QiSOFT Blog - Industry 5.0
1 February, 2021
What is Industry 5.0, and why should you care about it?
Yes, you’re probably thinking something along the lines of, “Industry 5.0? We haven’t even worked out Industry 4.0 yet!”
But these are the times we live in. Everything is gaining pace, and the rate of change across all industries is increasing.
Manufacturing has always been an industry that embraces change and pioneers new theories, ideas, and concepts. For example, a few years ago, the phrase “Continuous Improvement” was only heard in manufacturing, but now it’s everywhere. Somewhere in the world, there’ll be a pizza takeaway sending out mailers telling customers how committed they are to Continuously Improving their “pizza experience”.
What does Industry 5.0 mean?
In simple terms, Industry 5.0 is the 5th industrial revolution. Very often that prompts the question of what the other four were, so allow us to explain:
Industry 1.0
This was the first industrial revolution and spans from around 1760 to 1830. Manual production methods were replaced with mechanized systems, powered by water and steam. It led to massive improvements in textile manufacture, mining, agriculture, and rail transport.
Industry 2.0
The second industrial revolution started in around 1870 and ran to the start of WW1 in 1914. New sources of power from electricity, oil, and gas led to creating the internal combustion engine and the automotive, aerospace, and telecoms industries.
Industry 3.0
The third industrial revolution started around 1970 with major leaps in electronics and, of course, computers. Within manufacturing, it made PLCs and robotics possible to bring around more automation.
Industry 4.0
Unlike the other industrial revolutions, opinion is divided about whether Ind 4.0 is a true revolution or not. The term was coined in 2011 and related to the digitalization of manufacturing. Another term that came from this era was IoT – the Internet of Things, which is the interconnectivity of multiple devices. In manufacturing, the focus of Ind 4.0 is on computers communicating with other computers to make decisions with no human involvement. It has given rise to smart factories with interconnected machines and robotics.
Industry 5.0
As Ind 4.0 moved people away from manufacturing and allowed robots to carry out routine tasks, Industry 5.0 puts the human element back into the system. One of the core characteristics of Ind 5.0 is personalization. Machines don’t have the creativity that humans do so Ind 5.0 redresses the balance between people and machines.
What does Industry 5.0 mean for manufacturers?
You may think that the innovations from Ind 4.0 and 5.0 mean you can slash costs by employing fewer people in your manufacturing plant.
That isn’t the case at all. The whole point of Industry 5.0 is to create the best of both worlds by having people working alongside machines. Robots can do the more hazardous, repetitive or arduous tasks while people can work on higher-level subjects.
That’s not to say that production line workers need to retrain as nuclear scientists. It’s about using their skills to develop creative solutions to the everyday problems that machines aren’t capable of doing. Many companies have found that trying to make a fully robotic, automated factory hasn’t worked. And it’s because the human element is essential for success. Robots can do repeatable tasks all day long without tiring, but they can’t think or adapt to a sudden problem or change.
By integrating robots alongside people (rather than replacing people) in the manufacturing process, companies are making huge safety, efficiency, and quality gains.
Where does the customer fit into Industry 5.0?
With an Ind 5.0 manufacturing system, the customer can be brought into the core of the process. They can customize and design products to their exact requirements. Mass production was always about making a lot of the same thing. Ind 5.0 will mean mass production is about making lots of the same thing, but different!
Examples are happening in the automotive and clothing industry now. Do you want your sports shoes, bright yellow? No problem. A unique car made just for you? Bring it on. The customer experience in Ind 5.0 will take customization to a whole new level.
One of the most significant opportunities for Ind 5.0 is in medicine. Suppose a person has a medical condition that needs regular medication. Their health stats can be combined with data about their lifestyle or diet then sent through to the pharmaceutical plant. Their medicine can be formulated specifically for their body from the data generated.
And there’s the next point. All these advances in manufacturing technology generate masses of data.
How do you control and use all the manufacturing quality data you collect?
That’s where we come in. At QiSOFT, our quality management software gives you live, real-time, actionable data. In traditional manufacturing companies, quality data is collected from a variety of sources. However, these sources aren’t always the most reliable ones. Spreadsheets, notebooks, and other forms of manual operator recording are all quite common. Eventually, this data finds its way onto some kind of centralized system. But it can be long after the batch of parts is completed and shipped. And it may not be accurate.
The QIS software takes away all those inaccuracies. It gives you real-time process monitoring and complete visibility of your manufacturing system. Request a demo now https://qisoft.com/contact to see how we can help your manufacturing business adapt to the digital age.
