Industry 5.0 - A Radical Shift in Industry

Written by Jade Yhap

A few weeks ago, we wrote about Industry 4.0 and what it meant for innovation in the engineering world. In that article, we outlined the fourth industrial revolution and how its focus on automation and technology will significantly change how engineering is done. Industry 5.0 expands on these concepts by examining how innovation benefits from sustainability, resilience and human-centric design.

Sustainability

Green initiatives are nothing new, but for Industry 5.0 it's not just about making better green decisions. It's a shift from what's being done to being part of the solution. The focus is not on reducing negative impacts, but on creating positive ones.

The world is at a critical moment and industry must look at what they are doing to help make a difference. Firms could look at reducing the amount of paper waste, or create new systems that recycle food waste into compost. Regardless, the strategic incentive here is to give back to society as a whole and act within the limits we have on our planet today.

Engineering firms should look at ways they can reduce the amount of waste they generate, as well as ways they can contribute to the circular economy. Are there ways to recycle material, or are there ways to make better estimates to reduce the amount of wasted material? Solutions that aid in those goals will be invaluable for engineering Industry 5.0.

Resilience

In conjunction with being regenerative and sustainable, resilience is about adaptability. Industry 5.0 challenges firms to look at their processes and find ways to be more adaptable. We attempt to plan for all situations, however, the unpredictable happens and firms either adapt or sink.

Firms must arm themselves with the capabilities to adapt to disruptions in their value chains. The COVID-19 pandemic and increased weather events showed that our environment fluctuates. Suppliers can be cut off, offices can shut down, and designs can change. Firms must have systems that adapt to these changes and enable them to continue functioning.

Engineering firms in particular should look for management tools that can adapt to supply chain disruptions or design changes. Systems and tools should easily change based on new sets of inputs and display solutions derived from this information. Engineering firms must have a flexible tool that requires little to no extra work to meet their changed designs.

Human-Centric

Industry 5.0 puts the worker's well-being at the center of all production. Whereas Industry 4.0 focused on technology that improved efficiency, Industry 5.0 refocuses on the people for whom these tools were built. The aim is to empower workers in the industrial process, not replace them.

In a way, both resilience and sustainability work towards this same goal of empowering people. Firms must use these ideals to invest in new technologies which keep their people as the focus. Solutions which use AI, Machine Learning or Robotics should not be invested in just because they improve efficiency, but because they make the lives of the workers better.

Engineering firms should find tools and solutions that follow human-centric design principles. Software and equipment should have excellent user experience and they should augment a user's skills. Engineering firms should find technology that quickens the process and lightens the load on workers, improving their overall well-being.

Putting it all together

If we were to compare the differences between Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0, we would sum it up like this:

Industry 4.0 focused on the Efficiency of work.

Industry 5.0 focuses on the Impact of industry, technology, and people.

It is an expansion of the beliefs of previous industrial revolutions that refocuses on why changes like this happen. Because they impact people and should make the world a better place.

Specifically for engineering firms, the focus should be on smarter technology that respects the efforts of their workers. Tools which augment their abilities while saving them time. Tools should simplify work, and make adapting to changes easy. Lastly, tools should reduce negative impacts on the environment and aid in finding ways to give back to it too. A toolset like this will be invaluable to the future of the engineering industry.

IDS is a full-facility design software that uses generative AI to aid designers (piping, structural, and more!) and speed up their work. Are you interested in learning more? Head over to our website and we'd be happy to show you how our suite of tools can help save you time and money while improving the well-being of your engineers!