Industrial Automation Magazine India

New ideas and materials are transforming production processes

Published on : Saturday 09-05-2020

Uthayan Elangovan, Founder & CEO/Consultant – PLM/IIoT/Author

How uniform is the Smart trend in India given the wide disparity?

The rising requirement for customer ease, safety and security and power consumption are among the major drivers of the smart initiative in India. Moreover, aspects such as enhanced way of life, increase in disposable revenue of individuals, and also rise in awareness concerning smart automated systems have actually increased the fostering of smart connected devices, thus driving the India smart market development sectors nurturing their heights are as – Smart residence, smart building, smart city, smart irrigation, smart wearables, smart protection control management, smart power management, smart health management, smart classroom and finally smart manufacturing. Government organisations have a bigger duty to play as an enabler of the smart market, but worldwide modern technology companies can definitely play a key function as vendors of these modern technologies, and provide smart ecosystem products customised to demands.

What are the sectors that are best prepared for the Smart revolution – transportation, energy, healthcare, etc?
Most of the industrial and commercial sectors are gaining momentum in smart revolution. Here are some of the top industrial sectors that are prepared for smart transformation: Manufacturing, Energy and Power, Oil and Gas, Robots, Logistics and Transport and Asset Management. These are followed by top commercial sectors including Home, Building, Healthcare, Digital classroom, Agriculture, City and Waste Management.

Talking of healthcare in general, Covid-19 in particular, can IoT play a bigger role?
IoT will certainly not spare us from Covid-19 – absolutely not at this point. But there's every chance IoT will certainly play a bigger role in future epidemics, if we make some large modifications. The majority of these would not be simple. Most of the technology enthusiasts are checking out alternative approaches – systems as well as processes – to make sure that there is uninterrupted business continuity. The emerging 5th generation mobile network technology will certainly provide a tremendous boost to tele-health; as well as open chances for business owners to set up back-end procedures in inaccessible remote locations, which in turn would also develop work opportunities. IoT can be used to minimise the workload and enhance the efficiency of the clinical team, all the while minimising direct exposure of medical care workers to infection. Rapid test kits and Polymerase Chain Reaction kits require IoT to link the components of data collection, handling, and storage, to make sure that the system can scale and expand for disease tracking, preventative quarantine, and analysis of the in-patient treatment of the contaminated, and thereby the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of the antidrug.

Smart Everything, but still the world appears unprepared for pandemics like Covid-19. Time to factor in contingencies?
The very first necessity in any kind of situation is information, and yet exactly how and also what you communicate is also crucial. Technology plays an essential role in allowing interaction, social distancing, transparency, facilities and performing jobs remotely. Even as we live in a smart connected world, every deciding organisation needs to know the fundamentals of technological innovation as well as how exactly to use it. One of the significant technologies of Industry 4.0 is Smart Connected Drones, which has actually been helpful. The usage is not restricted to monitoring and surveillance alone, it can be made use of for relaying messages and also spread details and for splashing sanitisers. While it is premature to think of the next event, there are lessons to learn from the present calamity. Perhaps we can then dedicate ourselves to investing in a future where we do not duplicate the errors that have actually brought us to this. On the other side, the positive changes seen thanks to falling carbon emissions and more clear sky, are a pointer to the benefits of smart green energy.

Given the shortages of essentials like masks and ventilators, is it possible to have Smart Factories that can at short notice switch over to manufacture something else?
As consumers are warming to the new technology, new ideas and materials are also transforming the production processes. The concepts of Industry 4.0 are furthering the Just-In-Time manufacturing approach, developing a smart linked plant making premium quality products in much shorter production cycles as well as addressing client demand for product range, in addition to minimising waste throughout procedures. In sort, leading to a progressively interconnected and versatile manufacturing. With adaptable systems along with equipment, business will be able to provide a bigger variety of smart products and more personalisation. Use of IIoT and information analytics with facilitate fact based decision making that will, in turn, be performed autonomously. Among the significant involvement of nth generation mobile technology, together with smart gadgets and Industry 4.0 technologies such as machine learning and 3D printing (additive manufacturing), will certainly lead to flexible manufacturing. The experience of this pandemic might well boost this trend.

Will the Covid-19 crisis prove a boon to make a really Smart World?
One positive fallout of this scourge could be the help to bridge the smart digital gap, helping various fields use the benefits. The field of education and learning, for example. Most instructors and trainees around the world were waiting to adopt digital classrooms or IoT enabled smart classrooms without much success. Professionals believe that Covid-19 has accelerated the process. Most educational institutions and universities are discovering expedient solutions to continue teaching, though this also needs high quality digital accessibility. There are also other aspects. Another important technological innovation of Industry4.0 is Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality, which allows individuals and industry professionals to participate in the experience even remotely, when under quarantine. Maybe that will be just how people adjust and remain risk-free in during such an outbreak. I would love to see a VR/AR program that assists individuals who had to self-isolate.

After smart phone, which device is most likely to become integral part of daily life in future?

Smart virtual aide by use of artificial intelligence and other innovations would become an essential need of everyday life. Modern technology is advancing and increasing rapidly and the need to always hold on to the smart phone as well as the risk of losing it would become history. Since the Apple watch and various other gadgets similar to it have actually been released, I have had this prediction that the phone will ultimately have to become obsolete. Yes I believe this just because of the basic technologies that will inspire consumers to move onto the next product. It is this concept of planned obsolescence of the product lifecycle that is driving the consumer to the next advanced product at a constant rate. A lot of smart wearables such as smart rings, tiny arm bands that bring up a hologram display in order to text as well as receive and make call are the future.

Uthayan Elangovan has 16 years of dynamic experience, which ranges from product lifecycle management (PLM) to Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) consulting for assorted scope of associations, including automotive, electrical, medical, industrial, and electronics enterprises. He help and lead PLM, IIoT usage and sub-ventures with cutting edge collaboration tools and techniques give consulting to worldwide clients. Energetic about PLM, IIoT and its effect on product development guaranteeing PLM – IIoT system meets client deliverable’s while supporting business process. Having been interested in manufacturing technological advancement in automation, influenced him to author his first book titled "Smart Automation to Smart Manufacturing – Industrial Internet of Things”, was named as one of the “Best Manufacturing Automation ebooks of all time” as well “Best New Manufacturing Automation Books To Read In 2020” by BookAuthority.