Predicting The Future with Technology – Engineer Live
A recent article on Engineer Live addresses the future of technology due to the advancement of the fourth industrial revolution. A PwC survey that found 72% of companies anticipate reaching advanced levels of digitisation by 2020 is mentioned.
The UK Government announced back in November that 2018 would be the Year of Engineering, and they have also launched the Industrial Strategy and Made Smarter Review. This has been said to help make the UK a world leader in the Fourth Industrial Revolution by 2020.
Real applications of Augmented and Virtual Reality mentioned in the article include:
- Boulting uses VR to allow immersion for their clients as well as developing designs more clearly before construction begins and reducing mistakes
- VR helps design of a facility and could have applications for building information modelling; inputting computer aided design files into a VR app can enable the designer, engineer, and client to move around and view the product from different perspectives
- VR can revolutionise training by allowing engineers to explore and manage situations without risk
- AR can provide important info to engineers wearing headsets while allowing hands-free manoeuvres
- When combined with remote monitoring and dashboard user interfaces, the status of a motor control centre can be visualised next to the system via AR
- When combined with a risk-based maintenance schedule (e.g. Boulting’s BRISK), pieces of machinery can be colour-coded according to risk
Points made about Artificial Intelligence in the article include:
- One of the benefits of AI is advanced data analysis, which collects, stores, and analyses data automatically
- Based on the results from the analysis, processes can be altered which increases productivity, reduces costs, and prevents production downtime
- Combined with trend prediction and predictive maintenance schemes, yield and efficiency can increase
The article concludes by stating that plant managers are focusing on connecting system and taking advantage of the benefits of the Industrial Internet of Things, such as interpretation and enhanced data collection.