Industrial Automation Solutions

Industrial automation systems—including robots, machine-to-machine communications and machine learning—have created the smart factory, which is facilitating faster times to market and improving responsiveness to changing demands. However, customers who wish to embrace smart solutions face several challenges, not the least of which is harsh environments. But harsh industrial environments also need enhanced functional safety and information security as much as their consumer counterparts. To successfully address these issues, customers require comprehensive connectivity innovations that can deliver high performance and reliability in the toughest conditions.

Overview
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Overview

Industrial manufacturing is an essential part of modern life. All the products that we take for granted, from domestic appliances to the latest robots, rely upon an efficient and responsive manufacturing industry for delivery.

Changes in consumer behavior and expectations of rapid availability have forced manufacturers to adopt new industrial automation techniques. Modern factories need to be operationally flexible—able to swiftly switch processes in response to market changes. Manufacturers that have accelerated their adoption of new digital technologies have shown greater resilience. These technologies, collectively known as Industry 4.0, have driven the emergence of the smart factory.

The smart factory combines operational technology (OT) with the latest information technology (IT). Real-time communication between machines and business applications creates a more responsive facility that can quickly and capably pivot as demands change. Improved spatial awareness and navigation capabilities enable the use of robotic process automation. However, the prolific use of autonomous robots creates the need for robust functional safety and information security protocols.

"The coming years are likely to see the industry shift away from centralized, top-down control in favor of distributed control architectures with embedded safety and security."

Jeff Barnes

Distribution Corporate Account Manager - Industrial Europe Transport and Industrial Solutions Division

Molex

The introduction of cloud and edge computing technology brings high-speed, low-latency computing power to the factory floor. The smart factory uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to make more informed,
data-driven decisions about production, supply chain and maintenance.

This advanced industrial automation equipment must provide superior reliability, even in harsh conditions. That means the smart factory needs safe, dependable and cohesive connectivity between machines and business applications to help manufacturers easily reconfigure their processes. Connectors, sensors and antennas must also be sealed against the elements, capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and resistant to high vibration. Molex is globally recognized for delivering advanced, end-to-end industrial automation solutions. We support customers with an extensive range of ruggedly designed and engineered infrastructure solutions specifically tailored for harsh-duty manufacturing environments including automotive, material handling, food and beverage, commercial vehicles and more.

By the Numbers

USD 160 Billion

Industrial Automation Market

3 Million

Global Industrial Robots

10%

Smart Factory Growth

Featured Resources

What Does Industry 4.0 Mean for Tomorrow’s Factories?

Industry 4.0 is the latest industrial revolution, using smart technology and automation to transform how products are made. We asked industry expert Jeff Barnes how Molex is enabling fourth-generation manufacturing.

Ask the Expert

Making the Smart Factory Safe

Even though the smart factory has created a “lights-off” environment that reduces the need for consistent human intervention, workers need to gain access for maintenance. Read how Molex is working with customers to help provide functional safety and facilitate the possibility of full factory automation.

Read the Blog

Evolving Factories Without Sacrificing Safety

As factories continue to automate and digitize, people remain a critical part of their operations. Those interacting with robots or machines often work near large, heavy, fast-moving equipment that’s operated remotely.

Recognized as an Industrial Communication Competence Center, Molex has focused on functional safety as a key part of our Industry 4.0 portfolio. Our solutions find common languages that allow diverse technologies to talk to each other. They help machines sense people and keep them safe. Functional safety also reduces costly mechanical barriers and leads to higher quality and efficiency. But most importantly, a company’s most precious assets – their people -- always return home safe.

Watch the Video

INDUSTRIAL

Salvagnini Collaborates with Molex, Fueling Flexible Industrial Automation Solutions, Expediting a Path to Industry 4.0

The promise of Industry 4.0 looms large for companies worldwide as plans ramp up to digitize and transform the operation of complex machines, control systems and factory floors. The Industrial internet of Things (IIoT) is ushering in the Fourth Industrial Revolution by synchronizing manufacturing processes with advanced technologies that produce real-time data, intelligent interconnectivity and increasingly flexible automation. For many organizations, the opportunity to realize the value of Industry 4.0 is still on the horizon. At Salvagnini, however, an overarching commitment to process optimization and efficiency is yielding tangible benefits today.

Explore the Case Study

“We turned to Molex after dealing with communications loss issues on an EtherCAT line, which is the smart communications backbone for our machines. Together we tackled the wiring issue and investigated different connector types to determine how best to achieve higher stability and connection quality.”

Bruno Sambi

Head of Technical Development

Salvagnini

Featured Videos

Brad M12 Ultra-Lock Connection Systems

Molex and Salvagnini Collaboration

Additional Resources

REPORT

The State of Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 is the name given to the latest industrial revolution encompassing smart factories, robotics, cloud computing and machine learning. Molex examines the current state of Industry 4.0 and explores next steps.

Read the Report

BLOG

Ushering in the Era of Smart Machines and Robotics

While smart machines and robots help enhance flexibility and efficiency for manufacturers, introducing new technologies causes unexpected challenges. Read how Molex is helping customers to realize the benefits of Industry 4.0.