What is a smart factory and what are its characteristics, does it offer real benefits in production management or is it an unnecessary expense? The impact of smart factories is being greater than expected and many companies are already opting to make the digital transformation in all processes of the chain.
What is a smart factory?
A smart factory can be defined as a production environment in which technological equipment (machines, logistics systems, facilities, etc.) communicate with each other to organize manufacturing autonomously. And, a priori, there is no need for human intervention.
It should also be considered as a type of integration that links the physical and digital components of the production system and provides an effective solution to the market. It is a dynamic and usually very virtual organization. It is a more connected and flexible system than the previous one.
Main characteristics of intelligent manufacturing:
Having answered the question of what a smart factory is, it is necessary to know its main characteristics that are part of the definition itself and that are often the basis of its best qualities. But first, we recommend you to read this article on how to create a profitable factory.
Now yes, these are the characteristics of the smart factory:
- Internet of Things (IoT): if there is one thing that characterizes smart factories, it is the use of IoT. And that thanks to the fact that all machinery has an IP address that allows interconnection and consequently facilitates the rest of the features and qualities, so it could be said that the smart factory is inconceivable without IoT.
- Decentralization of the process: this is the main characteristic and benefit. Decision-making "disappears", it is delegated to the automation process itself.
- Procedural transparency: All relevant data is available throughout the supply chain. Human resources have access to it, which in turn facilitates the detection of errors.
- More efficient manufacturing: as a smart factory is able to analyze the production process and self-correct it early and without causing stoppages or delays. In fact, the increase in productivity is such that different statistics put the contribution of smart factories in the coming years at more than 500 billion dollars.
- Smart warehouses: Smart warehouses are related to logistics, a crucial point in any factory and especially in any smart factory. Smart warehouses are understood as logistics centers of greater or lesser size that use IoT or technological advances of different types to perform the reception of goods, the storage of products, the preparation of orders... and then, reverse logistics, of course, in the opposite direction. In this line, you will like to know Mesbook's warehouse management software .
- More sustainable: smart factories are in principle more sustainable than traditional factories because they avoid human and labor errors (so no energy, money or materials are wasted) and also reduce accidents that can affect the environment.
- Cost reduction: logistical costs are reduced and often also less material is spent (as errors are reduced) and also fewer personnel are needed. However, most of the factories in transition to smart factories are providing courses and so on in digital skills to many of their employees.
- Real-time communication: Artificial intelligence helps smartfactories to take advantage of all the information available to them, as this information generates knowledge that helps the predictability and automation of operations and processes. In this way, they can find truly useful algorithms for different applications. Moreover, as already mentioned, smart factories regulate themselves.
What are the benefits of a smart factory?
Many of the qualities or benefits of smart factories can be extracted from the features themselves and the impact it has on factories. That is, how it has increased production and reduced costs.
This is the positive impact of smart factories on companies and the market:
- Cost reduction
- Reduction of occupational hazards
- Decentralization of power and decision making
- Transparency in all processes
- Attraction of human talent
- Error reduction
- Time and energy savings (costs)
- Increased production
- Democratization of responsibility in Human Resources
- Less environmental risks
At Mesbook we guarantee that all our applications and processes result in these and other advantages of smart factories.
Examples of Industry 4.0 in smart factories
And what is Industry 4.0, are we in the fourth industrial revolution? The fourth industrial revolution is the one that includes in industrial systems the technological innovation of intelligent systems. For example, the IoT. Therefore, industry 4.0 is a new way of producing.
So, we can talk about Industry 4.0 in smart factories .
Some examples of Industry 4.0 in smart factories are SEAT, General Electric and Siemens.
- SEAT: Already in 2018 Financial Times recognized SEAT as one of the companies with leading factories in digital transformation. And it is that the company has been including Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and even virtual reality in its manufacturing process for years. Of course, with excellent results.
- General Electric: General Electric stands out for its hyperconnected factories that help sectors such as health and energy. In addition, within the field of Iot, General Electric has launched a platform called Predix, which uses the cloud to facilitate industrial-scale analytics. Also, it has created Digital Windfarm technology that uses sensors and data networks and analytics to create customized turbines.
- Siemens: For its part, Siemens is a benchmark within its own company, and also as a provider of solutions for other companies thanks to its Industry 4.0 and its well-equipped factories. One example is the Siemens Electronic Works in Amberg, a plant Siemens has in Germany, where products such as programmable logic controllers are manufactured.
At Mesbook we are leaders in Industry 4.0 for factories thanks to the innovation of our equipment, the application of IoT to all processes, the use and exploitation of intelligent warehouses, among other attributes. All this to provide optimal solutions with the highest efficiency. If you are interested in learning more, contact us and we will tell you how we can help you.
