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From robots on the factory floor to cameras monitoring the production line, edge computing is central to connecting today’s “smart factories” and will become increasingly important in the
From robots on the factory floor to cameras monitoring the production line, edge computing is central to connecting today’s “smart factories” and will become increasingly important in the future. Manufacturers are turning to technology to counter economic pressures such as inflation and supply chain problems.
According to Gartner, “By 2026, more than 80% of companies will have used generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), application programming interfaces (APIs) or models and/or deployed GenAI-enabled applications in production environments“. Many are turning to edge computing to make real-time decisions on the factory floor, where every millisecond counts. But over time, edge computing technology has the potential to completely transform the way the manufacturing sector works, enabling new business operations such as “manufacturing as a service.” It ushers in a new era where versatile, highly automated factories can easily switch from one product to another.
Edge computing, combined with Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and artificial intelligence, is already enabling manufacturers to enable robots to collaborate safely with human workers and provide condition-based monitoring by using sensor networks to ensure engineers can repair machines long before they break down beyond repair. According to analyst MarketsandMarkets, the edge computing market is expected to explode from $53.6 billion in 2023 to $111.3 billion in 2028, with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) playing a “pivotal” role in this expansion. As edge computing becomes more prominent in the industry, it will be a revolutionary force, changing the way manufacturers work, creating new business models and transforming the way the world makes and sells products.
The reason edge computing is so important today and will play a central role in the factories of the future is speed. Industrial data is lightning fast. For telemetry data, time series data, and machine data, millisecond accuracy is essential. Edge computing offers manufacturers a welcome speed boost: this high-speed data does not need to be sent in its entirety to the cloud and then back to the industrial device. In predictive maintenance, for example, IoT sensors on machines continuously monitor and indicate when a device needs to be repaired. Because the machines are constantly monitored and their data processed locally, the information does not need to be sent multiple times through the cloud and back. Status updates are much more efficient and reliable, are delivered to decision makers faster, and reduce the risk of cloud or external outages.
Edge computing is critical for this type of real-time decision-making. When it comes to a plant’s key performance indicators (be it yield production or plant efficiency), the calculations can be done at the plant level, allowing managers to make decisions on the fly. The results can still be communicated to the wider business on a regular basis, allowing the board to see how the factory is running. However, the minute-to-minute and day-to-day decisions can be made within the factory itself using edge computing.
In manufacturing, edge computing can provide real-time information on everything from machine performance to production line defects, helping manufacturers increase uptime, reduce losses, and improve efficiency. Industrial robots already rely on edge computing to move safely and quickly through busy warehouses and factories. Rapyuta Robotics, for example, uses Lenovo ThinkEdge servers to send data to more than 500 robots. Edge computing can also have an impact beyond factory walls. Motorcycle maker Ducati’s racing team, Ducati Corse, uses 50 edge sensors on its bikes to record racing data from traction to temperature, and sends that data back to engineers to run simulations of the bikes’ performance.
The convergence of OT and IT enables companies to streamline operations.
Anthony Sayers, Edge IOT/IIOT Ambassador, EMEA Edge Computing Lenovo.
IoT technology also offers manufacturers the ability to integrate operational technology (OT) and IT operations in a homogeneous environment. The convergence of OT and IT, often seen as the core of Industry 4.0, enables companies to streamline operations, increase efficiency, improve decision-making and explore new opportunities.
As everything from sensors on the factory floor to industrial robots become connected, Internet of Things devices are being linked to edge computing, resulting in a seamless web of interconnected devices. This offers manufacturers new insights into their business.
Edge-to-edge connectivity gives managers the ability to deploy software solutions on-site, creating a machine learning ecosystem where data flows from machine to machine, is processed, and enables manufacturers to make better decisions faster. Looking beyond the factory floor, the data provided by edge computing and IoT devices provides manufacturers with a foundation to connect their “smart factories” to the wider enterprise, linking them to the supply chain, material procurement, and research and development. This can provide new perspectives and potentially reveal new business models.
“Smart factories” work with data, are based on edge computing and artificial intelligence, and will enable new ways of thinking about the entire production process, including “manufacturing as a service.” This means that companies can outsource production and pay for it through an “as-a-service” model, similar to how companies do today to buy software and computer hardware.
For manufacturers, Manufacturing as a Service will encourage collaborative models, reduce installation times, and solve data security and accessibility issues. This will result in a lower barrier to entry across the manufacturing sector, meaning companies don’t necessarily need to invest in factory hardware to get their products from the drawing board into the hands of consumers.
In the future, factories may be able to build anything, or even offer consumers the ability to have products made to measure. A factory equipped with IoT sensors and fully software-defined could switch its production lines from building cars one week to building laptops the next. This aligns with other emerging trends, such as customers’ desire to customize and design their own products, with connected factories able to build products to exact specifications desired.
Edge computing will be the foundation of the factories of the future and will revolutionize manufacturing. Networks of sensors, robots and edge computing will form the basis of truly data-driven manufacturing, with insights from edge computing and AI helping to reshape how manufacturing works. Approaches such as manufacturing as a service and edge-to-edge connectivity will transform the industry by making it easier for companies to bring products to market and for manufacturers to respond more quickly to consumer demand. The factory of the future will be smart: and edge computing will drive its innovation.
This is a post by Anthony Sayers, Edge IOT/IIOT Ambassador, EMEA Edge Computing at Lenovo.
Source: IT Daily
As an experienced journalist and author, Mary has been reporting on the latest news and trends for over 5 years. With a passion for uncovering the stories behind the headlines, Mary has earned a reputation as a trusted voice in the world of journalism. Her writing style is insightful, engaging and thought-provoking, as she takes a deep dive into the most pressing issues of our time.
