Название: Technology for Business: Application of the Advances in Industry 4.0 to Small to Medium Sized Enterprises
Автор: John Blakemore
Издательство: Jenny Stanford Publishing
Год: 2023
Страниц: 256
Язык: английский
Формат: pdf (true)
Размер: 31.7 MB

This book describes and defines the elements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and how the opportunities offered by sensorization, the Internet of Things, Cloud Computing, robotics, and the use of Big Data can benefit small to medium-sized enterprises. It first defines the terms of the latest technological advances and then suggests the ways in which these can be applied. Business is about meeting customer needs by delivering products and services to expectations at the appropriate quality and price and on time. When the appropriate digital tools are applied within a lean thinking framework using statistical control of all processes, the benefits to the customer and the enterprise are significant. Advances in industries such as fuel cells, battery technology, robots and clean energy solutions are briefly described. It is hoped that the readers and my clients will benefit from my experience as they further innovate and create their successful business ventures.

This book is about the new tools of what is commonly called the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” and how predominantly small to medium sized businesses can benefit from them to increase productivity and profitability. Large businesses are already using either all or most of these methods, but the smaller enterprises can struggle with day-to-day problems and lack of funds to adequately allow for the improvements in business processes that are absolutely necessary.

Whilst the identification and definition of all the latest tools can be readily recognised, the way and where these should be implemented is not so easy. This book postulates that an organisational framework based on the Lean principles established in the automotive industry in Japan is necessary if the maximum benefit from introducing and using the new tools is to be realised.

When the tools are applied using Lean systems combined with Statistical Process Control, the business may be continuously improved as the opportunity for new innovations become observable as much of the extraneous data is removed and the focus becomes sharper. All functions of in our society in engineering, science, medicine, music, space, mathematics, manufacturing, etc., have already been revolutionised and this will be never ending. We can future proof our business with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things. We are only limited by our imagination. This book is primarily about the technological aspects of Industry 4.0.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution
This is all about mobility, the mobile phone, and the interlocking and melding of the physical environment with digital space. It is about the convergence of IT, the Internet of Things, big data, the cloud, Machine Learning, digital connections, Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, all imbedded in a lean manufacturing environment but applied in all parts of society including health, finance, marketing, sales, human resources, innovation, rapid research and development. This has been accelerated by advanced robotics and cognitive Artificial Intelligence.

If we look at an expanded list of industry 4.0, we have the:
• The Internet of Things
• Wide use of sensors
• RFID technologies
• Robotics
• Mobile technologies
• Cloud computing
• Data analytics
• Big Data
• Machine Learning (Bayes’ Law)
• Machine linking
• Artificial Intelligence
• Virtual Reality
• Cybersecurity
• 3D printing

Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Elements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
3. Culture Leadership and Strategic Planning
4. People, Quality and Industry 4.0
5. Aims of Industry 4.0 and the Lean Framework
6. Operations Designed to Maximise Value Added
7. The Future of Business and Manufacturing
8. Project Results
9. Fast Future
10. Conclusion and Vision
Appendix
Bibliography
Index 239