An IoT based industry 4.0 architecture for integration of design and manufacturing systems

Abstract

This paper proposes an Internet of Things (IoT) based 5-stage Industry 4.0 architecture to integrate the design and manufacturing systems in a Cyber Physical Environment (CPE). It considers the transfer of design and manufacturing systems data through the Cloud/Web-based (CW) services and discusses an effective way to integrate them. In the 1st stage, a Radio-Frequency IDentification (RFID) technology containing Computer Aided Design (CAD) data/models of the product with the ability to design / redesign is scanned and sent to a secure Internet/Cloud Server (CS). Here the CAD models are auto identified and displayed in the Graphical User Interface (GUI) developed for the purpose. From the scanned RFID CAD data/models, the 2nd stage adopts unique machine learning technique(s) and identifies the design & manufacturing features information required for product manufacture. Once identified, the 3rd stage handles the necessary modelling changes as required to manufacture the part by verifying the suitability of process-based product design through user input from the GUI. Then, it performs a Computer Aided Process Planning (CAPP) sequence in a secure design cloud server designed using web-based scripting language. After this, the 4th stage generates Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) toolpaths by continuous data retrieval of design and tooling database in the web server by updating the RFID technology with all the information. The various processes involved the 3rd and 4th stages are completed by using ‘Agents’ (a smart program) which uses various search and find algorithms with the ability to handle the changes to the process plan as required. Finally, the 5th stage, approves the product manufacture instructions by completing the production plan with the approved sheets sent to the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine. In this article, the proposed architecture is explained through the concept of IoT data transfer to help industries driving towards Industry 4.0 by improving productivity, reducing lead time, protecting security and by maintaining internationals standards / regulations applied in their workplace.