The worldwide manufacturing industry is rapidly moving into the fourth industrial revolution, otherwise known as Industry 4.0 – where product manufacturing takes place in an information intensive environment, writes Mary Doyle-Kent.
This new smart way of manufacturing is facilitated by increasing levels of automation, cyber physical systems, digital twins and the intensive use of data analytics.
Modern industrial and societal challenges
It is driven by modern industrial and societal challenges and evolutions, as well as the integration of information and operational technology.
As part of a research project for an ongoing technical doctorate in the Technical University of Vienna Austria, I am looking at how we, in Ireland, are equipped to meet the industry 4.0 challenge and establishing a benchmark in automation readiness.
What are the particular challenges that we face, as compared to our European neighbours, who historically have a more well-established history in automation over the last century?
In addition, I am also looking into the future by establishing a vision of what industry 5.0 might look like with the addition of newly developed technology called collaborative robotics.
Humans and robots working side by side
The focus of automation in industry 5.0 will be humans and robots working side by side seamlessly in a human centered system. Multi-agent systems including the more traditional industrial robots will become the norm.
Collaborative robots (Cobots) and their operators, (Coboters) will play important roles in future manufacturing environments which will be agile, flexible, environmentally friendly, safe and efficient.
Industry 5.0 will combine the technological breakthroughs of industry 4.0 and combine them with the unique capabilities of humans.
An important element of my research is the collection of data and to this end I have written a questionnaire titled 'Case study profiling emerging Collaborative Technology in Manufacturing Companies in Ireland'.
The aim of this 15-minute survey is to provide an important insight into the experiences of companies in their use of collaborative robotics to date. In addition, it looks at establishing where the opportunities may lie?
Working with educational institutes
If we are to practically help companies integrate automation into their plants in a step-by-step practical manner how can this be done working with educational institutes?
All data will be treated confidentially, and individuals will not be identifiable in any reports generated from this study.
The general findings may be presented to academic conferences and journals, as well as enterprise agencies, in order to help understand the particular situation in Ireland when compared to other regions.
All responses will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and the name of the company will not be associated with any particular response.
Company names will appear in an appendix at the end of any publication in order to illustrate the profiles of the companies who participated.
This study is being conducted under the supervision of Peter Kopacek professor emeritus, Vienna University of Technology (kopacek@ihrt.tuwien.ac.at).
All follow-up inquiries, please contact Mary Doyle Kent at: marydoylekent@gmail.com.
Take the survey here.
Author: Mary Doyle-Kent is a chartered engineer with Engineers Ireland and a programme leader in BEng in Manufacturing Engineering in Waterford Institute of Technology. A graduate of Bolton Street DIT, TCD and DCU, she is undertaking a technical doctorate in the Technical University of Vienna Austria. She is a principal investigator with INSYTE, the Centre for INformation SYstems and TEchno-culture, which is an interdisciplinary research centre located in the southeast of Ireland, based in WIT.