Abstract
The rapid growth and expansion of the Internet, as well as technical advances in the area of sensor technology, allow for the interconnection of physical objects for the purpose of achieving collective goals, which paves the way for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Industry 4.0 paradigm is a relatively new concept that still requires detailed investigation and discussion. Standards, technologies, and overall guidelines need to be presented; thus this review paper aims to address key questions to provide some clarity on navigating the tide of Industry 4.0. The key enabling technologies, and the extent to which these technologies can be applied in industry to achieve the fundamental goals of Industry 4.0, are presented and discussed. Current challenges that hinder Industry 4.0 adoption in the South African mining sector are discussed, and a short discussion on the way forward is presented. In brief, this article aims to present a detailed roadmap for the implementation of Industry 4.0 methods in the South African mining sector. From the literature, a digital framework and toolbox have been compiled to serve as a roadmap for the way forward in successful Industry 4.0 adoption. The proposed framework and toolbox are presented, with a theoretical case study.
Highlights
# Author was enrolled for a Masters’ degree at North-West University’s Centre for Research and Continued Engineering Development (CRCED) in Pretoria, South Africa
This article aims to present a detailed roadmap for the implementation of Industry 4.0 methods in the South African mining sector
This paper has presented a detailed architectural study of the Industry 4.0 paradigm
Summary
# Author was enrolled for a Masters’ degree at North-West University’s Centre for Research and Continued Engineering Development (CRCED) in Pretoria, South Africa. Cyber-physical systems, the Internet of Things, big data, decentralised computing, and wireless networks form the technological backbone of the Industry 4.0 digital framework. Cyber-physical systems enable real-time information exchange, which can improve overall manufacturing performance Benefits such as increased productivity, optimised energy consumption, and efficient use of production-related resources can be realised [39]. Wireless communication can be considered the backbone of an Industry 4.0 ecosystem [44] It allows for real-time information flow between cyber-physical systems and decentralised storage and computing mechanisms. Key framework technologies and principles must, be incorporated before the digital toolbox can be applied, starting with the five framework technologies: cyber-physical systems, IoT, big data, decentralised computing, and wireless networks.
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