In Industry 4.0, work processes are becoming increasingly complex thanks to artificial intelligence, machine learning and additive production. This sets the course for a high degree of automation and a comprehensive data basis. In addition, batch size 1 is becoming increasingly important in many production areas - despite increasingly automated processes. This requires a flexible and agile approach in highly networked working environments, as the experts at Captron know.

Mega trend 1: Servitization, individualization and batch size 1

The fact that production and logistics processes are automated - at least to a large extent - is nothing new. However, customers are becoming increasingly demanding and are asking for individualized solutions; even the smart factory can no longer be imagined without people. Individual approaches and solutions require not only a basis of information from smart data, but also human expertise and many years of practical experience. This is the only way to manufacture the often highly individualized products in a networked and automated Industry 4.0 operation.

Servitization: complete solutions from a single source

This is why more and more manufacturers are relying on the advice of experts when automating their highly specialized solutions. The existing component suppliers for production and logistics have the necessary know-how and will no longer just supply users with hardware, but also offer their expertise as a service.

"With servitization, the focus is shifting to solving customer problems. Manufacturers are no longer just selling material goods such as sensors or gripping systems, but also services in particular. Today, comprehensive solutions for the entire material handling process are in demand," says Dr. Roland Aubauer, Senior Director Research & Development at Captron. "Servitization therefore means supporting the customer's digitalization process from A to Z with consulting services and product deliveries as required. This enables service providers to continuously optimize customer processes, avoid errors and scale projects accordingly. This is the only way to automatically manufacture individual, high-quality products and deliver them to the end customer in a timely manner. They benefit from significant increases in efficiency as well as shorter production and delivery times, which enable same-day or next-day deliveries."

Mega trend 2: Complete networking

As complexity and the degree of automation will continue to increase, flexible and agile processes are required - in production as well as in intralogistics. From the receipt of materials to the dispatch of goods, all work steps must be optimally interlinked and networked. Three key factors contribute to this:

1. Intelligent hardware such as buttons and sensors that learn for themselves through machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) and communicate process data via digital interfaces: Ideally, these can maintain themselves and report errors in terms of predictive and prescriptive maintenance (predictive and recommended action).
2. New communication technologies and open interface standards: UWB technology (ultra-wideband), cloud applications and the 5G mobile communications standard in particular will be on the rise in 2022.
3. Automated transport, gripping and storage systems through to driverless transport systems and autonomous robots or drones: These can cushion order peaks and changing production or logistics requirements and support humans in work steps.

"These three components will further network production and logistics. Data transfer will become more accurate, reliable, secure, scalable and cost-efficient. Even small assets can be tracked in real time and processes can be documented digitally throughout," adds Aubauer. "Users benefit from even more transparent automatic material flows, reduced search times and optimized quality assurance."

Increased efficiency through complete networking and highly automated individualization

To make complete networking and highly automated individualization possible, companies need the right partner at their side to support them with their expertise. To this end, Captron has created the Captron Solutions brand, which focuses on solving specific customer problems in the digitalization and optimization of logistics and production processes and works with them on site.

"We have observed the market closely and noticed that customers increasingly want to minimize costs, reduce errors and increase their speed in intralogistics and production processes. The demand for digital solutions - especially in individual software development and integration, process consulting (lean management) and project management - has therefore risen in recent years and continues to do so. With Captron Solutions, we are meeting this demand and can offer customers solutions from a single source that are precisely tailored to their requirements, for example in intralogistics," summarizes Philip Bellm, CEO at Captron.