We can help you in your evaluation, adoption, deployment and implementation of Industry 4.0.
Advanced robotics
Autonomy and robotic technology offers a number of benefits to your business; including increased safety, efficiency, and productivity. Robots can tackle complex tasks, and their increasing interactivity helps to support work done by humans. However, the use of advanced robotics must be balanced against the risk of investing in the wrong technology at the wrong time, or of not understanding the wider impact of their implementation. We can help you to identify the best way to incorporate this technology in your organisation.
Additive manufacturing
Additive manufacturing will bring about a revolution in the way products are designed, manufactured, and distributed to end users, through its ability to create complex objects with customisable material properties. The rapid proliferation of these technologies, combined with the lack of a comprehensive set of design principles, manufacturing guidelines or standardisation of best practices, means careful strategic planning is required. Our expertise can help you with your planning for this new technology area.
Augmented reality
Augmented reality tools have the potential to provide real-time information to underpin manufacturing processes and decision making. Investing in the hardware and information systems needed for augmented reality can be a significant investment. Aggregating and connecting data from operating manuals, repair manuals, engineers' and mechanics' tribal knowledge, etc. is not a trivial exercise. We can deliver the careful requirements management that is needed to successfully implement this technology.
Simulation
The ability to model your assets and operations is central to Industry 4.0. Simulation of production processes, and of products and materials in development, will enable you to create a virtual 'mirror' of the physical world. However, there is no need to build a full 'digital twin' of your factory as a first step. We can help you develop simplified, reduced order models, which provide a cost effective way to explore the benefits of these technologies.
Industrial Internet of Things
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) brings together smarter machines, advanced analytics, and people. A network of industrial devices, connected by communications technologies, allows systems to monitor, collect, exchange, and analyse information, and deliver new insights. We can help you to use these insights to drive smarter, faster business decisions.
Cloud
Cloud computing has become a social phenomenon used by almost everyone, every day, enabling data to be shared across sites and across companies. However, many of the underlying challenges and risks associated with Cloud computing increase the threat of data compromise. We can help you to carefully consider all aspects of taking your business into the Cloud, enabling you to avoid potentially costly mistakes.
Cybersecurity
As systems become more connected and integrated, protecting them becomes a key issue for your business's security. Good cybersecurity is much more complex than having the right hardware or software patch. It requires an understanding of the security vulnerabilities and threats facing your organisation. By identifying and managing these risks, we can help you to prevent, or mitigate, the effects of a malicious or accidental cyber security breach.
Big data
With systems and sensors collecting data from across your business, you have access to information that can be analysed to improve processes, products and systems. Ensuring that you have data processes that are robust, resilient and secure, whilst maintaining the interfaces between your people, processes and systems, is a difficult balancing act. We bring expertise in managing business critical and sensitive information that can help you to make sure your systems deliver assurance and compliance.
Systems integration
The integration of the nine different technologies of Industry 4.0 creates the classic 'system of systems' scenario. Our systems engineering expertise, coupled with an understanding of all the technologies involved enables you to ensure robust, but cost effective implementation.