The Role of Smart Sensors in Production Processes and the Implementation of Industry 4.0

Abstract

In the world of global competition, customers have increasing demands that companies must meet in order to remain active in the global market. For this reason, it is necessary to use new technologies in the production processes, i.e. to implement Industry 4.0. In other words, we need to create a connected company through the digital transformation that enables production processes to discover new ways to increase productivity and improve overall business performance. Companies need to get involved and start a digital system, and from supplier to customer. It is a key to the hidden value that can contribute to the company’s productivity, compliance, profitability, as well as the quality of the finished product, and eventually the introduction of flexible industrial automation of production processes. The aforementioned technologies and Internet of Things connect the physical and virtual world with a purpose to better collect and analyze data, transforming them into information that reaches decision-makers. To do this, it is necessary to implement smart sensors that provide information at all times. The implementation of Industry 4.0 in production processes is unthinkable without smart sensors and provides the following: faster product development time, lower overall costs, improved use of production processes and their optimization, as well as company risk management. The paper will outline the motives for the implementation of smart sensors and applications of smart sensors in production processes. Keywords: production process, smart sensor, Industry 4.0, production automation, digital transformation, flexible automation.