Manufacturing Magazine September 2020 | Page 60

TECHNOLOGY

60

With the fourth industrial revolution underway , the introduction of 5G has only accelerated the development of the factory of the future . In these futuristic factories , connected devices can sense their environments and interoperate with each other , allowing for decentralised decisions to be made . Many anticipate this transformation to rely on the underlying capabilities of nextgeneration 5G networks . The need for agile , fluid infrastructure is a consistent theme in Industry 4.0 discussions as the devices in tomorrow ’ s factories grow and become more sophisticated , manufacturers understand that they must be able to adapt the networks that connect them quickly , reconfiguring them at will .

The smart factories of tomorrow are likely to be filled with sensors , each monitoring different aspects of the working environment . This will include connected tools , using information ranging from location to accelerometer data to understand where and how they are being used ,

SEPTEMBER 2020