INSIGHT
INDUSTRY 4.0 – GROWTH , CHALLENGES ,
AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANUFACTURERS
By Dereshin Pillay
Over the next couple of decades , rapid advances in technology have the potential to reinvent the industrial , IT , and manufacturing sectors , under the banner of Industry 4.0 .
The Internet of Things ( IoT ), Big Data , Cyber-Physical Systems ( CPS ), and Smart Factory technologies ( robotics ) are all poised to deliver greater productivity , choice , and quality in shorter timeframes , while decreasing the dependency on cheap labour providers .
Smart automated processes that leave little chance for defect may be the shift that industry and manufacturing need to rid itself of the stigma attached to enlisting low-wage labour forces . Amid challenges that could impede adoption — not least of which is the question of the impact on jobs in an economy where the labour-intensive manufacturing sector has offered a counterweight to unemployment and poverty — Industry 4.0 could spell new opportunities for growth and development in a sector that has remained fairly unchanged for many years .
Technology breeds opportunity There has been little change to the way things have been manufactured over the past while . Although technology has seeped into the industry , most plants still rely heavily on labour to produce and assemble components , usually done separately . New technologies reimagine this process , from conception and design , to production and quality control . We look at the opportunities this creates for the South African market .
Industry 4.0 broadly covers Industrial Internet of Things ( IIoT ) and smart manufacturing — coextensive technology developments with the collective aim of creating universal connectedness and computation within the confines of a production environment . Together , these developments spur the ability to manage and use data in real time to boost decisionmaking , design , production , and delivery .
Cognitive systems , from robotics to Artificial Intelligence ( AI ), allow manufacturers to develop full autonomy of their systems . They effectively leverage the deluge of data delivered by countless sensors , smart devices , and external sources to ensure market needs and desires are met .
Built on the back of AI and robotics , and around machine-tomachine communication , edge and sensor fusion help machines to self-determine and correct problems in real time . Sensors also deliver a wealth of valuable insights into the manufacturing process to reduce wastage , cut inefficiencies , minimise maintenance , and create conditions that aim for zero defects . This , in turn , maximises output and profits .
Cloud computing enables these technologies to come together on a single , easily accessible , and manageable platform . The opportunity exists , then , for globalisation . Manufacturers can start looking at leveraging the services of skilled specialists anywhere in the world , hiring them on demand on a project or requirement basis .
The consumer demand for customised products is currently difficult to achieve in a mass-scale environment . Accessing
T-Systems South Africa outsourced services and combining them with Advanced Manufacturing Systems ( AMS ) like augmented reality and 3-D printing could overcome this challenge while still meeting quality and safety standards .
Ultimately , IT , industry , and production will inevitably fuse into one single stream to become the ‘ new normal ’. Production will hinge on technology and the adoption of automation to drive down costs and improve outputs . The challenge will be how to differentiate oneself from a competitive market using the same technology to produce goods of similar quality . It is likely that the next 10 – 20 years will see component manufacturers assuming the roles of assemblers as well as designers to deliver to a market that demands fast , custom goods .
Overcoming the barriers to adoption Of course , there are many challenges that could impede adoption of this new normal . The most highlighted one is the potential impact on jobs . South Africa ’ s National Development Plan ( NDP ) specifically targets manufacturing as an area that plays a pivotal role in achieving employment growth goals .
So how do manufacturers adopt technology to automate , improve outputs , and reduce costs while not only maintaining , but increasing , their workforce ?
In South Africa , early adoption will be higher with selfcontained , specialised industries where employees can be more easily re-tooled . Industries , such as engineering within the general manufacturing and automotive spaces , are able to introduce automation while re-skilling their workforce to become data scientists , systems maintainers , operations optimisers , and the like .
Although manufacturing is considered a domain of ‘ cheap labour ’, workers in these industries are skilled and experienced in their field . This opens up the opportunity for them to become specialists . In areas where automation , even backed by analytics and AI , is introduced , specialists with a deep understanding of their industry will know best how to program systems and customise them to truly automate . ■
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dereshin Pillay is the sales and service management head for Manufacturing and Automotive at ICT outsourcing service provider T-Systems South Africa .
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MAY 2018