The four revolutionary selves of industry 4.0 – Self-diagnosis
|Article by Megan Gee
The robotic revolution isn’t coming. It’s already here. This is the next generation of warehouse automation. Industry 4.0 is a wave of dramatic new changes, made possible by the coming together of individual stand-out systems.
To understand just what industry 4.0 is and why it is such a big change, you need to understand the four revolutionary selves.
And now the final one, that makes all the others work the best of their fullest ability. Self diagnosis. Read on to discover what this is, why it matters, and why your business cannot afford to ignore this change.
What is self-diagnosis technology?
As advanced as any system of automation could ever be, nothing is perfect. Problems can always occur, so the question becomes how do you deal with them? The answer of industry 4.0 is to build preparation for problems into the solutions very nature.
Not only does industry 4.0 use its self-monitoring and self-configuring attributes to be fully ready for obstacles, it goes one step further and keeps advanced track of every aspect of every system in every autonomous mobile robot (AMR) under its command. Self-diagnosis technology achieves the following three vital goals:
- Keeps ongoing track of the operational wellbeing of every robot under the command of the robotic control system (RCS)
- Minimises potential disruption by directing robots away from being obstructive in the event of errors.
- Informs warehouse staff about the nature of the problems in as much detail as is possible
With these systems in place, an industry 4.0 solution displays its ultimate achievement in warehouse efficiency.
What does self-diagnosis change?
In comparison to the difficulties a fixed automation system encounters with malfunction and error, self-diagnosis is a massive improvement.
Thanks to a system that can be made aware of errors and damage before they become catastrophic or debilitating, your robots can spend a much higher percentage of their work time fully operational. With an automation provider that has delivered training on low-impact maintenance and optimum care procedures, you can be sure that you have the skills and tools necessary to deal with the vast majority of the already rare problems that might arise.
In the event of more serious issues, the flexible nature of industry 4.0 solutions allows the robots to move out of the way of other working AMRs. This forward-thinking functionality operational disruption to a minimum, and making it as easy and quick as possible to begin maintenance and repair work.
The fact that this is possible without manual intervention is key. It means minimum manhours are lost to unnecessary checking and rechecking of equipment. Intervention is only engaged exactly when it is needed.
Self-diagnosis for a fixed automation warehouse was at best highly impractical, and at worst actually impossible. With fixed automation needing so much infrastructure, the robotic equivalent of a breakdown lay-by will consume vast volumes of space, and will likely be impossible to install. Because of this, when a robot in a fixed system breaks down, a cascade effect is inevitable. A rail gets blocked, a conveyor gets clogged. The traffic of goods piles up, and huge amounts of operational efficiency is lost.
With industry 4.0, self-diagnosis keeps your business above water, even when individual robots are struggling to swim.
Discover self-diagnosis – discover industry 4.0
You can learn more about modern warehouse automation with Wise Robotics comprehensive guide on the subject, Automation 101. Read more about how to choose the right automation for your business, and why flexible automation is an essential revolution.
To see industry 4.0 in action for yourself, you can visit the Wise Robotics demonstration centre. The first of its kind in Europe, Wise Robotics can show you exactly how industry 4.0 changes the game of warehouse automation. Not only can you see the technology working in general, but we can also provide a scale model of the kinds of specific automation solutions your business could be using.
Book a visit to the Wise Robotics demonstration centre to see for yourself why the robotic revolution isn’t coming. It’s already here.
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