Samtec Connector Science | Connecting Artificial Intelligence in Smart Factories

This article is the first in a series where we explore the role of artificial intelligence in industry.

The topic of artificial intelligence (AI) has been making headlines lately, as the latest generation of cloud-based AI tools promises to deliver a major leap in the power of machines. In all the talk about how AI will impact us, little has been said about the hardware these machines will require. No matter how powerful these machines become, they still require physical infrastructure to provide power and communication.

The need to connect AI with hardware will grow significantly.

One of the most interesting uses of artificial intelligence is in factories, where it has the potential to transform industrial environments. The development of the Internet of Things (IoT) in industrial applications brings together every element of the production process to function as a whole, which is often referred to as a smart factory. To explain how the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) works, it is necessary to understand the structure inside a smart factory and its impact on the production process.

【Smart Factory Form】

In a traditional factory, all elements of the manufacturing process are independent, from the receipt of raw materials to production and finally to the shipment of finished products. Each machine on the production line is separate from the others, and the entire process is managed at a high level. The way the factory is organized makes it very efficient at completing a certain task, but it is not flexible enough to easily respond to changes.

Smart factories offer a level of flexibility that traditional factories cannot. IIoT allows each machine to collect data about its own function and status, which is then shared with the entire network. This sharing of information not only enables the factory to run efficiently, but also identifies any potential problems so that action can be taken to minimize disruption.

The topology of a smart factory is an important factor in its success. The topology is described as a series of layers. The top layer is the enterprise layer. This layer contains all the systems that manage and control the business, from sales and marketing to logistics and maintenance. The overall operation of the organization takes place at this layer.

Below the enterprise layer is the control layer. This layer contains systems that receive requirements from the enterprise layer and translate them into work plans, ensuring that raw materials are in the right place and operators are ready.

The lowest level is the equipment level. This is the factory floor where all the machines are operated. In traditional factories before the IIoT era, these machines were all controlled locally. Skilled operators could ensure the process ran smoothly with little interaction with other operators.

With the advent of the IIoT era, all machines at the equipment level are connected and share data with each other and with the upper levels of the enterprise. Therefore, information has become an important raw material for smart factories and is shared among all levels of the factory.

Industrial Automation and IIoT

Industrial automation plays an integral role in modern production lines. From simple motors to complex robots, many production processes utilize the latest technology to reduce the need for human input. In new smart factories, this automation equipment becomes even more important.

Compared to traditional factories, the new generation of industrial automation equipment plays an active and important role in how IIoT changes the manufacturing environment. Since IIoT relies on feedback from all elements at the equipment level, industrial automation equipment needs to be equipped with sensors to monitor its performance. This information is shared with the control layer to understand the operation of the machine.

This brings many benefits to the user. The first is that the performance of the entire production line can be monitored. If one machine is running slower than the others, the line can be reconfigured to accommodate this change. In fact, two-way communication with automated equipment can make a significant impact on the flexibility of production by allowing users to react quickly to changes in demand.

Monitoring the performance of individual machines also provides benefits when maintenance on a production line is required. By recording a variety of parameters, from temperature to energy consumption, the data collected can provide early warning of upcoming maintenance needs. For example, an increase in motor vibration may indicate that a bearing needs to be replaced, or an increase in the energy required by a molding machine may indicate a heating element failure.

It is this sharing of information within a smart factory that makes it so important to manufacturers. Smart factories will have greater flexibility and the ability to respond quickly to changes in demand. By analyzing performance data, more emphasis can be placed on preventive maintenance, thereby reducing downtime. Artificial intelligence technology will also use this data to make the factory environment truly autonomous.

【summary】

In part two of this series, we’ll look at industrial environments. We’ll explore how customers are connecting AI in these demanding conditions and learn how Samtec is developing technologies like COM-HPC to meet the demanding, high-speed application needs of the factories of the future.