In our previous discussion, we delved into New Zealand’s distinctive small-scale manufacturing landscape, speculating on the future and Industry 4.0. So let’s dive in: What implications does Industry 4.0 hold for Kiwi manufacturers? What might our workshops look like a decade down the road, and how does Heliner envisage guiding businesses into this brave new world?
Understanding the Future of Industry
Industry 4.0 is a matter of integration rather than individual systems. The four core ingredients of this revolution aren’t new, it’s how they work together that matters:
Artificial Intelligence – Interprets data from sensors and vision systems, and uses it to make decisions.
Computer Networks – The communication backbone, linking CNC machines, robotics, and AI.
Sensors and Vision Systems – Located on CNC machines and robots, they gather essential data such as loaded weight, material alignment, general vision etc.
Robotics – how the system interacts with the physical world.
Let’s paint a picture of a workshop 10 years from now. An engineer finishes the CAM for a part and sends it into the network:
- The network finds a free CNC machine, sends it the G-code, and dispatches an idle robotic arm.
- Using its vision system, the robotic arm surveys the materials then loads the machine, with the Ai selecting the material and alignment procedure.
- The machine’s sensors confirm when the material is aligned and loaded, and runs the program.
- Once finished, the same process happens in reverse. The camera/AI inspects the part for defects, before it is loaded onto a pallet.
Envision a fully autonomous workshop, with the flexibility that rigid production lines lack. In the past, autonomous CNC machines had to be designed from the ground up, and integration with robotics required production lines to be planned from the start. Automation never offered a return on investment unless mass production was at play, which sidelined New Zealand’s smaller industries.
Our vision of Industry 4.0 advocates for compatibility with existing setups, offering flexibility for small production runs, and the intelligence to accommodate a wide range of parts.
So What is Heliner’s 5 year Plan?
In our journey so far, we have focused on R&D, establishing ourselves as the go-to local experts in robotic arms and autonomous integration. Our primary ambition is to create an expansive body of resources and expertise, to help steer New Zealand’s workshops into the era of Industry 4.0.
The near future envisions the integration of robotic arms and autonomous systems into existing CNC routers and laser cutters. The focus is on loading, fixturing and unloading, and ensuring compatibility with New Zealand’s diverse range of machines.
In the next 3.5-5 years, we aspire to realise the dream of the fully autonomous flexible workshop. Starting with material and defect identification, and expanding from there. It’s our mission to lead New Zealand’s transition into the automated age.
And as we look even further ahead, we’re enthusiastic about revisiting this journey, ready to embrace further unforeseen innovations in the CNC world.
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Check out our other article about the future “Heliner’s mission part 1 – the future of CNC“
