and better quality products at a lower cost. Impact of new technology HERA’s latest report in collaboration with BERL, ‘Modelling the potential economic impacts of […]

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Industry 4.0