“Work smarter, not harder.” It’s a term often heard by just about anyone who has ever set out to perform a task. It can be found on inspirational posters and do-it-yourself home repair manuals as well as articles on life management and corporate handbooks.
Computers have been used to automate manufacturing processes and tasks for many years. Until the 2010s, product assembly was centralized. Over the course of this decade, however, companies have been nudging organization-wide systems toward decentralization.
Advanced manufacturers today are trending towards Industry 4.0—changing the way business runs. More emphasis is placed on access to real-time data from production and quality sources.
Hannover Messe USA 2018 featured four main trade shows: Integrated Automation, Motion & Drives USA (IAMD USA) for industrial automation, power transmission and fluid technology; ComVac USA for compressed air and vacuum technology; Industrial Supply USA for industrial subcontracting and supply-chain solutions; and Surface Technology USA for surface treatment and finishing technologies.
AI (Artificial Intelligence), sensorization, connectivity, and IoT (Internet of Things) will be key to optimizing productivity. However, they are currently being held back by conservative attitudes toward data management and connecting machines. This will change as the market pressure mounts.
Leak testing is a method of product quality control that identifies manufacturing inconsistencies by porosity testing a manufactured part or system leaks.
Aerospace is leading the way in the IIoT, with a heightened focus on additive manufacturing, the digital thread, and lightning-fast 3D measurement and inspection technologies.
The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the growing network of physical objects that are embedded with sensors to enable connection with each other and exchange of data.
First introduced in the 1980s, smart cameras or “smart sensors” combine lenses, embedded sensor, processors, interfaces and software together into small, all-in-one vision systems.
Breaking new ground in production to be one step ahead—such is the ambition of numerous companies. In light of the additive manufacturing trend, this may be possible. Dr. Marcin Bauza, Dr. Claus Hermannstädter, and Dr. Robert Zarnetta explain how to support pioneering entrepreneurs in their efforts.