As a presenter at a recent conference, I attended sessions on topics of maintenance, workforce development, and automated-handling and -sorting systems. Intriguing discussions on the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” a recurring theme of business and industrial modernization these days, were widespread.

Technological advancements associated with the Industry 4.0 era have already been entering our plants. Their larger impact on businesses and our socioeconomic systems, however, could be overwhelming.  The question is, are we really ready for the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONS 101: AN OVERVIEW
First things first: What were the previous Industrial Revolutions all about?

Most of us learned about the First Industrial Revolution in world-history and social-studies classes. The productivity of craftsmen, tradesmen, and artisans was transformed by steam, waterpower, and mechanization of traditional work that led to cotton-spinning machinery and railroads. Beginning in the late 1750s, it ramped up through the 1870s.

The Second Industrial Revolution was characterized by manufacturing and the division of labor, which included the introduction of electric power, interchangeable parts and, eventually, mass production with assembly lines. It spanned the 1890s through about 1970.

Many in today’s RAM community cut their world-of-work teeth during the Third Industrial Revolution, which began the transition from pneumatic logic to electrical controls, to microprocessor-control strategies. The digital age was upon us with information technology (IT), computer mainframes transitioning to personal computers, automated-manufacturing systems, industrial robotics, and the Internet. This timeline has run from the 1970s through 2020.

The work processes and enabling mechanisms and technologies of the world’s first three Industrial Revolutions developed at accelerated rates: going from roughly 120 years, to 80 years, to 50 years, respectively. If we are to learn from that pattern of growth and explosion of the Internet of Things (IoT)/Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), we should fasten our seat belts. The rates of change and emergence and adoption of advanced technologies are increasing exponentially.

What does this have to do with readers of The RAM Review? Plenty. We’re on the cusp of the most significant changes ever in modern industry. They will have a far-reaching impact on how business is done and how society interacts.

THE CREATION OF FALSE EXPECTATIONS
Listening to high-level engineering and technical experts discuss the Fourth Industrial Revolution at that recent conference, I found myself becoming enamored with the possibilities. The speakers frequently referred to totally automated material-handling systems where everything is autonomous. The only human involvement they cited was overall arrangement, control, and interlinking system components. Amazing!

But, if I had been a chief financial officer, chief information officer, or chief operating officer, what would I have heard? “Automated machinery and facilities can, and will, replace people.” Wow! No more worries about overtime, healthcare, human error, grievances, vacation, cost-of-living issues, a $15 minimum wage, and the list goes on.

Everyone—literally everyone—I hear waxing eloquently about the future of automated systems and facilities, however, seems to have forgotten about maintenance. That’s not unusual. Many people tend to think of maintenance as fixing things that humans damage. From their perspective, if we remove the erratic and ever-variable human element, all is well. Right? Wrong.

WHY TECHNICAL SKILLS MUST PREVAIL
Automated machines and systems must be fabricated, assembled, and commissioned by people. Once these precision and technologically advanced machines enter the workplace, they must be programmed and integrated by yet another group of people. At that point, such machines should basically be ready to operate autonomously with technology that has been proven to work efficiently and effectively. Really?

This is where some of the technological promises of autonomous equipment and systems fall apart. Those modern technologically advanced marvels still require maintenance. Sure, many now incorporate—and will continue to incorporate—a variety of expanded condition-monitoring/self-diagnostic capabilities. But, can these equipment systems fully maintain themselves? Probably not. In fact, maintenance of highly automated systems has become more complex because of the sensors, transmitters, transducers, control loops, logic controllers, Wi-Fi networks, software, signal cables, connectors, circuit boards, and many other components that make the base system, machine, vehicle, or conveyor function without the assistance of a hands-on human.

MANAGING THE BASE MACHINE OR SYSTEM
I’ve said for decades that automation by itself does nothing. Automation—in whatever form—must connect to a base system or the basic machine. These can be configured in many different ways, including as automated guided vehicles (AGVs), conveyors, sorting systems, forked vehicles, pallet movers, tuggers, deck vehicles, and self-driving vehicles (cars, trucks, trains, and airport people movers).

Let’s focus on forked AGVs (similar to the design shown in the image at the top of this page). An AGV is basically a forklift truck that’s been fully automated. The components of forked AGVs still require routine (periodic) maintenance and occasional repair. Those components include, among other things:

• • mast system, rollers, sliders, chains, guards, hoses
  • hydraulic-lift cylinder(s), tilt cylinders, hoses, control valves, pump, fluid filters, fluids
  • forks, carriage
  • drivetrain wheels, tires, drive axle, transmission, steering
  • electric-motor connections, wiring, brushes, armature condition, filters
  • battery system terminals, electrolyte, status indicator, and the actual battery
  • electrical contactors, connections, lugs
  • lubrication of chains, rollers, motor, fork carriage, pivot points, wheel spindle bearings
  • electrical-system wiring, connectors, lights, annunciators, warning devices.

What’s missing from the forked AGV maintenance list that’s included on one for a traditional forklift? Not much: the operator’s seat, seat belt, steering wheel, protective cage/roll bars, brakes, and gear shifter. In the end, the reliability of the forked AGV depends on the reliability of the base systems and machine components, the automation system(s), and the interface between those two complex systems and components.

It’s a given: Higher levels of automation complexity will introduce countless more opportunities for failure. The requirements for inherent (built-in) reliability, reliable work processes, and flawless human performance will also grow exponentially.

KEY TAKEAWAYS REGARDING INDUSTRY 4..0
1. The investment in human capital will become increasingly more important than the investment in capital assets in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Without investments in skills and knowledge to operate and maintain high-tech systems, the money spent on new automation will fail to achieve the desired businesses goals.

2. The “Professional Equipment Technician” of the very near future will be required to master equipment/system maintenance fundamentals, interpret on-board diagnostics, and make necessary repairs to electro-mechanical systems. The good news is that all of this is achievable without a four-year college degree.

3. Automation is designed to introduce unwavering precision, assure consistency, and reduce the need for low-skilled labor. To accomplish these feats throughout the designed life cycle of an automated system requires personnel to have higher-level multiple skill sets that combine the basics of good machinery maintenance with automation- and control-systems problem-solving. Unfortunately, the days of an available workforce with these types of skill sets are long gone.

4. Businesses must accelerate their internal and external talent-management systems. Community colleges and technical schools must begin tooling up for transforming occupations. Beyond STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) skills, our elementary, middle, and high schools must begin introducing careers for modern industrial/manufacturing and facilities maintenance that will continue to command high wages for high skills.TRR

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bob Williamson is a long-time contributor to the people-side of the world-class-maintenance and manufacturing body of knowledge across dozens of industry types. His background in maintenance, machine and tool design, and teaching has positioned his work with over 500 companies and plants, facilities, and equipment-oriented organizations. Contact him directly at 512-800-6031 or [email protected].

Tags: reliability, availability, maintenance, Industry 4.0, automation, AGVs, forklifts, STEM, technician training