The concept of industry 4.0 started a few years ago and still has a long way to go to be well known in companies around the world, especially in Brazil. 

Studies show that most Brazilian industrial sectors do not use technological resources to optimize processes and improve results. It is essential to explore the subject to emphasize how technology plays a primary role in this revolution.

What is industry 4.0? 

Fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0, is the transformation of industrial activities, where tools like artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, internet of things, cloud computing and others, started to be used to optimize the production process, making operations more technological in pursuit of expressive results. 

Industry Examples 4.0

Today, the industry has rapidly evolved to adapt to the increasingly globalized world that is constantly changing. With this, we have some technological advances of industry 4.0 that deserve to be highlighted:

Internet of Things to predict maintenance

From the use of sensors to make robots and machines, it is possible to understand the wear and tear of the parts and, at the right time, perform predictive maintenance within a time frame. 

This is important to avoid wasting resources with unexpected breaks and, likewise, time on the production line of a product, for example.

3D printing to improve production processes

Renault’s industrial complex in Paraná has adopted the use of 3D printers to increase the production speed of automobiles, where advanced and connected manufacturing can produce some components in an automated way.

In addition to operating in a safe way, it reduces human failure. Automations can act continuously and with greater precision.

Big data in quality testing

Another important example comes from processor manufacturer Intel. The company uses big data techniques to test pre-emptive users, which accelerates the production line without compromising the quality of the final product.

Thus, the more than 19,000 tests required on each chip can be performed efficiently and agilely, which helps accelerate the production and distribution line for end customers.

What is the importance of industry 4.0 for the future?

The importance of industry 4.0 is immense because it allows the world — in general — to progress rapidly.

With automated processes and reduced error probability, 4.0 industries can accelerate their industrial processes, maintain product quality and, perceive financial results in a reduced time.

In addition to the points mentioned above, the use of technology makes room for professionals involved in operations to act strategically, working on increasingly better solutions for the user.

That is, the technological advancement of industry 4.0 is an inevitable change for the industry, which seeks to increase its revenues over time, but also for high end customers, who can buy higher quality products and affordable prices by high supply in the market.

Read also: Open and closed innovation: concept, differences and benefits of each model

Leading industry technologies 4.0

Despite being constantly evolving, we currently have 9 important pillars for the 4.0 industry of the present and future. Let’s get to know each of these items:

1. Robotics: increasingly present in large industries, it is a solution that allows automated machines for complex and heavy operations that require high precision.
2. Additive manufacturing: also known as 3D printing, additive manufacturing allows the printing of components, parts, and creation of items accurately and quickly.
3. Augmented reality: For some industries, increased reality optimizes the processes of space planning, training, and visualization of a project. Although it is still progressing, it is an important technology for the future.
4. Internet of Things: allows the connection of physical objects withs systems, sensors and other machines to optimize the operational results of a company.
5. Computational simulations: the ability to simulate results and improve the prediction of the future, as it happens in data science techniques.
6. Cloud computing: cloud computing enables data storage in a simple, fast, and high availability for modern systems, which facilitates many technological processes of the fourth industrial revolution.
7. Cybersecurity: Just as the need for data management grows, it also increases the search for security features of the technologies employed in industry 4.0, where digital governance will be mandatory in any factory.
8. Systems integration: with so many systems operating in a true digital ecosystem, integration between technologies will also be essential, so that the entire chain — from producers to customers — works with more superiority.
9. Big Data and Data Analysis: the last item on our list is the significance of many technologies working together, where massive data use, as well as its interpretation, will be essential for the technological advancement of industry 4.0.

As you can see, the industry has been rapidly changing to optimize its processes and improve results. And given the current technological landscape there are many possibilities to apply digital transformation efficiently.

One of the cases is Windbox, a platform — developed by LogAp — that offers the possibility of decreasing downtime and increasing wind turbine efficiency in wind power industries.

Another case is Athenas Plant, an industrial big data system integrated by API to store information from industrial processes, another work carried out by LogAp.

Therefore, when we ask ourselves “What is the importance of technology in industry 4.0”, we can only answer that it is the basis of all the evolution that has been happening for some years, but which is still far from reaching its apex.

And may the next decades of digital transformation and a lot of technology come in the 4.0 industry of the world and, especially, of Brazil.
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