Continuous connections: Digitalization & Industry 4.0

Modern society has become reliant on connectivity. We have a continuous connection to each other and the devices we use, from phones and watches to refrigerators and washing machines. We live in a world that was a science fiction story 50 years ago.

By now, only those living under rocks or off the grid can deny knowing of the impending changes brought by the industrial Internet of Things. Commonly accepted as part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the IIoT is defined by the ability of devices to be linked across networks and in constant communication.

Our industrial community, though slowly catching up, is behind in the connectivity game. Even though we have the necessary infrastructure and a common desire to advance the connectedness of industrial environments, we struggle to proceed in the same way as broader society.

There are basic explanations for the lag, especially technological limitations. Industrial machines often are outdated compared with cellphones and computers. Consumers routinely trade 2- or 3-year-old phones for the newest technology while life spans of industrial machines frequently are measured in decades. Obviously, a machine manufactured in the 1990s does not have the hardware, software and computing horsepower to efficiently connect with the devices of today. Of course, a user can install aftermarket hardware to make connections, but the transfer of data and the overall interaction are not what we expect from a modern device.

Another barrier is the perceived value of interconnectedness. On paper, industrial leaders profess a desire to implement IIoT concepts, often expending resources to research and plan for transformation. However, many leaders do not fully understand the complexities and costs that come with this transition.

Our industrial community, though slowly catching up, is behind in the connectivity game.

As manufacturing engineers, we are charged with improving safety, quality, delivery and cost. Each project is expected to have measurable improvement in those areas. New tools, machines and processes have very linear calculations that justify resources.

IIoT projects are not straightforward in their justification and regularly rely on an “If you build it, they will come” faith. Unfortunately, profit-and-loss owners generally do not share that faith as it is difficult to see how interconnectedness can improve key performance indicators. This reluctance manifests itself in the funding stage when projects usually stagnate or die.