Topic: Industry 4.0 Poses Challenges Around Security Efficiency And Implementation

Industry 4.0 Poses Challenges Around Security Efficiency And Implementation
Industry 4.0 encompasses a host of technologies, including artificial intelligence, automation, cloud computing, data analytics, and IoT.
Whether you call the digital transformation of industrial manufacturing Industry 4.0, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industrial IoT (IIoT), it all defines the communications and interoperability between systems and devices that use digital technologies to improve efficiency, processes, and productivity. innovation. It encompasses a host of technologies, including artificial intelligence, automation, cloud computing, data analytics, and IoT.
However, there are challenges in reaping the benefits of this digital transformation, which is expected to bring streamlined processes and improvements in areas such as automation, energy efficiency, product development, and predictive maintenance. This month’s issue addresses some of these challenges, including mitigating security risks, developing solutions to facilitate the deployment of digital technologies, and meeting energy efficiency goals.
AI is playing an important role in driving the digital transformation of industrial manufacturing and offers the potential to generate benefits throughout the product lifecycle. AI in manufacturing can be used for various use cases, including predictive maintenance, machine vision for defect inspection and product quality, and generative design. AI is a great fit for redundant tasks that can be automated, said Ryan Martin, director of manufacturing and industrial research at ABI Research. And it’s about striking the right balance between software-driven automation and human-driven action insights. Industry 4.0 Poses Challenges Around Security Efficiency And Implementation.
Other technologies such as augmented reality/virtual reality are also being analyzed in the process of managing and designing digital twins to improve productivity in industry and other sectors, relying on predictive maintenance. Stefani Muñoz, the associate editor at sister publication EE Times, believes these technologies can be used for predictive analysis of existing products with the potential to reduce downtime and costs.
Another goal in industrial manufacturing is energy efficiency. The link between IIoT and Industry 4.0 is very close, considering that IIoT infrastructure is what enables an industrial reality to become fully digital and intelligent, said contributing writer Stefano Lovati. It reports that energy efficiency is taking a fundamental role in the industrial world with the objective of the Green Factory to meet the needs of the environment and sustainability, as well as the profitability of the industry. The rising cost of energy and its impact on the environment has made energy efficiency one of the main goals of Industry 4.0, Lovati said.
One area where energy efficiency comes into play is motor control. Maurizio Di Paolo Emilio, editor-in-chief of sister publication Power Electronics News, reports that motor driver circuits that are based on classic silicon MOSFETs and IGBTs are struggling to meet new criteria that have the potential to deliver big cost savings. Energy. It’s getting harder for designers to keep power losses in check as silicon technology approaches theoretical limits for power density, breakdown voltage, and switching frequency, he said.
This results in reduced efficiency and additional performance issues at high operating temperatures and switching speeds, Di Paolo Emilio added. He believes gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors are the answer to meet these new challenges. Industry 4.0 Poses Challenges Around Security Efficiency And Implementation.
Cybersecurity on connected systems and devices on the factory floor is one of the biggest challenges, as we read about new security threats almost daily. Add remote management from the cloud and the threat increases.
Industries are adopting intelligent machine and process networks to optimize processes and flow, built on intelligent connected machines and systems, said Apurva Peri, senior FPGA product marketing engineer at Microchip Technology. These systems are susceptible to malicious attacks, unknown software bugs, and remoteness. They can even cause physical security issues and must be protected against unauthorized access or illicit control.
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Peri discusses how programmable hardware-based security is emerging as a comprehensive solution for low-power edge and IIoT applications and advancing a defense-in-depth approach to building secure applications.
For device security in Industry 4.0, a multi-layered approach is required to protect all communications and provide always-on connectivity, said Vinay Gokhale, vice president of business development at Thirdwayv.
IoT technology is critical to Industry 4.0 in applications ranging from indoor asset location awareness and consignment inventory management to retail item tracking and full 360˚ track-and-trace processes, Gokhale said. Hardware or device-based security in these and other applications is often neglected. This is particularly dangerous as the industry seeks to control processes using commercial smartphones, which may have vulnerable security mechanisms. Industry 4.0 Poses Challenges Around Security Efficiency And Implementation.
Don’t miss the Top 10 Switches and Relays article covering a selection of devices introduced over the past year offering more product options to help designers select the right switching device for their applications. Many of these options mean longer life, smaller packages, greater robustness, and more lighting.
We also include a product review of the latest power devices featured at the Applied Power Electronics Conference & Exposition. Not surprisingly, the show featured a large selection of wide bandgap semiconductors, highlighting GaN and silicon carbide (SiC) power devices for a variety of automotive, communications, and industrial applications.