With Industry 4.0 In full swing, many companies are scaling up the deployment of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G connectivity, sensors, and robotics. That’s a good reason. According to a study by Deloitte in 2020organizations with a substantial Industry 4.0 comprehensive strategy outperform their peers no or no discrete strategy.
Approximately 90% of the surveyed organizations with a comprehensive Industry 4.0 strategy generated annual revenue growth of at least 5% in the most recent year.
Analysts at Mckinsey & Company says it’s not uncommon for downtime to drop by 30-50%, throughput to increase by 10-30%, worker productivity by 15-30% and forecasting accuracy by 85% with supported factories digital.
Limitations of cords and batteries
Many of today’s Industry 4.0 technologies are characterized by complex, expensive, limited and sometimes dangerous cable and connector solutions. For example, Cobots, Robots and Automated Mobility Vehicles (AMR & AMV) are often powered by high-performance batteries or guide lines and power cords.
More than 60% of industrial IoT (IIoT) setup costs are spent on cabling and installation. Constantly recharging or replacing batteries can also rapidly increase opportunity costs. Equipment outages can cause a chain reaction that affects the productivity of the entire plant. Not to mention, identifying and replacing dead batteries in a manufacturing facility is a logistical nightmare.
There is also a safety issue, as a damaged lithium-ion battery poses a significant risk of fire and explosion. Damage can occur immediately or over a period of time due to physical impact, exposure to certain temperatures and improper charging.
Unfortunately, the alternative isn’t much better: exposed electrical cords and outlets are also particularly dangerous in industrial environments. Furthermore, by definition, Industry 4.0 technology means being connected and sharing data. Therefore, they require suitable power supply and must be able to transmit data rapidly and continuously at all times.
Batteries simply do not provide this capability. It doesn’t make sense to tie a battery-operated device to a cable to allow round-the-clock data transmission.
Automation requires wireless freedom
With the increase in factory automation in recent decades, having a wide range of machines that require significant amounts of power and data transmission poses a significant problem. Fortunately, wireless power has evolved with magnetic induction for contactless power and data transfer capabilities, which makes it ideal for Industry 4.0 technologies that require autonomy and reliability.
Industrial robots and Unmanned aircraft should be able to complete their tasks autonomously and recharge themselves quickly. Advanced wireless charging technology greatly simplifies the docking process by allowing high offsets for the robot to roll onto a wireless charging pad and start up.
In addition, the wireless charger takes up minimal space in a factory environment, allowing the robots to even charge “on the go” at different static points in their operation, such as loads, queuing, etc. This innovation eliminates human intervention. which means employees can focus on higher priority tasks or very complex and expensive contact-based charging stations.
Battery Management & Device Safety
Wireless power can drive efficiency even further by allowing for better battery control. Battery charging can be optimized and monitored to ensure each device is charged at optimal conditions, including voltage, current and duration.
This prolongs battery life and avoids costly replacements. Plus, with wireless charging, robot users never have to worry about disrupting their operations due to the robot not being charged properly or defective parts, so they can achieve Better productivity without incurring unexpected costs.
Wireless power is also safer because it eliminates pogo pins and other components associated with conventional galvanized connections, which are prone to sparks, corrosion and other hazards that can cause fire. Additionally, many industrial use cases involve active or outdoor environments exposed to water, mud, dust, and chemicals.
Wireless charging technology is now incredibly powerful and capable of working even in the most adverse conditions.
Boost 5G connectivity quickly, cost-effectively
The foundation for smart factories is 5G. This next-generation mobile communications standard provides greater reliability, better security control, and reduced latency. All of these features are necessary for IoT technologies to effectively communicate with each other and operate on the critical information generated across the facility.
In addition, 5G services must provide reliable data and power transmission across all types of terrain and environments, but interference from windows, walls, and other surfaces often limits or delays 5G deployment. .
Instead of spending time and money drilling through building surfaces or running miles of power cables, organizations can install their own 5G repeaters with wireless power to increase coverage efficiency and reliability. 5G waves throughout the facility.
Wireless power technology has advanced to achieve much higher power levels and can self-calibrate over distance to accommodate different thicknesses of walls, windows and other surfaces, including environments. non-metallic and highly metallic environments. The same goes for installing smart security cameras, thermostats or sensors.
They need to be installed on the outside of doors, windows and walls while receiving power from the inside. Wireless power allows organizations to overcome construction limitations or fluctuating environmental factors to install connected devices quickly and cost-effectively.
Go ahead and produce with maximum ROI
Adopting Industry 4.0 strategies and technologies is critical for manufacturers to remain competitive and resilient in today’s global economy. Simply batteries, power cables, and WiFi will not be enough to support the explosion of data and connected devices ushered in by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Therefore, if organizations want to reap the full benefits of Industry 4.0 investments, advanced wireless power technology is a must.
Fortunately, the wireless power industry is maturing and increasingly penetrating with industrial applications, helping to grow the wireless power market to over $180 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 30%. More than ever, wireless charging and power solutions are key to the successful implementation of Industry 4.0 strategies and future factories.
Image credit: Oleksandr Pidvalnyi; Bark; Thank you!
