Setting the stages for Industry 4.0

As we begin the 70th volume of Cutting Tool Engineering, the fundamental principles of cutting and grinding metal remain the same as when the magazine premiered with a different name to serve members of the Society of Carbide Engineers.

Over the years, cutting tools, grinding wheels and machinery have been introduced to significantly boost productivity that our earliest readers probably could have envisioned, because they were well-aware of previous bar-raising innovations. But one technological advancement they likely didn’t foresee is the unfolding gains enabled by the so-called industrial internet of things.

The IIoT, often called Industry 4.0, has been excessively hyped, but, based on some recent surveys, IIoT appears to have advanced beyond hype to large-scale application. One such survey is the Bsquare 2017 Annual IIoT Maturity Survey. Bellevue, Wash.-based Bsquare Corp. provides IIoT products and services. In summary, the survey of senior-level, IIoT decision-makers and influencers at manufacturing, transportation, and oil and gas companies found that 86 percent have adopted IIoT technology and 84 percent feel that their solutions are “very” or “extremely” effective.

Beyond the numbers, the five stages outlined by Bsquare that are commonly associated with IIoT technology adoption caught my attention. They progress from most used to least used. In the first stage, sensor data is transmitted and stored for analysis and action. In the second, dashboard and visualization tools are used to monitor real-time data. Stage three delivers insight, prediction and optimization via applied data analytics, such as machine learning. Stage four involves development and execution of logic rules that automate business activities and device configuration.