The Internet of Things (IoT) and digital connectivity are leading to what many are calling the “Fourth Industrial Revolution.” The First Industrial Revolution used water and steam to streamline production, the Second used electricity for mass production and the Third used electronics and information technology for production automation. For this Fourth Industrial Revolution and smart factories to be successful, adhering to industry standards can ensure affordable, quick and more reliable manufacturing.
A handful of countries, including China, Japan, South Korea and the U.S., are working together to create global standards for smart factories, but the rest of the world has been, for the most part, inactive on this front. Rather than creating proprietary smart factories and related technology, here are a few examples of standards than can be put in place across the industry.
Communications and sensors
One of the benefits of smart manufacturing is machines’ capabilities to communicate with one another, increasing efficiency. OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) offers smart factories an open, efficient and secure infrastructure for communications across various devices in the manufacturing process, including sensors, controllers and automation systems. OPC UA uses established computer industry standards, including IP and Web services, to enable devices to gather and convert data throughout the supply chain and across vendors.
Cybersecurity
With increased connectivity and communications, the risk of cyberattacks climbs. Unintentional breaches, industrial espionage and state-sponsored attacks can lead to unscheduled downtime, equipment interruptions and production disruptions. The ISASecure certification Embedded Device Security Assurance (EDSA) is one example of a security standard supporting smart manufacturing systems and devices. EDSA focuses on the security of embedded devices and addresses device characteristics and supplier development practices for smart devices. Devices that meet the requirements of the certification receive an industry stamp of approval for device safety.
Sustainability
In the long-term, not only do smart factories need to take efficiency and security into consideration, but sustainability should also be a top priority. Industry organizations such as the Smart Manufacturing Leadership Coalition are in the process of developing sustainability standards for smart factories. These standards focus on analyzing, simulating and optimizing sustainability performance of manufacturing systems. Sustainability is being tested and improved across material extraction, production, transportation, disposal, recycling and other steps of the manufacturing process.
All manufacturers are working toward a common goal – to make manufacturing safer and more efficient. As the smart manufacturing industry is projected to reach $246 billion by 2018, up from $156.2 billion in 2012, it can only continue this growth with global collaboration on standardization.