Page 10 - Industrial Technology EXTRA 8th February 2021

INDUSTRY 4.0...

Six steps to a connected factory

The phrase ‘smart factory’ was first coined in 2011 at German trade exhibition, the
Hanover Messe. The term describes a highly digitalized environment in which
machinery optimizes and operates autonomously. Yet, despite being in our vocabulary
for almost a decade, smart factories are not yet commonplace. tefan Reuther, Chief

Sales Office at industrial software developer, Copa-Data, explains how ‘connected
factories’ could be the first step of achieving digitalization in manufacturing.

connected factory describes a facility that achieving an ideal state of production through
uses digital technology for seamless sustainable productivity, self-correction, and quality.
information exchange between people, But, how is this state achievable?
Amachines and sensors. Unlike smart Step 1: Make data available for decisions –
factory initiatives, there is less focus on machinery Connected factories are desirable due to their
and more focus on connectivity. Connected factory unique offering to workers and empowering them to
initiatives can run alongside smart factory projects. make decisions. Consider a maintenance engineer
However, the connected factory goal is wholly as an example. In a connected factory, the engineer
focused on automating mechanical processes but will have visibility of the entire plant’s operations

February 2021 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY EXTRA • p10