THE SHOW / THE MICROTECHNOLOGY INFORMATION PORTAL
17.05.2017
C - Automatisation
Industrie 4.0 - Introduction
The Internet of Things, Industrie 4.0 and Smart Production – even if the name varies, it is always about the seamless connection of the digital and real worlds. As a thought leader and trailblazer for Industrie 4.0, KUKA is playing a decisive role in this shift towards networked, intelligent production.
The Internet of Things in daily life
From refrigerators to streetlights – every “thing” will soon be networked. Even today, almost every electronic device is able to communicate with the Internet. The digital world is an integral part of our lives.
Digitization is triggering rapid developments – for example, in genetics and nanotechnology as well as in robotics. These advancements are laying the foundation for a revolution that will be all-embracing. Digitally networked processes in Industrie 4.0 will make it possible to manufacture products at a low cost in a manner that is more flexible, energy-efficient, resource-saving and customized.
Robots as the key component of Industrie 4.0
The advancement of robotics will permanently change the world in the manner of the Internet and IT. Today, robots are a key element of Industrie 4.0, providing answers, with new production methods, to the major questions of our times:
• Shortage of resources
• Climate change
• The consequences of accelerating population growth
• The aging of society in the industrial nations
It is evident that robots will become smaller, more mobile, networked and cognitive. They will accompany us in every area of our daily lives. Future generations – “robotic natives” – will see robots and their capabilities as services that can be requested via the Internet and adapted at the click of a mouse.
Industrie 4.0 at KUKA
At KUKA, added value results from the interdisciplinary interplay between a wide range of different fields of expertise. As far as the Internet of Things and Industrie 4.0 are concerned, these include our technological expertise in the web, the cloud and mobile platforms. These areas merge with KUKA’s existing core competencies in mechatronics and automation. On this basis, we are now already creating intelligent production solutions which overcome the barriers existing between the digital world and the real world.