FEATURE ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | MARCH 2024 41 W ith smart automation and ever-increasing connectivity, heat treaters feel pressured to make quick and substantial changes to how they do things. However, integrating Industry 4.0 concepts should be manageable. Small, fundamental shifts in thinking and application will improve communication across the enterprise and make it easier to be productive and profitable. Begin the transition by connecting and using data for operations and maintenance. Learn from real-world case studies and smart furnace implementations that use PID controllers, power controllers, and sensors to collect, process, and analyze data, thus improving decision- making and information sharing across the organization and various departments. INDUSTRY 4.0 The manufacturing industry has been buzzing about the fourth industrial revolution for some time now. That’s because Industry 4.0 continues to create competitive advantages for the manufacturing industry. These technologies have redefined production around the globe and have led to greater operational understanding, increased product value, and sustainable revenue generation for many manufacturers. This technology is available now for heat treating metal, but many heat treaters do not fully use these technologies. Industrial revolutions are periods of a global transition from the human economy toward more efficient and stable processes of production. Mechanical production was at the heart of the first industrial revolution, and in the 1700s, the steam engine powered machinery and automated some jobs. By the mid-1800s, the second industrial revolution ushered in the mass production era. Urbanization and the advent of electricity gave birth to assembly lines and shop lighting. The third industrial revolution began in the middle of the 1900s with the introduction of the Digital Age. This involved computers, and production was automated using electronics, programmable logic controllers, information technology systems, and robotics. The fourth industrial revolution began in the 2000s with the “Smart Factory” and pushed for fully automated industrial production. This HEAT TREATMENT IN THE ERA OF INDUSTRY 4.0 Getting connected and using data for operations and maintenance decisions is a great place to start when implementing Industry 4.0 concepts. Paolo Buzzi Gefran Inc., North Andover, Massachusetts includes the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Big Data analysis, intelligent systems, computer-based algorithms, machine learning, and autonomous decision-making. With Industry 4.0, these intelligent systems typically combine sensor networks with embedded computing to monitor and control the physical environment. Feedback loops connect the software to the hardware, so the system can measure, process data, and control well-defined tasks. Data acquisition and rapid analysis are key to Industry 4.0, and with ever increasing computing powers, unlimited data storage, and Ethernet connectivity, industrial processes are getting closer to becoming fully integrated. HOW IT WORKS Industry 4.0 technologies enable furnaces to monitor and manage operating conditions easily and automatically. There are preventive maintenance features, so threats to batch quality can be mitigated and avoided before something goes wrong. A system can generate a warning for the operator to replace a heating element before a failure happens, for example, and this technology can even generate a purchase order automatically for the replacement part. Small continuous improvements will compound and can bring significant operational savings. If increasing production efficiency is a long-term strategic goal, a shortterm goal might include beginning by focusing on reducing unplanned downtime. Choosing technology with predictive maintenance controls and activating the technology reduces (and maybe eliminates) unplanned downtime. INTERCONNECTIVITY A major benefit associated with connectivity is the ability to gain valuable information about the furnace in real-time. The status of the furnace is monitored with sensors, controllers, and actuators that ensure everything is running as it should. They connect through a series of communication networks that enable a fast and secure exchange of process data, thus limiting the need for operator intervention. Success also comes from an organizational mindset. Many companies have purchased this technology already but are not using it. Understanding the current state 9
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