This year, more than ever, we felt a real urgency among the visitors to implement software and tools to help them innovate and take their work to the next level.
The launch of HydroCam — the latest innovative software from Paro
We presented HydroCam, our newest software that has been developed with and for our customers. HydroCam marks the final stage of the hydraulic manifold manufacturing process by converting the HydroMan manifold design file into an automatic program for a CNC machine. This allows for complete digitization of both the hydraulic design process and production of hydraulic manifolds.
From walking around, visiting other stands and participating in workshops, one thing became clear: we’ve reached the turning point when it comes to putting innovative concepts into practical applications. Weaving technology into our machines and processes makes innovation accessible to companies large and small at a sustainable pace.
Real applications of Industry 4.0 are everywhere
We first started talking about Industry 4.0 in 2011. At the time it seemed like a noble concept, though somewhat fantastical and inaccessible at shop floor level. This year, however, it became clear that the Internet of Things (IoT) allows companies to incorporate technology into their workflow, creating new products and service offerings with minimal investment and tweaks into current processes.
The IoT is here, and right now we’re witnessing how the cloud makes digitization processes and things accessible to any company. As an example, something as simple as a QR code on a machine can enable a company to offer a host of new services from maintenance to after care.
Another concept we’ve seen come to life with real-world applications is Edge Intelligence. With Edge Intelligence, you can make any machine or component intelligent by embedding a sensor that will feed information enabling performance improvement and predictive maintenance — all aimed at making industries run smoother and faster
Next up: Open Industry 4.0
The next step in the evolution of Industry 4.0 is making it an “open” industry. This is a subject that closely aligns with our values at Paro. Open Industry means that technology should remain open to be integrated and connected with other technologies. This is a move away from closed off proprietary rigid systems towards software that is customizable to fit companies’ unique needs, scalable, and compatible with other tools that companies use.
Another concept we’ve seen in action recently is Digital Twins. The Turkish company Entek, users of both HydroSym and HydroMan, connect other tools to create Digital Twins, which can be scanned and checked on the spot for maintenance and troubleshooting.
We believe this kind of interoperability is key when it comes to driving future growth and innovation.
The future: 5G industrial applications, AI & 3D printing
One of the great things about the Hannover Fair is that it never lacks in future-forward thinking and inspiration. We are always challenged to think ahead and consider how a new technological development can be applied in our work.
Another one of our HydroSym users, Aidro, is using 3D printing to create a new generation of hydraulic manifolds. The light-weight format and possible new shapes allow for new applications. 3D printing is very topical right now, and of high interest in many sectors, such as the medical and construction fields.
This begs the question: Will our workshops in the future all contain a 3D printer that will print anything we need on-demand? Maybe. Perhaps this will not be achieved in the next few years, but we must adopt new technologies to learn the best ways to apply them.
Numerous big tech names like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, Dell, Huawei, and CISCO were all present, giving us near-futuristic innovations: sophisticated robots driven by AI. Ericsson gave us a glimpse into how 5G wireless technology opens up a new world of extended mobility, virtual reality, and machine intelligence on the industrial floor.
Too futuristic and far-fetched? Maybe. But if there’s one takeaway from this year’s Hannover Messe it is that the future is approaching faster than we can imagine, and it is up to us to keep up. By keeping our customers at the center of what we do, and innovating for them and with them, we can be aware of how to best apply new technology.
