Dri-Air Readies Its Dryers for Industry 4.0 Today, and Industry 4.0 in the Future
Industry 4.0 is very much a work in progress, with key standards and protocols still in development, but that’s not stopping Dri-Air Industries from jumping into the technology.
At NPE2018, the company is introducing the Dri-Air Dryer 4.0 (Booth W971) to give its customers a resin-drying technology that’s up to speed with what 4.0 means today and one that can adapt to where the industry-wide movement is headed in the future. Charlie Sears, Dri-Air’s president, says the Dri-Air Dryer 4.0 utilizes the OPC-UA protocol, developed by European plastics machinery association, Euromap, and intended to be the common language that all these newly conversant machines will speak in the future. But Sears, who has been with Dri-Air since 1985, and in the industry longer, brings a little perspective to the 4.0 hype.
“We have used the OPC-UA protocol,” Sears says, “but there is more to it.” Sears notes that Euromap is in the process of setting up the complete protocol, including, ultimately, where specific process information is located and what information is included, but when that actually occurs is as yet unknown. “Unfortunately we do not see this happening soon,” Sears says, “so the progress of 4.0 will be slowed down.”
That said, whenever these protocols are fully developed and implemented, Dri-Air is in, Sears says. “Industry 4.0, or whatever you want to call it, will be fully developed during the next few years,” Sears says. “Currently it is a concept that will use all information available to make decisions of operation. Dri-Air supports this effort and will be developing more ways to become efficient and adapt to the surroundings.”
For Dri-Air’s Dryer 4.0, a primary emphasis is connectivity, and for customers with multiple Dri-Air Dryer 4.0s, a central dryer control is available, with access to each dryer’s operating parameters and other important data. When a dryer needs servicing, an icon flashes showing what needs to be done, with directions for service and the parts required. The dryer’s motor control monitors motor performance, reporting this data to the main control. As a new Dri-Air 4.0 dryer is installed, it is automatically added to the group display,
Related Content
Four Industry 4.0 Tech Adoption Insights from Indiana Plastics Manufacturers
As more plastics manufacturers step into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, insights have emerged about how best to approach the digital transformation journey.
Read MorePTXPO Recap: Smarter Resin Drying & Conveying Automation
Check out what you missed on the PTXPO show floor. In this video, Editorial Director Jim Callari breaks down how AI is changing the game in plastics manufacturing.
Read MoreDigital Manufacturing: Two Medical Molders Embrace Industry 4.0
‘Digitalization’ and ‘connectivity’ are loaded terms—shorthand for a whole new way of doing 911爆料网. It can’t be accomplished in one go. But two Midwest molders in the sensitive medical field are already feeling the benefits of their initial steps in that direction.
Read MoreBetter Manufacturing Data Empowers Plastics Processors to Make Better Decisions
What’s needed to take all the data pulled from production planning, production monitoring and quality control systems and put it in the hands of the right people at the right time?
Read MoreRead Next
People 4.0 – How to Get Buy-In from Your Staff for Industry 4.0 Systems
Implementing a production monitoring system as the foundation of a ‘smart factory’ is about integrating people with new technology as much as it is about integrating machines and computers. Here are tips from a company that has gone through the process.
Read MoreLead the Conversation, Change the Conversation
Coverage of single-use plastics can be both misleading and demoralizing. Here are 10 tips for changing the perception of the plastics industry at your company and in your community.
Read More