We've all heard of Industry 4.0 - automation, smart factories, adherence to sustainability and AI optimising the entire process. But some intrepid companies are attempting to usher in the fifth Industrial Revolution: ensuring this smart tech has a "human-centric approach."
Cobots. Credit: Lukassek / Shutterstock
Collaborative robots, or cobots, which are designed to work in tandem with humans, may be an essential technology for Industry 5.0. Credit: Lukassek / Shutterstock
But what does this mean? Much of the tech that is guiding the fourth Industrial Revolution is highly specialised. It requires upskilling and significant capital in order to get started. 5.0 is a response to this, ensuring that this technology becomes more accessible to everyone and that small-to-medium-sized businesses get a slice of the cake.
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Finnish tech firm Visual Components has made such a goal central to its company. Specialising in 3D simulation software, its goal is to bring the concepts of Industry 4.0 to the mainstream.
"Our goal was to bring a tool to the market that is easy to use, so not just an expert in simulation software would utilise it," the company's CEO Mikko Urho told Industry Europe, adding that these high concepts are typically reserved for the wealthiest corporations and market leaders.
For the uninitiated, The first Industrial Revolution revolved around the adoption of the first machines in manufacturing in the mid-18th century and is by far the most famous.
Mikko Urhu is the CEO of Visual Components. Credit: Visual Components
The second industrial revolution refers to when the use of electricity became mainstream in industry but included other processes such as advanced steelmaking and mass production.
The third Industrial Revolution involves the adoption of computers, and the fourth is the adoption of machine learning, AI, interconnectivity and the use of real-time data and is often interwoven with the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT). Industry 5.0 is the refining of these processes as they become more advanced and will likely involve virtual or augmented realities, but more importantly, it is about how these technologies can better work alongside humans.
While still in the realm of future fantasy, the topic of Industry 5.0 has started to crop up in the boardrooms of large tech companies.
A recent study found that a large issue with the implementation of Industry 4.0, and by extension Industry 5.0, is the lack of skilled manpower. Many sectors also have technology that is lagging behind. As ABS Consulting stated in an interview last year, many are running on decades-old hardware.
Urho estimates many sectors are currently operating at a level comparable to "Industry 2.5," and technology being inaccessible plays a big role in this.
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Visual Components simulation tech has seen use in many key sectors, from aerospace to automotive, to construction, and the creation of electronics.
Simulation tech can help optimise processes in interesting ways as it can allow experts in a field to programme robots in a way that will make them operate better.
"A large customer base for us works in the arc welding industry, which is all manual work, but there is a lack of decent welders," Urho stated. "However, simulation tech can allow you, through a 3D interface, to programme robots to do the same job as you."
The effects of this are twofold. The first is it could allow a robot to step in should a worker become fatigued and continue at a similar quality, or it could allow for twice the work to be done effectively by a single person.
This operates close to a core concept of Industry 5.0 - collaborative robots, or "cobots," which are designed to work closely alongside humans.
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Industry Europe was given a tour of Visual Components' simulation tech and how it can optimise production and aid human manufacturing.
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Industry Europe was given a tour of Visual Components' simulation tech and how it can optimise production and aid human manufacturing.
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Industry Europe was given a tour of Visual Components' simulation tech and how it can optimise production and aid human manufacturing.
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Industry Europe was given a tour of Visual Components' simulation tech and how it can optimise production and aid human manufacturing.
The coronavirus pandemic brought cobots into the limelight as they allowed manufacturing companies to properly social distance staff without needing to lose production output. Industry Europe spoke with Universal Robots' Mark Gray in May 2020 about this very concept and the future of automation.
However, this drums up the core issues of Industry 4.0: will robots replace human workers? The concept has spurred the response by companies such as Visual Components and their worker-centric approach to industrial automation.
"Part of the roadmaps of companies is seeing them increasingly investing in digital technologies, including simulation tools and the next step is to really emphasise how these technologies can help human resources," Mikka said.
"It could involve getting workers familiar with the software, so even if they do not have to do manual work, the robots can handle the job - through training, not upskilling. Many firms and industry as a whole are still working towards the fourth Industrial Revolution, but concepts like this could play a role in 5.0.
"I'm a big believer that if you are adding automation and these kinds of functionalities, it should not remove or reduce the job for humans."
This has been a concern since the original Industrial Revolution. The term "Luddite" arose and became synonymous with protesting the adoption of new technology in manufacturing. Its origins go back to the textile industry in the 19th century. People have always been afraid that technology will replace humans.
Urho estimates it may be decades before the main concepts of Industry 5.0 are fully fleshed out. He is, however, unsure if the rise of Industry 4.0 did cause work to dry up for humans, as it was generally only the more competitive companies, those with higher capital, who were fully able to utilise it.
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There are several ways to collect and extrapolate data from simulations.
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There are several ways to collect and extrapolate data from simulations.
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There are several ways to collect and extrapolate data from simulations.
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Not adopting these technologies in this day and age affects production and makes businesses less competitive.
Simulation software such as the kind offered by Visual Components offers a way to test and trial operations in a risk-free environment. It allows workers to come up with solutions without needing to tinker with real equipment and can allow companies to programme robots and machines to work in tandem with humans at a similar, or equal, level.
Company engineer Sorvay Jay described these technologies as a "virtual playground" where the only limit is a user's imagination, where parameters and logic can be set easily and there are multiple ways to gather and use data.
More importantly, it offers VR support, which adds another dynamic to the technology, with the firm often looking into how student groups can best mess around with the tech in VR.
Such technology may be vital for use in smart factors, one of the key concepts of Industry 4.0 - allowing companies to assess risks and manage them accordingly with as much information on hand as possible.
"This kind of tech originally started out as a tool for programmers, but we have been able to bring it to SMEs and smaller businesses. We are looking to make this kind of optimisation mainstream within manufacturing - to make it more accessible," Urho said.
"We believe that simulation tech, and the opportunities it presents to be a 'must have' for all manufacturers."
However, part of the transition also comes from increased communication, Mikko says.
"Think for a moment that you have factories across multiple countries, you will want to cater the needs of each to a particular market or have each one operating differently - communication is key," he said. Not only will data sharing make this easier, but the digital transition will make communicating across long distances without delay more efficient, ultimately leading to fewer disruptions.
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Simulations can also aid in the creation of new projects, allowing people to design new products without the need for physical materials, or it can act as a sales tool for management, he claims.
"What we're increasingly seeing with the younger generation is that the future is in mobile phones or gaming, and so I can see a world where tech like this is inescapable," he added.
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