IAViC2019 Forum 1: Vibration Technology in the Era of Industrial Revolution 4.0

This report is intended as a high-level reflection of the views of the Invited Panels (“the Panels”) expressed during the forum session at the International Applied Vibration Conference 2019 (IAViC2019) held at Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Kuala Lumpur on the 13th November 2019.

The invited Panels were:

a) Dato’ Dr. Ir. Mohd Abdul Karim bin Abdullah, Serba Dinamik Holdings Berhad

b) Prof. Mohammad Fard, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) Australia

c) Dr Qing Ou, Agen Limited

d) Ir. Mohd Syukri bin Mohd Khalid, Sarawak SHELL Malaysia

Over-Arching Principles

Initial contributions to discussions in the forum focussed on vibration technology towards the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0 underpinned the Forum theme. What the strategy, what is the current scenario, challenges experienced by both the industry and academicians in their effort moving towards to IR4.0, integration of such parties into the architecture of the system, what the end-strategy should deliver and the vision in the next five (5) to ten (10) years have been in store.

Vision

Views were expressed that the Forum began with an overall IR 4.0 could offers; cuttingedge solutions and innovation at every level of value chain. In addition, specifically into the vibration technology to be an IoT-enabled, open and interoperable system architecture for plants and machines including vehicles. The progress of the topic focussing on the accelerating the business growth. The discussion focused on the automation of the industries and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform across business for building greater efficiencies. Rediscovering growth of the business/academic/research towards embracing the IR4.0 should be based on the speed of how the outcome in mind. Initially from the Proof of Concept (POC), theoretical knowledge into analytical assessment towards the application serving the whole platform of end user is in accelerating manner. IR4.0 means faster and dynamic evolved technological means with the human capability to adopt the technology utilization.

The challenges & technologies

Panel members repeatedly voiced their desire to begin the strategy setting by placing the needs of the users at the beginning of the process. Assessing the types of equipment available nowadays considered obsolete. The investment towards the IR4.0 can be considered very costly. In the holistic needs of end users, were viewed as critical ways to being trying to remove the complexity from users’ experience. Generally, the Panels implied it is important to consider all user groups, not just end-users, when discussing the implications and benefits of new technologies. Though current challenges underpinned mostly on the sky-rocketed cost of purchasing new technology (also termed as investment), the Panels clearly emphasized the outcome would allow faster, flexible and efficient processes and analyses to produce high-quality service and goods across the value chain. As mentioned in the Smart Maintenance System topic by Dato’ Karim; the introduction of IR4.0 can lead to sensor-packed equipment, connected to the internet (as cloud applications) assessable worldwide around the clock in order to provide better products, service and early detection for diagnostic to clients. The exchange of the information and instructions including the storage of data are no longer in silos and without much human involvement. There was also wider discussion on how the data measurement or data acquisition obtained via sensors, transducer and / or vibration accelerometer is considered valid. In this case, the Panel informed across the entire supply chain of data acquisition and validation, the data transparency should be proposed. High level of automated collaboration infrastructure/architecture of the platform are connected. The data flows across the value chain so that both strategic and tactical decision can be data driven.

The way forward

Panel members also mentioned despite the demand raised by the industry towards IR4.0, the academicians on other hand also in the effort towards Lab 4.0. With the advance requirements for Industry 4.0, universities will face challenges in up-skilling and re-skilling the students, lecturers and the entire workforce. Technologies will become obsolete at faster rate. Continuous learning through professional development strategies are required to adapt the changes of the technological advancement brings.

Conclusion

Given the benefits Industry Revolution 4.0 provides, Information Technology (IT) players are the first to tackle digitalization and well equipped for the transition of such digital elements and interoperable systems. The industries and universities shall explore more intensive and challenging transformation to benefit from this IR4.0 especially into the vibration technology perspective.