Industry 5.0: Transforming the Manufacturing Landscape

Summary: Rapid technological changes in manufacturing and other industries are brewing into a new industrial revolution that will shape a different future. This is the advent of the industrial revolution of 5.0 where technology, humans, and the environment will be at the center of industrial processes. Learn what Industry 5.0 is, how manufacturing will benefit from this revolution, and which technological advancements will shape manufacturing processes.

Since the first industrial revolution, there have been disruptive changes in the manufacturing industry. The continuous expansion of technology has metamorphosed low-output hand production methods into large-scale manufacturing units that produce output at an enormous scale.

Recent technological advancements have tackled various manufacturing industry challenges through efficient production methods like automation. These changes were brought about in the fourth industrial revolution.

Now the world is moving towards the fifth industrial revolution that will offer new opportunities for the manufacturing industry and pose new challenges. There are lots of objectives that Industrial Revolution 5.0 aims to achieve like sustainability and societal value.

The foundation of Industrial Revolution 5.0 is based on human-centeredness, manufacturing processes that align with environmental goals, and resilience. It will bring a radical change to the manufacturing industry. The new industrial revolution will shape the future of the manufacturing industry.

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A Brief History of Industrial Revolutions

The world has witnessed four industrial revolutions that have transformed the manufacturing landscape altogether. The first industrial revolution aka Industrial Revolution 1.0 laid the foundation for efficient and stable manufacturing processes by introducing machine tools and assembly lines. It focused on production quality and speed.

The second wave of the industrial revolution or Industrial Revolution 2.0 was a time of rapid industrial development resulting from technological evolution and scientific discoveries. Industrial Revolution 3.0 or the third industrial revolution is also known as the digital revolution that moved the world from mechanical and analog electrical systems to digital technologies.

The use of computers became widespread in industries and everyday life. Industrial Revolution 3.0 provided a new form of communication by transforming technology into digital format from analog format. This revolution also introduced the internet and digital cellular phones. The third industrial revolution triggered digital transformation in manufacturing.

We are now in the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0 or Fourth Industrial Revolution also known as 4IR which brought a boost in digital technology. Industry 4.0 includes the trend of using automation in manufacturing and processes. Technologies like cloud computing, artificial intelligence, IoT (Internet of Things), and the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) have become cornerstones for modern industrial processes.

Now the future of the manufacturing industry is towards the Fifth Industrial Revolution or Industrial Revolution 5.0. The Fifth Industrial Revolution is based on three pillars: sustainability, human-centeredness, and resilience. This revolution is focused on the synergy of humans and technology and can be interpreted as a “human-tech” revolution.

What is Industrial Revolution 5.0 and What are Its Implications?

Briefly, the 5th Industrial Revolution envisions an industry that functions with the combined power of humans and machines and contributes to society while adhering to the limits of the planet.

Most of the technological innovations and concepts of Industrial Revolution 5.0 are derived from Industry 4.0. The fifth industrial revolution will pave the way for a sustainable, resilient, and human-centered approach to manufacturing.

This new industrial revolution will focus more on societal value than economic value and the well-being of the human workforce. It will provide a workflow where humans will work alongside advanced manufacturing technology such as AI-powered robots to carry out production and processes across industries. There will be a shift from robots to ‘cobots’ or collaborative robots.

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Principles of Industrial Revolution 5.0

Industry 5.0 is based on three principles, Sustainability, Human-centeredness, and Resilience, that shape its structure and objectives. The following points explain these principles in detail:

Sustainability

In previous industrial revolutions, one aspect had always been neglected and it was the adverse effects of industrial processes on the environment. While business leaders arguably show their concern for the environment through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs, it hasn’t had much impact.

The fifth industrial revolution emphasizes sustainable business strategy more strongly than CSR. It calls for a radical change in firms’ strategies to incorporate sustainability. So, companies need to pay attention to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 3 Ps (People, Planet, and Profit) of Triple Bottom Line (TBL).

Until now companies have been focusing more on greenwashing or minimizing damage. True sustainability strategy focuses on increasing the positive impact of a company. Instead of reducing the negative impact, companies should put efforts into improving the environment.

Resilience

The global supply chain was affected by the Covid-19 crisis which led to shortages of supplies. As a result, the need for a robust and resilient supply chain became the center of discussions among industries.

Industrial Revolution 5.0 aims to achieve a resistant supply chain to ensure the continuity of essential supplies in times of crisis. The future is uncertain, and resilience helps industries cope with challenges. The manufacturing industry needs to optimize its processes for resilience. Companies should be more agile and flexible to ensure stable and sustainable performance during crises.

Human-Centric

This is another pillar of Industrial Revolution 5.0 that emphasizes a shift in perspective from human resources to assets. Instead of seeing people serving organizations, a human-centric approach sees organizations serving people.

In the manufacturing industry, companies need to look for the right technology that aligns with their workforce. They need to find out how technology can be adapted to fit the needs of workers, not the opposite.

In a nutshell, a human-centric approach puts humans at the center of production processes and focuses on choosing technologies that work well with their needs. It will focus on empowering workers not replacing them with machines.

Although robots can do repetitive tasks more efficiently and consistently than humans, they cannot intuitively address issues and solve problems like humans. Hence, the manufacturing industry is shifting to a hybrid approach of using machines and humans together.

Advanced Manufacturing Technologies for Industry 5.0

Robotics in Manufacturing

Robotics in manufacturing is used for process automation. Robots are deployed in manufacturing to perform repetitive tasks that they can do more efficiently and consistently than humans. Robots are used in three types of manufacturing operations: material handling, assembly and inspection, and processing.

However, in Industry 5.0 robots are not a replacement for humans but work with them. So, cobots are the 5th industrial revolution technology that will revolutionize manufacturing processes. Cobots are collaborative robots that enhance human ability in a safe way. The manufacturing industry can leverage the combined power of humans and machines. They can achieve automation in manufacturing without replacing humans.

Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing

4IR technologies like machine learning, IoT, and predictive analytics have enabled manufacturers to monitor their units in real-time generating a vast amount of data. Manufacturers leverage this data to process through AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools to find patterns.

AI in manufacturing helps manufacturers to track anomalies in production processes, analyze customer behavior and predict demands, automate analytics, and more. Many companies have benefitted from using AI. For example, BMW Group performs inspections and quality checks with automated image recognition. Porsche utilizes AI-driven AGVs (Autonomous Guided Vehicles) in automotive manufacturing that automates the process of taking body parts to different stations.

IoT in Manufacturing

IoT or the Internet of Things is a network of devices. Plus, these devices are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies. They connect with each other to exchange data over the internet or any other type of network communication.

IoT plays a crucial role in the manufacturing industry and offers excellent benefits. There is IIOT (Industrial Internet of Things) that is designed in a way to meet the specific needs of the manufacturing industry. IoT in the manufacturing industry provides benefits like efficient manufacturing processes, reduced errors, predictive maintenance, line optimization, improved safety, and more.

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Machine Learning in Manufacturing

Machine learning is a subset of AI and has also become a vital technology in manufacturing that increases efficiency and creates new opportunities for businesses. It is helpful in tracking manufacturing defects, predicting equipment failures, quality control, and more.

AR in Manufacturing

AR or Augmented Reality is a technology that combines the real physical world with digital objects generated through computers. It is something like visualizing virtual stuff in our real world just like the popular Pokémon Go game.

AR in manufacturing has many uses and it is transforming this industry. AR provides an advanced form of automation as it creates an enhanced reality by combining the physical world with data, interactive elements, and graphics generated by computers.

Augmented Reality is used in manufacturing in various ways like equipment maintenance, spatial computing, production process design, assembly, etc. Technicians can utilize AR headsets to get information and apply them like a 3D model of the engine that will guide the technician to do the job correctly.

Big Data in Manufacturing

Data analytics is an important process for businesses to ensure growth and competitive advantage and Big Data plays a crucial role in it. Big Data is a vast amount of data that traditional data processing software cannot handle. It includes structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data. The use of big data analytics in manufacturing is increasing which allows manufacturers to get useful insights for their businesses. Big data will be crucial for Industry 5.0 manufacturing because the large volume of data can help manufacturers get better insights about their business, customers, and processes.

Manufacturers can make quick decisions and predict the future with the use of data analytics in manufacturing. Apart from faster decision-making, it helps in cost reduction, improves operational efficiency, and allows a company to be a data-driven organization. Machine learning and AI models are used to utilize this data to create predictive models that help organizations make the right decisions and avoid errors and mistakes.

Industry 5.0 Benefits for Manufacturing Industry

Industry 5.0 revolution brings many radical changes in company strategies and there is increasing focus on achieving harmony among environment, technology, and human workforce. It offers many advantages for the manufacturing industry as follows.

• The integration of machines and humans can increase the efficiency of businesses and provide more opportunities. Machines can do repetitive tasks and humans can do tasks that are complex and require problem-solving skills and creativity.
• The flexibility and customizability that manufacturers get with Industry 5.0 help to achieve processes that increase the productivity of a company.
• Production quality improved in the manufacturing setup where machines were predominant. However, Industry 5.0 will offer greater production quality with the collaboration of machines and humans.
• Optimized use of resources and increased efficiency will reduce manufacturer costs.

Take the Next Step with Radixweb!Although Industry 5.0 has yet to get momentum, as most manufacturing companies are still engaged in Industry 4.0 or earlier frameworks, it is slowly gaining traction.Also, manufacturing companies have begun to realize the significance of sustainable business strategies. So, as companies buckle up for the new industrial revolution, they need technologies and software solutions that help them adapt to this new normal and achieve their sustainability goals. This is where Radixweb comes into the picture!Our experts are proficient in formulating their technological vision with sustainability and delivering top-notch manufacturing software systems. With innovation and a customer-first approach, we focus on clients' needs and help them achieve their objectives through technology.Contact us to learn more about our manufacturing software development services.