This article looks at key automation trends in electronics manufacturing, including the increasing layers of connectivity, the growing need for cybersecurity, the specialized implementations of ML being deployed, and how traceability and MES support real-time production metrics and analytics. Along the way, some of the technologies needed to fully realize the promise of Industry 4.0 for mass customization with high quality and low costs are reviewed, including how DigiKey supports the needs of automation system designers with a wide range of solutions. It closes with a look at how blockchain is used to deploy highly secure enterprise- wide supply chain management systems.
Industry 4.0 relies on intelligent automation for manufacturing electronics. Increasingly capable automation is everywhere, from the edge to the cloud, in sensors, robots and cobots, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and other equipment. Semiconductor wafers, integrated circuits, passive components, packaging, and electronic systems for consumer, green energy, automotive, medical, industrial, military/aerospace, and other applications depend on intelligent automation for their production. Unified manufacturing execution systems (MES) provide real-time monitoring, control, tracking, and documentation of the entire manufacturing chain, from raw materials to finished goods. The cyber-physical automated systems in Industry 4.0 extend beyond traditional manufacturing activities and rely on various forms of machine learning (ML) ranging from deep reinforcement learning in the Cloud to tinyML on the Edge for flexible production, continuous improvement, and consistently high quality. The number of layers of connectivity is growing, and the combination of Edge computing, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and Cloud computing is increasing the challenges related to cyber security. Blockchain has recently entered the picture for comprehensive and secure supply chain management.
Increasing layers of connectivity
The IIoT in Industry 4.0 includes more wired and wireless network layers for sensor networks, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and other systems. For example, IO-Link was developed to provide a simplified wired network connection for the massive number of sensors, actuators, indicators, and other previously unconnected legacy edge devices to higher-level networks like Ethernet IP, Modbus TCP/IP, and PROFINET. With IO- Link, the inputs and outputs (IOs) of these devices are captured and
How automation, machine learning, and Blockchain are driving the future of electronics manufacturing
Written by: Jeff Shepard
we get technical
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