Individual Industry 4.0 solutions for companies

Industry 4.0 is the intelligent networking of machines, people, and industrial processes. Innovative information and communication technologies are often used to enable communication between machines and between people and machines. Basically, it is always about networking the existing machines, processes, and people in such a way that the overall system delivers the maximum added value. At jambit, we have identified four building blocks in this context, which together constitute an Industry 4.0 system:

Individual Industry 4.0 software solutions for your company — The 4 building blocks of Industry 4.0: IT security and operations, connectivity & data, analytics & intelligence, and human & computer interaction

Since Industry 4.0 systems are critical to success and must be operated reliably and securely, IT security and IT operations form the foundation. Building on this, the connectivity & data module covers the connection and networking of machines and possible data pre-processing in edge computing, right through to the transfer and storage of data in the cloud. Based on this data, analyses can be carried out, also with the use of advanced algorithms.

The mere ability to collect, understand, and evaluate data already makes it possible to increase flexibility in the value chain. Even if machine automation is already working well to a large extent, humans remain a central component in an Industry 4.0 system. People and machines interact with each other and with new technologies that enable remote control, for example.

The approach is used in all industries that want to digitize their products or their production process, or create digital value-added services for their products. Industry 4.0 is a collective term for various concepts and technologies with the goal and potential to revolutionize industrial production once again.

As a software service provider, we at jambit address all four building blocks of the I4.0 system and work with our clients to develop customized software solutions that enable measurable optimization.

Industry 4.0 – making production simpler and more efficient

Due to international competition and increasing market pressure, industrial companies want to avoid waste and inefficiency wherever possible. The Industry 4.0 approach therefore aims to make industrial production or the production process simpler or more efficient to identify cost drivers. On the one hand, it focuses on machines and IT, and on the other hand, in the spirit of lean production, on processes and people.

The often mentioned smart factory is characterized not only by networking but also by transparency, which enables the optimal use of resources. In this way, an optimal interaction of procurement, production and distribution can be achieved.

All technical solutions of an Industry 4.0 approach should always solve a real problem and create a tangible improvement. In the following, we present use cases that illustrate the possibilities of the I4.0 approach.

Flexibility in production as the key

A company wants to adapt its production line more flexibly to operate it more economically. To achieve this, the individual elements of the production line should be able to be combined as required, not only in their physical form, but also at the data level. Standardized, clear interfaces enable such networking. In addition, the company wants to be able to quickly retrieve the information "What does the line produce in which configuration". Particularly in the production of small batch sizes, up to batch size = 1, minimal setup costs are essential.

Production must be adapted to the customer's needs. Companies that can react quickly and flexibly to the market with technical solutions massively increase their competitiveness. Especially in times of the pandemic, those companies that were able to react flexibly to changes, proved to be particularly resilient. These changes were severely impaired supply chains, a sometimes completely changed need in the market, or the simple need to avoid contact between people. Those who position themselves well digitally are equipping themselves for a future that will be characterized by rapid change and fast reaction times.

Performance management

In addition to the opportunity to make production more flexible, Industry 4.0 also offers the possibility to optimize it. OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) is a proven metric. The more promptly and precisely it can be determined, the easier it is to eliminate possible obstacles and implement optimizations. Only this visibility enables a reaction at the necessary speed and a behavior that is immediately adapted to the situation. In addition, value-added services can be built up in this context across the entire value chain.

Data-based predictive maintenance and predictive quality

Looking into the future, data-driven industrial manufacturing is becoming increasingly relevant for industrial companies. For example, the maintenance strategy has a major impact on operating costs and the reliability of a production chain. Predictive maintenance combines the advantages of reactive maintenance ("run to fail") with those of preventive maintenance.

For this purpose, recorded sensor data from the production chain are examined for patterns that correlate with the failure of components. These patterns are then used – based on current data:

to estimate the remaining useful life of a component (RUL),
to indicate unusual behavior ("anomaly detection"),
or to indicate the probability of component failure.

This allows companies to avoid component failures while keeping maintenance costs to a minimum. Probability models can even be used to weigh the cost of maintenance or early replacement of a still-functioning component against the cost of shutting down the production chain if the component actually fails. This makes it possible to create a maintenance plan that is optimal for the production chain and the requirements placed on it – this could be high reliability, for example, or high cost efficiency.

Predictive quality transfers this concept to quality assurance. Here, predictive models are used to estimate the probability of defects in individual workpieces to plan additional quality controls, or to sort products into different quality levels.

How to build an Industry 4.0 system?
jambit analyzes, consults, and implements customized solutions

Existing industrial systems are often not designed to transform into an Industry 4.0 system without obstacles. The amount of data is often a challenge itself. jambit has proven experts in the areas of Big Data Engineering as well as AI, VR/AR and IoT development, who have specialized in exactly these technological areas.

We see it as our task to analyze systems and, if necessary, to place the architectural core on new technological feet. In doing so, we take care to adopt and integrate components that prove to be viable for the future. Our experience shows that industrial systems always have a past. They are used, they continue to be used productively, and they cannot and should not be replaced from one day to the next.

The way to an Industry 4.0 system is often a transformation. jambit combines the knowledge from different industries and from many transformation projects with profound IT know-how. In some cases, we rely on industry standards and we use innovative, new technologies in others. In doing so, we rely on cross-functional high-performance teams of generalists and specialists to develop individually customized solutions for individual problems.

Looking for a competent service provider for your industry 4.0 project?
Contact us now!

Maximilian Schenk

Head of Business Division Industry & Energy

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Industry 4.0