Internet of Things (IoT) is here, and it is here to stay. It is one of the many pillars of the 4th Industrial revolution. Industry 4.0 means more automation; it means more data to make better decisions, and it means more connectivity for real-time control. And this revolution hasn’t gone unnoticed in the production industry.
Industry leaders are starting to realize the potential industrial controllers that just don’t automate the process. But controllers are able to generate heuristics data, patterns, and valuable information that is always available to be analyzed. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is set out to make production more efficient while also giving you more control.
One of the more notable contributions of Industry 4.0 is the concept of digital twins. A digital twin is a virtual representation that serves as the real-time digital counterpart of a physical object or process. Think of a digital twin as a process or an object that exists in the digital space and is a total replica of the original process or object that exits in real life.
This allows the user to simulate processes and objects as they go through various changes throughout their life cycle, based on real-time sensor data from the real twin. Digital twins are already disrupting the entire product lifecycle management from design to manufacturing to service and operations. And all of this is possible because of computer-based controllers that are able to provide the kind of data needed for this functionality.
One of the main reluctance to abandon traditional PLC systems is that they are reliable and are designed to control industrial systems. And opting for a totally computer-based system would mean totally overhauling their production facility. This is where PrimeSystems ‘Jupiter’ control module comes into play. It provides a natural interface between PLC-enabled production and computer-based data processing. A standard Jupiter module has 16 channel I/O ports.
This means there is now a way to take advantage of Industry 4.0 without compromising on the reliability of a PLC-based system. And the best part is that this change can be done with minimal intervention. And it’s not just automation and data processing that can take advantage of Industry 4.0.
Data transmission is also a massive undertaking for a PLC network. Laying down miles of cables and making sure everything is connected requires a considerable amount of labor and constant maintenance. But why cling to such ancient means when we have the technology to communicate wirelessly with more speed and much more reliability. The best part is that there is no need to lay down any wires and ensure they are safe.
Our Apollo module allows for long-distance and low power consumption systems to connect devices wirelessly. It has a range of 1Km and can reliably replace any RS232 cable.
Industry 4.0 combines the best of the previous systems with the cutting-edge technology of today. Not taking advantage of Industry 4.0 today is the same as not taking advantage of steam-powered engines back in the late 1800s; you are left behind in the smoke.
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