Industry 4.0 - An Overview

What is the new word “Industry 4.0”and how is it going to affect the apparel industry?

?Industry 4.0 is revolutionizing the way companies manufacture, improve and distribute their products. Manufacturers are integrating new technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing and analytics, and AI and machine learning into their production facilities and throughout their operations.

These smart factories are equipped with advanced sensors, embedded software, and robotics that collect and analyze data and allow for better decision-making. Even higher value is created when data from production operations is combined with operational data from ERP, supply chain, customer service, and other enterprise systems to create whole new levels of visibility and insight from previously siloed information.

These digital technologies lead to increased automation, predictive maintenance, self-optimization of process improvements, and, above all, a new level of efficiencies and responsiveness to customers not previously possible.

Developing smart factories provides an incredible opportunity for the manufacturing industry to enter the fourth industrial revolution. Analyzing the large amounts of big data collected from sensors on the factory floor ensures real-time visibility of manufacturing assets and can provide tools for performing predictive maintenance in order to minimize equipment downtime.

Using high-tech IoT devices in smart factories leads to higher productivity and improved quality. Replacing manual inspection business models with AI-powered visual insights reduces manufacturing errors and saves money and time. With minimal investment, quality control personnel can set up a smartphone connected to the cloud to monitor manufacturing processes from virtually anywhere. By applying machine learning algorithms, manufacturers can detect errors immediately, rather than at later stages when repair work is more expensive.

Industry 4.0 concepts and technologies can be applied across all types of industrial companies, including discrete and process manufacturing, as well as oil and gas, mining, and other industrial segments.

Throughout this, fundamental shifts are taking place in how the global production and supply network operates through ongoing automation of traditional manufacturing and industrial practices, using modern smart technology, large-scale machine-to-machine communication (M2M), and the internet of things (IoT). This integration increases automation, improving communication and self-monitoring, and the use of smart machines that can analyze and diagnose issues without the need for human intervention.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is the trend towards automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies and processes which include cyber-physical systems (CPS), IoT, industrial internet of things, cloud computing, cognitive computing, and artificial intelligence.

Key themes?

1. Interconnection — the ability of machines, devices, sensors, and people to connect and communicate with each other via the Internet of things, or the internet of people (IoP).
2. Information transparency — the transparency afforded by Industry 4.0 technology provides operators with comprehensive information to make decisions. Inter-connectivity allows operators to collect immense amounts of data and information from all points in the manufacturing process, identify key areas that can benefit from the improvement to increase functionality.
3. Technical assistance — the technological facility of systems to assist humans in decision-making and problem-solving, and the ability to help humans with difficult or unsafe tasks.

The trend in Apparel Industry

Smart Factory is the vision of a production environment in which production facilities and logistics systems are organized with minimal human intervention or without human intervention.

The Smart Factory is no longer a vision. An important part of this process is the exchange of data between the product and the production line. This enables a much more efficient connection of the Supply Chain and better organization within any production environment.

Many Organisations have introduced themselves in the apparel industry as industry 4.0 initiators such as :

1. zFactory (Zilingo): Zilingo Factory, proprietary MES software for factories worldwide. Track, analyze, and optimize factory operations. Anytime, anywhere. - Production Tracking Real-time tracking of production output and KPIs.

?Assembly Line Display Board - Shows KPIs and other important factors of assembly line.

1. ?qaPP (efashtech): One touch to a Smart Apparel Factory. Qapp offers a one-stop solution for your smart factory KPI's.
2. Production Key Performance Matrices (KPIs)
3. Factory Efficiency Percentage
4. Cut to ship ratio.
5. Order to ship ratio
6. On-time delivery rate
7. Average style change over time
8. Downtime percentage
9. Quality Key Performance Matrices (KPIs)
10. Customer complaint
11. Zero Defect Operators
12. AQL levels
13. Percentage Defective level
14. Defects per Hundred Units (DHU)
15. Rework Cost
16. Right First Time (RFT)

In summary, I would like to say that there are many more futuristic advancements to be done in the industry which will ease out the manufacturers and open doors for new opportunities.

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Compiled by – Ms Pooja Makhija

Director, Fashion Futures Consultants Pvt. Ltd.