With edge data center, factories can run own private cloud solution for the necessary processes and protections initiating an effective data journey mixing the real time electronics of the machines on the factory floor with edge facilities and big data insights bringing in massive computing power via cloud.
Industry 4.0 is the fourth industrial revolution in the history of mankind, turning traditional mechanized factories into smart and connected factories, enabled by sensors that collect data which is then leveraged through Analytics and AI to intelligently optimize operations driving more and more automations and lowering costs consistently.
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“Digital infrastructure is bringing a whole new approach to manufacturing with new capabilities from sensors, edge data centres and micro-facilities.”
Sourabh Tiwari
CIO
Overseas Infrastructure Alliance
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Factories are becoming smarter, automated, flexible and more efficient using new technologies. Data center technologies and digital tools are laying a vital role. Instead of just using simple mechanical machines, the aim here is to create a complete cyber physical system which can be defined as a network of collected machines that collect massive amounts of data through sensors, which is then put into action with a new level of insight and perception. Factory floors are managed with mission critical IT housed in a specialized data center, inside the factory or outside Cloud facilities.
Factory IT has to be rugged and immune to the number of dangers in a manufacturing environment including dust, pollution, vibration and electromagnetic pulses. Networking is the real key here. This requires an Industrial internet; Information technology (IT) merges with Operational technology (OT) – the branch of the organisation handling mechanical devices and physical infrastructure. This helps in mitigating security risks from networked mechanical equipments which are emerging as a serious concern in recent times. At the same, OT team’s experience benefits IT benefits too.
To look back at history, the industry revolution is closely related to technologies that offered a whole new level of automation to be achieved. It started in the 18th/19th centuries when factories emerged with steam and water power, creating the first wave of automation. At the end of 19th century, electricity arrived as a more flexible power source fuelling the second wave. Then came revolution 3.0 with Computers in the last 20th century, numerically-controlled machines such as lathes, CAD/CAM etc. and robot arms began working with data from computer aided design files. Beginning this century, with end to end Digitalization enabled all process to be automated, connected, and factories are instrumented with sensors; more flexible and efficient.
The data lifecycle begins on the factory floor with industrial Internet of things (IIOT) sensors capturing readings from machines involved with the production process. Real time data could be captured from Distributed control systems, manufacturing execution systems (MES), Asset management systems (AMS) etc. With edge data center, factories can run own private cloud solution for the necessary processes and protections. Effective data journey is about mixing the real time electronics of the machines on the factory floor with response of edge facilities and big data insights that require massive computing power that can be accessed via cloud run. It’s clear that digital infrastructure is bringing a whole new approach to manufacturing while, at the same time, the industrial vertical is demanding new capabilities from sensors, edge data centres and micro-facilities.
