Is Industry 4.0 good or bad for us?

The core reality of industry 4.0 is that every company will have to become a data company in its sector (or will collapse). This has been happening in most sectors since the 2000s and has helped a lot with most of the heavy work in each sector.

Talks about the fourth industrial revolution or Industry 4.0 have been around for a while and people from different sectors have been discussing how it would affect their sectors. However, I have realized that there is not really enough information about how industry 4.0 would change the commercial kitchen reality or affect the hospitality sector generally.

Now, my purpose in this article is not to discuss the basics of industry 4.0 but what does this mean for the hospitality sector? As someone in the restaurant equipment sector, I am not sure whether I would be happy or not to see kitchen ovens being operated by artificial intelligence and coordinated with other equipment. At the same time, some of this equipment also cook food. Sure it would look cool to see robots cooking food in a commercial kitchen. But what will happen to the profession of cooking which has the human touch and feelings at the core of it? I am sure most commercial kitchens will look like Amazon warehouses.

What is it?

Industry 4.0 is the name of the new Industrial Revolution, which emerged with the Internet of Things, Big Data, and Machine-to-Machine Communication technologies, in which business processes are managed with data-based scientific methods. To explain more simply: everything gets smart and starts to communicate with each other while getting smart.

With these technologies, in the system architecture where all the equipment in the production area is defined with a unique internet address; A Smart Manufacturing infrastructure will be created where all the data produced at any moment in all processes is stored, processed with user-defined formulas and algorithms, turned into "Meaningful Information" for process managers through Big Data Analytics, and autonomous production processes are built with rule-based scenarios. In other words, an ideal integration of all hardware and software within company assets is aimed.

Industry 4.0 has 9 components by which automation happens. Let's see what they are and how they can be good or bad for the sector of

Large Data Analysis

Machines operate using production automation software, accurately collected, processed, and analyzed using large data analysis solutions. Reducing data storage costs, predictive care, real-time anomaly detection, configuration, and reducing data volumes are just a few of the benefits.

Robots

Robots in factories have been around since the '70s and they have replaced human labor in many areas and equipment for smart sensors and microprocessors allows for a quick operation of production lines to maximize the flexibility of the production lines. Industry 4.0 robots can communicate with each other with connections and work safely with people. Even if they can perform one single operation at one time their efficiency is unquestionable. However, the hospitality sector is different, and so-called "production" happens in a different way requiring human touch in all aspects.

Virtual simulation

Modern technology enables all manufacturing process simulation in virtual environments to save time and money, avoid making expensive mistakes, and quickly test the manufacturing models without placing them on equipment. In short, you have the opportunity to test product design, check it with other products, try machine settings, calibrate production processes, and make other computers customized before using such projects on their factory floor.

Cloud calculation

Cloud Computing or Calculation ensures limitless data storage capacity and increased data processing speed, allows geographically decentralized systems, and provides extensive resources for training AI/ML models. It is all done cheaper than in previous models.

Edge Information Processing and IoT

When your factories are equipped with networks of smart IoT sensors connected to a local calculation center (an edge calculation knot), you gain tremendous features to quickly capture all important data, process on-site, and do the necessary action immediately. Instead of doing this in the cloud and suffering delay problems. In terms of production process optimization and foresight, IoT may significantly increase the supply chain for your business.

Cyber security

When all your equipment has sensors connected to the edge calculation node in WiFi or other ways, protecting this cyber-physical network from malicious attack becomes very important because it collects and stored valuable data and provides access to your other critical systems. The sharing of data outside the organization strengthens the flexibility of production but requires suitable cyber security systems to resist the constantly developing threat environment.

Horizontal and Vertical Integration

Being a spine in which the smart factory is built transforms a different vehicle bundle into a powerful production control system throughout all supply chain (horizontal) and business units (vertical) integration. Such integration provides a few concrete results, including small production costs and the ability to quickly produce small customized product parties without sacrificing the highest quality standards.

Layered production

Contribution production technologies provide cost-effective and environmentally friendly 3D working products to quickly test any hypothesis and allow businesses to minimize R & D expenses. 3D printing can disrupt the entire production value chain and allow the center to scatter production and mass-produced goods. More importantly, modern 3D printers provide production as a service, leading to industry 5.0, which will provide personalized products for every customer that has never been restructured, by restructuring the production lines.

Augmented Reality (AR)

The widespread adoption of AR revolutionizes the way we plan and design our real estate and production facilities. It allows us to quickly prototype the structural plans, visualize equipment locations and adjust various parameters to try. Such workflow optimization allows production enterprises to reduce the time spent, save millions of investments and reach a shorter value for facility planning, equipment installation, and employment configuration.

Another important point is virtualized training where workers can train various machines in virtual environments, such as learning all the systems of oil equipment in a land-to-land training center. They can learn the ropes by using virtual representation to minimize the time required for installation.

I believe that most of these features will change the reality of industrial production and we won't see many human workers in factories anymore. However, the hospitality sector and commercial kitchen environments in it are a different story. Let's say industry 4.0 would be good for big commercials kitchen that produces packed products and prepare a larger amount of food for stores.