Industrial transformation in automation technology

What your machine concept should look like for a successful future

The industrial transformation and Industry 4.0 have fundamentally changed the way companies produce. IoT, digitalisation and globalisation are having an impact on the industrial automation landscape and are shaking up the market. At the centre of this change are advanced machine concepts that enable more efficient, more flexible and more intelligent production. How can you design your machine concepts in industrial production to meet future requirements and remain competitive? We take a look at these topics in this blog post.

Flexibility and adaptability to meet new requirements

Machines should be able to adapt quickly to changing industrial production requirements. As the market environment is constantly changing, companies must have the ability to quickly adapt their production processes and integrate new products or variants. Modular automation concepts, in which individual machine modules can be combined and customised as needed, offer greater flexibility. This makes companies are more agile so they can react to market changes and increase their competitiveness.

Digitalisation and automation of processes

Design machines so that they perform tasks autonomously and without constant human supervision. The digital transformation with the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning allows machines to make decisions independently and improve themselves. By automating processes, efficiency can be increased, product quality is improved and costs are reduced. This can be achieved, for example, by using robotics, advanced sensor technology, artificial intelligence, machine learning and automated control systems.

Predictive maintenance is another key element of industrial change; it helps companies to continuously monitor the condition and state of their machines and systems digitally and identify potential problems at an early stage. Maintenance tasks can be optimised and unplanned downtime can be reduced to a minimum thanks to digitalisation together with data analysis and machine learning.

Seamless connectivity – continuous communication

Machines should be able to communicate with each other and exchange data digitally. This enables seamless integration and coordination in production. Digital networking makes it possible for machines to exchange information in real time. As a result, processes can be optimised, bottlenecks can be identified and efficiency can be increased. In Industry 4.0, for example, this can be achieved through the use of IoT technologies and standardised communication protocols.

Plan for sustainability and lower costs

In the age of Industry 4.0, future machines should also be sustainable and energy-efficient and make optimum use of resources. Energy-efficient components, sensors and advanced control technologies can help to optimise performance and save energy. For example, machines can use sensors to adapt their energy requirements to the current workload or monitor energy consumption in real time. By optimising energy efficiency, companies can not only reduce their environmental impact, but also cut their operating costs.

Safety for people and the environment

Machines should have advanced safety features to protect employees and the environment. In industry, this includes, among others, the use of sensors for detecting hazards, the implementation of safety protocols and the integration of protective devices. Machine safety is crucial to prevent accidents at work and to ensure the health and well-being of employees.

Safe and user-friendly human-machine interaction

The interaction between man and machine should be intuitive and user-friendly so that employees can interact efficiently with the machines and complete their tasks in the best possible way. This is achievable by using ergonomic design, intuitive user interfaces and through the integration of voice or gesture control. By improving human-machine interaction in industry, productivity can be increased, training time reduced and employee job satisfaction increased.

Developing machines for the future: the main aspects

The machines of the future will adapt to the requirements of the industrial transformation. Flexibility, automation, sustainability and connectivity are key factors that can help you to increase productivity and introduce sustainable, energy-efficient production processes. Your company should get ready to implement modular machine concepts, since these will equip you to increase the adaptability and efficiency of your production processes. If you continuously further develop machines in industrial production and integrate new technologies, they will fulfil the requirements of the future. This is how you can shape successful industrial change in your company.

Click here to download our checklist

Ralf Höhn, Valve Terminals Product Management


About the author

Ralf Höhn
Valve Terminals Product Management
Festo SE & Co. KG

October 2024

Overview