Fernando Alcoforado*
This article aims to present how Industry 4.0 works and how to make its introduction in Brazil a reality. In the history of humanity, there have been 3 industrial revolutions. The 4th Industrial Revolution occurs in the contemporary era. The 1st Industrial Revolution occurred in the 18th century, which meant the introduction of the steam engine by James Watt, which placed the textile industry as a symbol of the wealth-generating production of the time, giving a leap in productivity and contributing to the expansion of capitalism. The 1st Industrial Revolution lasted about 200 years (1712-1913). The 2nd Industrial Revolution, which lasted around 60 years (1913-1969), was inaugurated when Henry Ford created the mass production line with the concept of scale production, reducing costs and popularizing the product. The 2nd Industrial Revolution is the revolution of Fordism, electrification, mass production. The 3rd Industrial Revolution, which lasted around 40 years (1969-2010), was characterized by the automation of production processes with the implementation of computers in the factory, placing electronic controls, sensors and devices capable of managing a large number of production variables, allowing decision making with autonomous control of devices, the impact of which was to increase product quality, increase production, manage costs and increase production safety. The 3rd Industrial Revolution is the silicon and electronics revolution that transformed industry. The 4th Industrial Revolution is already underway with great support from the wave of digitalization we are currently experiencing [1].
The 4th Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0 is characterized by the integration of so-called cyber-physical production systems, in which intelligent sensors inform machines how their activities should be processed. Processes must be governed in a decentralized modular system. Smart production systems begin to work together, communicating wirelessly, either directly or through an Internet “cloud” (Internet of Things or IoT). Rigid centralized factory control systems are now giving way to decentralized intelligence, with machine-to-machine (M2M) communication on the factory floor. This is the vision of Industry 4.0 of the 4th Industrial Revolution. In Industry 4.0, its fundamental basis is the connection of machines and systems that allow companies to create intelligent networks throughout the value chain that can control production modules autonomously. In other words, smart factories will have the ability and autonomy to schedule maintenance, predict process failures and adapt to requirements and unplanned changes in production. The benefits provided by Industry 4.0 are the following: 1) Cost reduction; 2) Energy saving; 3) Greater security; 4) Preservation of the environment; 5) Reduction of errors; 6) End of waste; 7) Transparency in business; 8) Increased quality of life; and, 9) Unprecedented customization and scale [2].
The technologies used in Industry 4.0 are the following [3]:
1) Artificial Intelligence – This is an area of computing that allows machines and equipment to learn from the activities carried out. In this way, they are able to improve their skills, making the factory more productive and autonomous. Artificial Intelligence makes machines collect, store and analyze data so that they recognize patterns and make decisions on their own, without human interference.
2) Big Data – Much of industry 4.0 technologies involve the production and collection of data. Thus, Big Data refers to storage in a secure database, in which information can be analyzed by Artificial Intelligence to make decisions. To do this, specific analysis software is used to collect and structure a large volume of data.
3) Robotics – Robots in Industry 4.0 are mainly used in repetitive functions. Thus, actions are carried out faster and more accurately than if they were carried out by people, speeding up production and reducing costs and failures. They are also widely used in dangerous and unhealthy activities. In this way, they increase the safety of the team of employees and reduce health risks, in addition to reducing expenses with abstentions and labor actions.
3) 3D Printing– One of the industry 4.0 technologies that attracts the most attention is 3D printing, also known as “additive manufacturing”. Printers allow the creation of a physical model from a project or a digital drawing. This technology has been increasingly used because it allows the manufacture of customized parts to meet the demands of both the factory and customers.
4) Cloud Computing– This involves storing data in the cloud. In this way, Cloud Computing increases information security, in addition to saving physical space in hardware systems. Another important point is that it allows remote access, that is, any device (as long as it is authorized by management) can access the data, whether it is in the factory or not.
5) Internet of Things – The Internet of Things (IoT) is a major milestone of the digital era, as it enables connections between physical and virtual things. It is worth remembering that connectivity is one of the pillars of industry 4.0. However, IoT not only connects devices, it also enables them to process data and make decisions. To be considered an IoT device, the resource must receive data through sensors, connect to a network, and process the data without human interference.
6) Virtual and augmented reality – This type of technology simulates immersive scenarios or adds information, such as graphics or images, to an environment. Therefore, it is very useful in distance courses and training, in remote instruction on the maintenance of equipment, among other activities.
It is important to highlight that Industry 4.0 implies the integration of systems that consists of uniting different computer systems and software applications physically or functionally, to act as a coordinated whole allowing the exchange of information between different systems. It allows the company to have a complete view of its business. Real-time information about the production process influences management decisions more quickly, just as strategic decisions about the company’s business can be implemented more easily on the factory floor. Industry 4.0 involves the adoption of simulation systems that consist of the use of computers and a set of techniques to generate digital models that describe or display the complex interaction between various variables within a system, imitating real-world processes. In production processes, advanced robotics are used, which are devices that act largely or partially autonomously, that physically interact with people or their environment and that are capable of modifying their behavior based on sensor data [2].
Furthermore, Industry 4.0 uses Digital manufacturing which corresponds to the use of an integrated computer system consisting of simulation, 3D visualization, analysis and collaboration tools to create product and manufacturing process definitions simultaneously, as well as additive manufacturing which consists of manufacturing parts based on a digital project (made with three-dimensional modeling software), superimposing thin layers of material, one by one, using a 3D printer. Materials such as plastic, metal, metal alloys, ceramics and sand, among others, can be used. Industry 4.0 also uses cybersecurity, which is a set of hardware and software infrastructures designed to protect information assets, dealing with threats that put at risk the information that is processed, stored and transported by the information systems that are interconnect [2].
Industry 4.0 is an industry concept that encompasses the main technological innovations in the areas of automation, control and information technologies, applied to manufacturing processes. From cyber-physical systems, the internet of things and the internet of services, production processes tend to be increasingly efficient, autonomous and customizable. This means a new period in the context of the great industrial revolutions. With smart factories, there will be several changes in the way products are manufactured, causing impacts in different market sectors. Making Industry 4.0 a reality will imply the gradual adoption of a set of emerging Information Technology and industrial automation technologies, in the formation of a physical-cybernetic production system, with intense digitalization of information and direct communication between systems, machines, products and people, that is, the famous Internet of Things (IoT). This process promises to generate highly flexible and self-adjusting manufacturing environments to the growing demand for increasingly personalized products.
Industry 4.0 has the following characteristics [4]:
1) More visibility – Process, machine, and equipment data are very important and are the basis of Industry 4.0. With this data increasingly available in a permeable manner at all levels of the organization, it becomes simple to know what is happening and have more visibility across all processes, including in real time.
2) Transparency – Process and business information data needs to be useful and transparent to know the causes of a certain operational condition, unwanted failures or unplanned downtime, for example.
3) Predictive capacity – Process data collected from machines and equipment in real time needs to be treated and transformed into useful information that helps to understand the performance of the production system to be processed in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning systems capable of predicting that could happen in your process or in machines and equipment.
4) Flexibility and adaptability – Virtualization and high technology provide the ability to access information and perform analyzes in real time, including applying Artificial Intelligence software, enabling instant innovations and/or adjustments.
It is worth noting that, in Industry 4.0, intelligent systems and sensors inform machines how they should work and how they will be involved in each stage of the manufacturing process, thus providing data, such as feedback, for greater production control, processes are self-managed in a system modular decentralized, intelligent systems start to work together with the exchange of data and information, directly and also through the “cloud” on the Internet and, as a result, industrial control systems are more complex and distributed, allowing a more flexible process and detailed. In Industry 4.0, there is decentralized intelligence, with machine-to-machine (M2M) communication in the factory differing from the old rigid centralized control systems in factories. Machine-to-machine communication, or M2M, is a technology that allows networked devices to exchange information and perform actions without manual assistance from humans. It consists of the automated exchange of information between devices such as machines, vehicles or other equipment in the industrial, commercial and service areas. These devices communicate with each other or with a central location (database), increasingly using the Internet and different access networks, such as the cellular network. A common application is the remote monitoring, management, control and maintenance of machines, equipment and systems, traditionally called telemetry. M2M technology has linked information and communication technologies. M2M solutions optimize almost all industry workflows and result in productivity gains [2].
To put Industry 4.0 into practice, it is important to follow the following 4 steps [5]:
a) Carry out strategic planning – The implementation of the Industry 4.0 concept requires planning. Study the main problems the company faces, investigate the different technologies that can be adopted and create a long-term plan to gradually modernize the entire business. Adopt the solution that provides a high ROI (return on investment).
b) Carry out pilot projects – Because these are high-cost technologies, most technology companies that offer solutions for Industry 4.0 carry out pilot projects. If everything goes well, they invest and expand the project to other areas of the company.
c) Become a data fanatic – Big data is the basis of Industry 4.0. It is this information that will allow you to make the most of the benefits of this new era. However, it makes no sense to have millions of data points at your disposal and not analyze them to make important decisions based on them. Therefore, it is necessary to dive into the data, study and base all your actions on the paths they indicate. It’s time to abandon managers’ “feeling” and make more precise decisions.
d) Have a capable team – No technology will work unless there is a capable team to operate it. Industry 4.0 professionals need to reinvent themselves. It will be increasingly necessary to have analytical and data interpretation skills. Furthermore, it is necessary to have a team that adapts easily and learns quickly, as innovations are constantly changing and there are always new products on the market.
The 4th Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0 requires a new professional profile. To work on the floor of a digital factory, workers need to develop essential skills. Technicians will no longer perform repetitive functions. They will be focused on strategic tasks and project control. Anyone who wants to gain a place in the factories of the future must develop new skills. It will be necessary, for example, to learn to work side by side with intelligent and collaborative robots to increase productivity. This creates space for more complex and creative functions.
It is very important that the industry 4.0 professional has a broad view of the enterprise. Industry 4.0 professionals need to be open to change, have the flexibility to adapt to new roles and get used to continuous multidisciplinary learning. Having a multidisciplinary vision does not mean that specialized technical knowledge has lost importance in the curriculum. An academic background in computer engineering or mechatronics is important, but not sufficient. You need to specialize on several fronts and know a little about each thing. You have to like technology, innovation and, above all, be curious to learn and follow an industry that is always reinventing itself. With so many changes, professionals involved in Industry 4.0 need to adapt to this new reality.
The Industry 4.0 professional is responsible for managing and optimizing processes, reducing costs and waste, introducing intelligence and integration. In Industry 4.0, also known as the 4th Industrial Revolution, there are professionals responsible for an organization’s production processes, from handling raw materials to delivering the final product. These professionals need to be up to date with technological changes and attentive to the trends and innovations that the industry will undergo, always thinking about ways to reduce costs and avoid waste, considering environmental, economic and social aspects. Industry 4.0 imposes the need for changes in courses in the areas of engineering, administration and economics, among others, to adapt to the new needs of new technologies. The teaching programs of educational units at all levels must be profoundly restructured to achieve these objectives.
While Industry 4.0 is under development, especially in the most advanced capitalist countries, unfortunately, Brazil is faced with the double challenge of, on the one hand, reversing the deindustrialization process that it has suffered from 1990 to the present moment following the introduction of neoliberal economic model that devastated the Brazilian economy and, on the other, promote the development of Industry 4.0 in the country. The consensus among experts is that Brazilian industry is behind and is still largely in the transition from what would be Industry 2.0 of the 2nd Industrial Revolution, characterized by the use of assembly lines and electrical energy, for Industry 3.0 of the 3rd Industrial Revolution that applies automation through electronics, robotics and programming. This technological delay in Brazilian industry is one of the factors that contribute to the deindustrialization of Brazil and the loss of its industrial competitiveness [6].
To get an idea of Brazil’s gap, it would be necessary to install around 165,000 industrial robots to approach Germany’s current robotic density. At the current rate, with around 1,500 robots installed per year in the country, Brazil will take more than 100 years to reach Germany’s level. We will need, more than ever, for the Lula government to be able to plan the modernization of Brazil’s industry and the country’s academic and research institutions to reindustrialize Brazilian industry with the development of Industry 4.0. Brazil also needs relevant levels of investment and intensive training of managers, engineers, systems analysts and technicians in these new technologies, in addition to partnerships and strategic alliances with entities from other countries that are more advanced in industry 4.0. Brazil, therefore, still has a long way to go in various sectors of the economy in a gradual and disruptive manner. One of the measures necessary for Brazil’s inclusion in the 4th Industrial Revolution consists of making massive investments in the education system to qualify people with a focus on technology [6].
REFERENCES
1. ALCOFORADO. Fernando. Rumo à indústria do futuro. Available on the website <https://www.academia.edu/34710914/RUMO_%C3%80_IND%C3%9ASTRIA_DO_FUTURO>, 2017.
2. ALCOFORADO. Fernando. O futuro da indústria. Available on the website <https://www.academia.edu/45626620/O_FUTURO_DA_IND%C3%9ASTRIA>, 2021.
3. GoEPIK. Conheça as principais tecnologias da indústria 4.0. Available on the website <https://www.goepik.com.br/conheca-as-principais-tecnologias-da-industria-40>, 2023.
4. WEG DIGITAL BLOG. Conheça 4 principais características da Indústria 4.0. Available on the website <https://www.weg.net/digital/blog/conheca-4-principais-caracteristicas-da-industria-4-0/>, 2022.
5. NOVIDA. Indústria 4.0- Como colocar em prática? Available on the website <https://www.novida.com.br/blog/industria-4-0/>, 2023.
6. ALCOFORADO, Fernando. Como o governo Lula poderá reindustrializar o Brasil. Available on the website <https://www.academia.edu/94807861/COMO_O_GOVERNO_LULA_PODER%C3%81_REINDUSTRIALIZAR_O_BRASIL>, 2022.
* Fernando Alcoforado, awarded the medal of Engineering Merit of the CONFEA / CREA System, member of the Bahia Academy of Education, SBPC- Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science and IPB- Polytechnic Institute of Bahia, engineer from the UFBA Polytechnic School and doctor in Territorial Planning and Regional Development from the University of Barcelona, college professor (Engineering, Economy and Administration) and consultant in the areas of strategic planning, business planning, regional planning, urban planning and energy systems, was Advisor to the Vice President of Engineering and Technology at LIGHT S.A. Electric power distribution company from Rio de Janeiro, Strategic Planning Coordinator of CEPED- Bahia Research and Development Center, Undersecretary of Energy of the State of Bahia, Secretary of Planning of Salvador, is the author of the books Globalização (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 1997), De Collor a FHC- O Brasil e a Nova (Des)ordem Mundial (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 1998), Um Projeto para o Brasil (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 2000), Os condicionantes do desenvolvimento do Estado da Bahia (Tese de doutorado. Universidade de Barcelona,http://www.tesisenred.net/handle/10803/1944, 2003), Globalização e Desenvolvimento (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 2006), Bahia- Desenvolvimento do Século XVI ao Século XX e Objetivos Estratégicos na Era Contemporânea (EGBA, Salvador, 2008), The Necessary Conditions of the Economic and Social Development- The Case of the State of Bahia (VDM Verlag Dr. Müller Aktiengesellschaft & Co. KG, Saarbrücken, Germany, 2010), Aquecimento Global e Catástrofe Planetária (Viena- Editora e Gráfica, Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo, São Paulo, 2010), Amazônia Sustentável- Para o progresso do Brasil e combate ao aquecimento global (Viena- Editora e Gráfica, Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo, São Paulo, 2011), Os Fatores Condicionantes do Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2012), Energia no Mundo e no Brasil- Energia e Mudança Climática Catastrófica no Século XXI (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2015), As Grandes Revoluções Científicas, Econômicas e Sociais que Mudaram o Mundo (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2016), A Invenção de um novo Brasil (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2017), Esquerda x Direita e a sua convergência (Associação Baiana de Imprensa, Salvador, 2018), Como inventar o futuro para mudar o mundo (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2019), A humanidade ameaçada e as estratégias para sua sobrevivência (Editora Dialética, São Paulo, 2021), A escalada da ciência e da tecnologia e sua contribuição ao progresso e à sobrevivência da humanidade (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2022), a chapter in the book Flood Handbook (CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida United States, 2022), How to protect human beings from threats to their existence and avoid the extinction of humanity (Generis Publishing, Europe, Republic of Moldova, Chișinău, 2023) and A revolução da educação necessária ao Brasil na era contemporânea (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2023).
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