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Series: Trends in machine tools and precision tools – Part 3
The fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0, is clearly software-driven. Rainer Glatz, President of the professional associations Electrical Automation and Software in the German engineering federation, talks about the effects for mechanical engineers in the run-up to AMB, the international exhibition for metal-working, which takes place in Stuttgart from 16 to 20 September 2014. The growing importance of software is chal-lenging the machine tool industry in particular, because for decades its domain was mechanics. The increasing software part of the products is also reflected in a modified added value The development involves risks, but far more opportunities. The website www.plattform-i40.de brings order to the current flood of information on the topic. The website is a joint initiative of the Bundesverband Informationswirtschaft, Telekommunikation und Neue Medien e.V. (BITKOM), Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektronikindustrie (ZVEI) and the VDMA.
Mr. Glatz, Industry 4.0 is the current future trend. What role does the software play and how is the VDMA supporting its members along the way?
Software is the central realisation element for Industry 4.0, be it as embedded software, control software, ERP software or an app on smart devices. Ultimately, many of the ideas and concepts of Industry 4.0 are realised using software. Therefore, it is not surprising that the topic Industry 4.0 was initially dealt with in the VDMA by the two associations Software and Electrical Automation and in the forum IT@Automation . In the VDMA we are currently working on integrating the mechanical engineers even more in the discussion on Industry 4.0. During the course of the year a forum Industry 4.0 is being organised, through which the specific problems and experi-ence in implementation of the mainly medium-sized users is to be concentrated.
The basic idea is to network everybody and everything from the idea through to the recycling of a product in a cloud. Along with this, however, there have been new risks for se-curity and the know-how of a company What measures should companies adopt before they open themselves up in this way?
Limiting insufficient IT security or possible loss of know-how to the cloud topic does not go far enough. With Industry 4.0 it starts with high-grade networked systems, which are not necessarily only networked via clouds. It is a question of all networked elements, be it clouds, servers, machines or simple sensors, including their own protective mechanisms. A VDMA sur-vey among production managers clarified that today the risks lie with the people. The sensitisation and training of employees in relation to security is the first key measure. We also advise our companies to figure out what is the know-how of the company and how this can be protected in an organisational and technical manner. This also includes, in particular, the protection of software and data in machine and automation components.
A VDMA study revealed that approximately 30 percent of the manufacturing costs for a mechanical engineering product are allotted to IT and automation technology. When will the software become more valuable than the hardware?
For a long time, IT technologies have been an important innovation driving force in mechanical engineering, both in relation to company processes and product developments. Particularly at product level, more and more standard IT technologies are being "industrialised" and installed, in order to create cost-effective and flexible solu-tions. This development is set to continue with Industry 4.0. It is no longer a question of replacing hardware functions with software, but developing new product-specific ser-vices. I hope we do not experience a development like in the ICT sector, where hardware is sometimes exploited, in order to make money with software and innovative services based on it.
More than 90,000 visitors and around 1,300 exhibitors are expected to attend AMB 2014 from 16 to 20 September 2014. On over 105,000 square metres, innovations and further developments in the areas of metal-cutting processes and preci-sion tools, but also chucking tools, CAD, CAM, CAE, software, grinding machines, han-dling of workpieces and tools, and measuring systems, can be seen. AMB 2014 is sup-ported by the professional and conceptual associations VDMA Precision Tools, VDMA Software and VDW (German Machine Tool Builders´ Associa-tion).
For further informations: http://www.messe-stuttgart.de/en/amb/
