Page 3 - Schmalz - Vacuum Solutions for the Intelligent Factory

Industrie_4_0_09-2014_EN_MH_Bro_GER.qxd 29.09.14 09:32 Seite 5

Industry 4.0

Networked Production

What Actually is Industry 4.0? Visions and Benefits of Industry 4.0
The "fourth industrial revolution" describes the transi- • Production becomes highly flexible, highly
tion of production work towards the intelligent factory. productive and resource-efficient
The increased networking of production and IT proces- • Individualization (batch size of 1) under efficient
ses makes this flexible, efficient and sustainable. In the high volume production conditions
future, products will plan, control and optimize their • The increasing complexity of production and
own production process without human intervention. processes becomes manageable
Humans will continue to dictate the pace, but with the • Autonomous production units organize themselves
best possible support in their work. on an ad hoc basis – the product determines its
own production process
• Employees benefit from intelligent assistance systems

Automation Technology in Transition
The increased networking in production involves the gradual break up of the traditional automation pyramid with rigid
hierarchical information structures. An automation cloud is formed in which intelligent devices and services interact with
one another and organize themselves.

Enterprise level (ERP)
Enterprise resource planning ERP ERP
MES
Plant management level (MES) MES
Manufacturing execution system
Process management level HMI
Human machine interface (HMI)
HMI
Control level (PLC)
Programmable logic controller
Field level
Sensors / Actuators

Current communication structure Future with Industry 4.0
Hierarchical architecture in the traditional automation Example of seamless communication in the automation
pyramid cloud using the intelligent Schmalz ejector

Intelligent Process Communication Using the Compact Ejector X-Pump from Schmalz as an Example
Real-time availability of all process data is the basis for the implementation of Industry 4.0. Intelligent field devices from
Schmalz, such as the compact ejector X-Pump, gather this process data, store it and make it available in the network. Its
diagnosis and predictive functions deduce information from this regarding the condition of the system (e.g. wear or con-
tamination). They detect gradual changes as well as imminent malfunctions. This enables avoidance of unplanned machine
downtime and an increase in system availability.

Level Type of information
Gathering of Analysis and Communication of
Basic capacity and availability
process data interpretation condition information for operations planning
ERP
Maintenance requirement,
MES productivity and quality data

Parameter entries (e.g time and speed) and
HMI measured value output (e.g energy consumption)

I/O information e. g. vacuum value achieved,
Configuration and optimization workpiece gripped, cycle time