Industry 4.0 started back in 2011. 10 years later and still the adoption of many simple technologies is still not implemented in small to medium sized companies. Most of these companies have not even discussed this road map or even do they understand what it is.

What is Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 promotes the computerization of manufacturing. Most of the technology has been around for decades and has been consolidated and reused to enable ease of setup and integration.

For instance Digital Twinning is the most talked about topic within the 4.0 era which basically is a digital version of a real life item. The ultimate example would be a motor in a plant which has had Vibration sensors, Encoders, Heat Sensors & readings from an Inverter. All the values are logged in a SQL database & then a Virtual model or game is made to simulate the motor in a Game like or VR environment, but simulates exactly what is happening in real life. From this stage you could take it one step further into Machine Learning, to learn what it should, and should not do, and then into Artificial Intelligence to predict a bearing failure or over heat condition and monitor and alarm any inconsistencies.

Let’s Simplify What we do.

Industrial Internet Of Things

First Rung of the ladder.

Eyre Industries is offering a service to get companies on the first rung of the ladder. Here is a list of some benefits that can be gained:

  • Monitoring of components in machinery
  • Detection of faults & deterioration
  • Power management
  • Cost anayalsis
  • Audit trails
  • Integration
  • Automated Shutdowns
  • Preventative Maintenance
  • Remote Management
  • Supply Chain
  • Grants
  • Upgrading Existing Machinery
  • Research & Development costs
  • Transparency
  • Proof of Accidental Damage

How do we do this?

First we have to collect data from machinery, whether it is from the PLCs direct, fitting other controls such as sensors or controllers, to enable the data to be published over a network to a server. Whether we choose to have on-premises or in the cloud. Once we have fitted the relevant electrical components we can then start building the foundation of your solution.

We approach this by using carefully selected software, which is mostly Open-Source and free to use. We eliminate the use of subscription based products whilst you get to understand the benefits, and prove the concept will work before making any heavy investments into the long term. Once we get to the stage of collecting and storing the data, we can then look at how we will use that data to enhance your performances and, or, integrate into other systems. These solutions can also double up as a MES (Manufacturing Execution System) and run into your ERP or CRM software in the future.

Visulisation of your data will be created by using dashboards to trend, plot and cross reference data sets against what ever you could imagine. For example, you monitor the glue temperature on your edgebander, the readings are taken every 10 seconds and logged. When a panel passes through the edgebander you have a bar code reader which automatically scans the panel passing through. With this data automatically being collected you could cross reference when the panel went through the edegbander and the glue temperature at that time to use in a audit trail. To take it one step further you could use a HD Camera, take a snap of the edging coming off the back of the edgebander and there you have a visual audit of that panel. If you were to monitor air consumption, power consumption & extraction volume at that machine, you could give an “Exact Cost” to that process and push that data into your ERP. This can model future costing and full feedback from the shop floor, all provided automatically without any intervention.

As an addition you can also see the exact running time of the glue pot and how many hours it has been hot & cold. This can then be pre programmed to change the pot, based on x-amount of passes, x-amount of running hours and notify relevant maintenance to service / change the glue unit. You can also automate machine shutdowns when the machine has been idle for a set amount of time – thus preserving energy.

The Picture

The above is only one example on one machine. To implement and take more data from machinery is not really a big effort at all once you are already taking partial data. So imagine you do a full maintenance schedule to change cutters, tips, tooling, perform preventative maintenance tasks. All this would be informed when set points surpass & have to be acknowledged they are performed. Also any external maintenance contractors would know a breakdown has happened before your operators would. The idea is to make sure your plant & equipment is running at its peak & high availability is expected. With this model you will experience less downtime, more quality throughput & the scalability opportunities become very simple.

It’s all in the initial outlay.

The initial outlay of the projects 

Some of the names of softwares & hardware used.