What Does Industry 4.0 Mean for Me?
The 4th Industry Revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, is changing almost every industry. It is affecting the way goods are produced and major shifts are happening in manufacturing that deserves our attention. Traditional manufacturing is transforming through the latest Internet of Things (IoT) technology, enabling increased automation and improved machine-to-machine communication as well as enhanced monitoring and diagnostics.
Some organisations might be in denial about how Industry 4.0 can impact their business or are struggling to find the talent or knowledge to know how to adapt it for their unique scenario. Others are implementing changes today and are already reaping the rewards of a future where smart machines improve their business.
What does this mean for your factory?
As a result of machines getting smarter and getting access to more data, our factories are becoming more efficient and productive and less wasteful. In sectors where throughput is everything, the impact of unpredictable stoppages, unexpected downtime and maintenance costs is critical. Streamlined operations are a necessity. This is where Industry 4.0 has a huge impact, providing simplicity and insight that enables gains in efficiency, productivity and OEE.
What does this mean for printing and coding?
Automation
With a setup where coding and marking are connected, coding can become truly automated. Rather than manually being entered by the operator, coders can receive signals from filler machines and other parts of the production line which determine the printed text.
Remote control
It is now possible to access your printers remotely, populating printer usage and code data from a connected database. Faults are automatically reported via the cloud, which means maintaining peak performance no longer requires the physical intervention of an engineer. Remote diagnostics means minor faults can be identified early and resolved by off-site service teams before they become major faults producing downtime.
Efficiency and data
Industry 4.0 means it is now easier than ever to get access to performance metrics for every printer on your site. Not only can you remotely monitor printer status, but also service history, uptime and downtime, throughput and consumables levels. This is the first step to enabling intelligent production and procurement decisions based on real data, which in turn will have a huge impact on your business.
Those who embrace Industry 4.0 early can gain significant advantages over their competition. It won’t be long before Industry 4.0 technology will become a necessity to meet your production targets.
