Introducing Industry 4.0 into Industrial Robotics for Unprecedented Productivity

Industry 4.0, also known as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), is changing how manufacturers operate all around the world. The ability to collect, analyze and act on granular production data has a transformative impact on operations, especially in terms of productivity and ongoing optimization.

While some of the wildest predictions of Industry 4.0 may seem unrealistic, there are many solutions available today that can push Industry 4.0 into existing processes, primarily in industrial robots. Robots are perfectly positioned to capture elusive production data, as they work closer to the part than any other equipment on the factory floor.

How Do Robotic Operations Benefit from Industry 4.0?

Industry 4.0 technology essentially allows for a communication network of connected devices, machines, software and people, giving manufacturers timely insight into critical processes. The right personnel can access the information they need at just the right time, helping avoid unnecessary downtime and promoting lower overall cycle times.

When production problems can be proactively corrected, and all relevant personnel has insight into production data, ongoing optimization can be made to reduce costs while ramping up throughput. All quality issues can be rectified and even energy savings can be addressed. With a comprehensive view of what’s holding operations back, overall competitiveness is increased and productivity can continue to improve.

What Kinds of Data Can Be Collected with Industry 4.0 Solutions for Robots?

Most machine intelligence systems offer in-depth insight into daily operations of industrial robots. Some information that may be generated includes:

• Real-time status monitoring
• Historical trend analysis
• Performance alarms
• PLC & robot alarms
• Uptime and downtime overviews
• Critical performance parameter monitoring

A wealth of data can be extracted from daily robot operations. Much of this data can be formatted into digestible reports, sent on a daily basis and backed up frequently to ensure data integrity and availability.

Industry 4.0 completely changes the manufacturing environment. Businesses are empowered to make more profitable decisions when they have detailed production data at their fingertips. Industry 4.0 solutions for industrial robotics increase competitiveness and allow unprecedented levels of productivity.

To learn more on this topic, read about Genesis Systems Group’s intelligenceCENTER IIoT software for robotic productivity.