Is Digitization of Manufacturing and IoT the New Industrial Revolution?
Are we on the verge of another industrial revolution in manufacturing? Signs of increased cooperation — and competition — between consumer technology companies and traditional industrial manufacturers indicate the answer is yes.
Is the Dawn of the Fourth Industrial Revolution at Hand?
You say you want a revolution?
Many economists and technology consultants feel we are on the cusp of a new, fourth industrial revolution.
We’ve had three industrial revolutions since the 1800s:
- First Industrial Revolution: Early mechanization powered by water and steam.
- Second Industrial Revolution: Assembly-line mass production powered by electricity.
- Third Industrial Revolution: Computer-aided design (CAD) and automation powered by digital technology
So what would ‘power’ a Fourth Industrial Revolution?
The Boston Consulting Group has identified nine key technologies that it calls the building blocks of our fourth industrial revolution:
- Autonomous Robots
- Simulation
- Horizontal and Vertical System Integration
- The Industrial Internet of Things
- Cyber Security
- The Cloud
- Additive Manufacturing
- Augmented Reality
- Big Data and Analytics
How would we describe a Fourth Industrial Revolution? Looking into the crystal ball, we can see many possibilities. Product technology platforms first developed in the consumer space will enter more and more industrial markets, changing the way manufacturers interact with customers and products in the field. Artificial intelligence and robotics will extend our abilities to research and develop new products and technology. And immersive virtual reality will allow us to visualize information and new ideas as never before.
Let’s take a look at each of these building blocks one-by-one:
Autonomous Robots
What is it?
Robots that can access vast amounts of data and analytics to make well-informed decisions quickly.
Robots that can access vast amounts of data and analytics to make well-informed decisions quickly.
Amazon Warehouse Robots
Examples include:
- Factory robots that work side-by-side with human workers or replace them on the factory floor.
- Google’s experimental, autonomous driving cars.
Simulation
What is it?
Use of computer software programs that allow the creation of virtual models to examine complex systems under different conditions.
Examples include:
- Computer simulation of prototype aircraft or rocket’s performance in flight before building a physical prototype.
- Computer simulation of traffic flows on congested roads and freeways during different conditions.
- Computer simulation of factory production, such as worker and material movements during assembly operations.
Horizontal and Vertical System Integration
What is it?
Horizontal System integration refers to increasing the number of product lines or service offerings in the marketplace. Vertical System Integration refers to taking on increasing amounts of a product manufacturing process.
Examples include:
Amazon acquiring a fleet of aircrafts to deliver customer orders is an example of Vertical System Integration.
Google providing a suite of online services ranging from word-processing to shopping is an example of Horizontal System Integration.
The Industrial Internet of Things
What is it?
Sensors attached to industrial components that can transmit information over the Internet to a database for analysis of field performance, customer usage data / behavior, and more.
Examples include:
- GE and Rolls-Royce jet engines which provide real-time performance data of engine components to the pilot, airline maintenance crew, and manufacturer during flight.
- Remote sensing of electronic components in hard to reach locations, such as electronics equipment installed in tall cell phone towers.
- GE locomotives equipped with more than 200 onboard sensors, which can help trains run more efficiently.
Cyber Security
What is it?
Security measures are taken to provide legitimate users secure access to critical information while preventing Internet hackers from compromising computers in order to access or steal that sensitive information.
Examples include:
- Online security software/hardware
- Auditing tools
- Security consultants
- Law enforcement agencies
The Cloud
What is it?
A trusted third-party service provides secure Internet access to computer hardware, including online software applications and data storage.
Examples include:
- Rackspace and Amazon-hosted cloud services
Additive Manufacturing
What is it?
