A Long Awaited Revolution
The industrial world is currently in the process of being changed, forever. We are in the midst of an industry 4.0, a revolution in manufacturing and production that has happened 3 times in the past. With current technological advances, the process of how we design, produce, and even use products everyday, is changing.
An industrial revolution is marked by the advent of technologies which helps production and manufacturing save time and money. This saving of time and money allows for and drives further innovation. The first revolution came with the creation of the steam engine, which helped create machines that assist in manufacturing. The second came with the use of electricity and the assembly line, featured in Henry Ford’s factory. The third was the adoption of the computer into the workplace. Now, we are seeing new technologies like XR, 3D printing, and big data and machinel earning becoming an important part of the design and manufacturing process.
The effect that revolutions have on manufacturing directly affects the engineering design process. Being able to manufacture cheaper and more effectively means designs can become more complicated with less risk. With the advent of assembly lines in the second industrial revolution, automobile design changed – it became more standardized, parts began to fit together differently and the look of cars changed, increasing in quality and consistency while decreasing in cost and time spent in production.
The main technologies inticing the current revolution are: additive manufacturing, extended reality and simulation, and big data – including Internet of Things and machine learning.
Additive Manufacturing
Additive manufacturing is, essentially, 3D printing. 3D printing allows anyone with a 3D CAD model to have their model printed beside them. The printer works by layering heated plastic filament in precise positions to replicate a 3D model. This process has become integral to rapid prototyping. Designers must no longer outsource or have an intricate workshop and spend time to create prototypes. Additive manufacturing allows designers to deliver proof of concepts easily while they continue designing.
Over the past few years, additive manufacturing has advanced beyond just prototyping and into actual manufacturing for certain uses and materials. The McLaren Formula 1 team, for example, uses 3D printed rear wings on their cars, which take 10 days to produce compared to the usual 5 weeks without 3D printing. Not only that, numerous parts on their formula cars are actually 3D printed.
This technology is allowing both design teams and manufacturing to save time and money. Read more about our own inhouse rapid prototyping shop and 3D printing processes on our prototyping page!
Extended reality and simulation
Extended reality (XR) has been making significant strides in advancing industry 4.0 by becoming an incredible tool for many uses, including design and manufacturing. Using mainly virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), companies like CADmech are able to create solutions in VR or AR that can help engineers design and validate their creations, train staff, implement machinery in manufacturing lines, visualize workflows, and much more!
XR’s compatibility with Internet of Things (IoT) data makes it an incredible tool for positions in industries such as maintenance and repair. It helps to not only implement parts/machines and visualize workflow, but becomes a tool to assist with and hasten the process of maintaining/repairing machinery in any environment.
As technology advances, financial barriers to entry for XR come within grasp for individuals, not just enterprise. All-in-one headsets such as the Oculus Quest and AR programs running off of any smart mobile device greatly improve the accessibility of this new technology. Click here to read more about some ways XR can be used!
IoT, Large Data, and Machine Learning
Data, and the processing of data, has become one of the hottest topics in industry, recently. As tech innovation drives industry forward, the creation and interpretation of data provides valuable insight to the effectiveness of certain processes in whatever form of workflow is being analyzed. IoT data has not only become a part of industry, but a part of everyday life. It is a system of interconnectivity and communication between multiple forms of sensors, gathering data and metrics from different areas. Having a smart home, for example, is a way anyone can take advantage of IoT data, as everything in the home is integrated, working together, controlled from one spot and gathering data. IoT is an umbrella term for all types of tech that can be connected to the internet.
In Industry 4.0, data can be pulled from multiple sources but IoT data may be the most lucrative and contributing form, due to its prevalence and ability to be implemented in many areas. All this data, though, can only be put to use if it can be organized and made sense of. This is why systems are being created that are able to intuitively sort data and present it in a way that allows us to understand it and take advantage of extra knowledge to change specficiations and optimize/uphold designs post-production.
This advent of large data also brings rise to artificial intelligence (AI), or machine learning. In certain settings, it may be more appropriate/efficient for changes influenced by large data to be made automatically, without the delay of a human interpreting data. An implementation of machine learning can quickly facilitate on-the-fly reactions to changes from both within a design to outward forces acting upon the design. In many cases, such as dangerous industrial working environments, a quick and intelligent system can help save lives.
The Inudstry of 4.0
Industry 4.0 is an exciting time. When used in tandem, these technologies all help to save time and money, making production and manufacturing more efficient and driving innovation. An industrial revolution means that brand new and exciting products and services will be created. This revolution means that innovation on multiple fronts will be possible and will happen. Designers and manufacturers will no longer be bogged down by constraints that these technologies alleviate. As a result, creativity can flourish exponentially.
