Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1442808
3 4.0 I ndustry 4.0 encompasses a wide range of technologies positioned to revolutionize the industrial automation market. The fourth (4 th ) industrial revolution brings the promise of greater freedom and flexibility for machine builders and line developers to venture beyond current restrictive and proprietary solutions. As global markets expand and manufacturers seek the flexibility and cost benefits required, industrial automation machine builders are steadily transitioning beyond the limitations of proprietary solutions and wiring in favor of more open platforms. Consider how ubiquitous smartphones and cellular networks dramatically transformed the way we live and work. Professionals entering industrial fields today are more tech-savvy than any other past generation. Intuitively navigating the world via connected devices; they want that same level of access to manufacturing data and analysis with actionable intelligence. Industry 4.0 holds the potential to provide simple, safe, secure connectivity for improved control and productivity at all levels of the enterprise from the plant floor to the C-level suite. Flexibility, efficiency, operational safety, and secure network communications are all essential elements as Industry 4.0 progresses toward more open solutions and platforms. Extraordinary advances in semiconductors paved the way for technologies such as time-sensitive networking, advanced sensors using artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). These advances along with a consumer focus on information models have opened up new opportunities to achieve machine- to-machine (M2M) interoperability with real- time data transmission from a single sensor to the machine to production and assembly lines to the cloud. Progress is never without challenges. Demand exists for scalable and interoperable solutions able to bridge the gap between existing legacy platforms and next-generation architectures. The modular approach to control and functional safety in robotics, machines, and assembly lines has gained considerable traction—and will serve the industry as it progresses to full- scale Industry 4.0 initiatives. Increasingly, standard and safety controls get integrated within a single platform, yet more must be done to incorporate Information Technology/ Operational Technology (IT/OT) fully. Any solution worth investing in must be highly customizable. The market can no longer afford to get onboard with expensive and rigid platforms. The competitive marketplace dictates that technology must meet safety requirements and supply chain demands in multiple regions with a faster return on investment. Indeed flexible technologies must allow for a full range of approaches from a conservative incremental ramping up utilizing existing legacy equipment to an aggressive surge and investment in more efficient methods of production. Industry OEM have made significant strides in developing machines with built-in sensors and intelligence to enable decentralized control and secure remote access to control functionality on the production line and throughout the plant. Innovative robotic and complex machine builders will be early adopters of new technologies. Developments already underway in China, spurring a vast majority of machine innovation, will help drive adoption of new technologies worldwide. In this eBook, you will delve into what's happening right now in the field of industrial automation and explore what the future of industrial automation may look like in three to five years. Keeping pace will require a willingness to embrace change—not merely change for the sake of change, but change that strategically creates opportunity and growth in global markets. Arm yourself with the knowledge and tools to customize Industry 4.0 solutions to achieve efficiency, production, and budgetary goals, while remaining agile to keep pace as the industry evolves. Learn how our team's expertise and Molex Industrial Automation Solution 4.0 (IAS4.0) products, information technology (IT), and software that Mouser Electronics provides can help your operation drive faster production and assembly lines, increase visibility throughout the product lifecycle, and yield higher profitability on the path to Industry 4.0. n Industry 4.0—Transforming Manufacturing on a Global Scale Riky Comini serves as the Global Director of Industrial Automation at Molex and is responsible for product management, business development and engineering, globally. He has more than 30 years of experience in the industrial automation industry, holding positions in both Italy and the United States. Jeff Barnes is the European Distribution Corporate Account Manager for Industrial products at Molex. He has worked within the Industrial Control, Automation and Functional Safety industry for the past twelve years. Foreword