Since the First Industrial Revolution, mankind has seen technology as a means of progress and development. The process started with steam engines and continued with the successful integration of assembly lines, information technologies and artificial intelligence into industries. The main purpose of this progress and development in industry is to create technologies that increase productivity and efficiency. Industry 5.0 puts an end to the emphasis on technology itself and emphasizes the potential for collaboration between humans and machines. Revolutionizing the understanding of the past, Industry 5.0 necessitates changes in corporate goals by refocusing on the human touch.
While we are still living in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Industry 5.0 (I5. 0) has already begun to establish its own understanding and create space for itself. To understand what I5.0 is and grasp its impacts, it is important to know how this revolution is defined. Understanding I5.0 and its points of differentiation is crucial for businesses to see how it will affect their current and long-term business strategies. Continue reading our article to better understand what the Fifth Industrial Revolution brings and what it will radically change.
What is Industry 5.0?
I5.0 goes beyond focusing on human productivity and efficiency and emphasizes working together with robots and smart machines. It defines a new industrial vision that strengthens the role of industry and its contribution to society.
In production environments, robots were already used for physically demanding, dangerous and repetitive tasks such as welding, painting, and handling heavy materials. I5.0 aims to combine the computing capabilities resulting from machines becoming smarter and more interconnected with skills based on human intelligence. I5.0 represents a shift away from focusing solely on economic value and towards a focus on social value and well-being by utilizing new technologies.
Evolution of the Industrial Revolution
When we look at the evolution of the industry, we see great revolutions, Industry 5.0 is one of these revolutions and defines the Fifth Industrial Revolution. New production technologies have fundamentally changed working conditions and lifestyles for people from the First Industrial Revolution to Industry 4.0.
Industry 1.0
Machines powered by steam and coal accelerated production processes, significantly increasing productivity. A profound revolution took place in industry, transportation, and thoughts about work.
Industry 2.0
Electricity and petroleum entered the scene. This period saw the use of mass production techniques like the electric grid and assembly lines. New technologies such as internal combustion engines transformed production processes and gave rise to new industries like automobiles, chemistry, and telecommunications.
Industry 3.0
Computers became part of the workforce. Programmable Logic Controllers, robots, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), and other Information Technologies initiated a new industrial revolution. The advent of internet access and renewable energies marked the beginning of new production processes, the age of automation, and globalization.
Industry 4.0
At the heart of Industry 4.0, which can be defined as the integration of intelligent digital technologies into manufacturing and industrial processes, artificial intelligence enables not only the collection of data, but also its use to analyze, predict, understand, and report. Industry 4. 0 is defined as the seamless integration of a range of systems, tools, and innovations rather than a single technology.
Industry 5.0
The industry of the future is an enhanced form of Industry 4.0, which we are in today. It focuses primarily on the collaborative relationship between humans and machines to increase people’s capabilities and improve working conditions. It also emphasizes sustainability and the use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and cognitive manufacturing systems to create adaptive and efficient production processes.
Why Industry 5.0?
Industries can actively and proactively take on a crucial role in addressing the challenges society faces, including the preservation of natural resources, combating climate change, and ensuring social stability. At the heart of the future industrial approach lies a priority to benefit both workers and society.
Beyond just empowering and ensuring the well-being of workers, attention is also given to their growing skill and education requirements. This not only enhances the industry’s competitiveness but also aids in bringing the best talents into the industry. Efforts are made to achieve better outcomes for the planet by supporting circular production methods, striving for efficient natural resource utilization, and prioritizing sustainability. By reevaluating current systems and improving energy consumption practices, industries can become more resilient to external factors and shocks.
Facts About Industry 5.0
To be prepared for I 5. 0 and its impacts on sectors, there are three key components that we need to understand:
It aims to work together, not to replace people.
Reducing the labor force and outsourcing monotonous and dangerous tasks to robots may seem like a good opportunity for businesses. However, human problem-solving and crisis management skills and the ability to use these skills more efficiently and effectively are becoming more and more prominent.
While robots are much more stable and better at precision work than humans, they are inflexible and lack the ability to adapt and think critically. Therefore, the human touch is still needed where critical decisions need to be made. Removing the human factor completely from the production facility will not speed things up but may lead to more complex and intractable problems.
It strives to strike the ideal balance between efficiency and productivity.
The goal of Industry 4.0 is to achieve maximum performance optimization by connecting machines, processes, and systems. I5.0, on the other hand, is focused on enhancing interactions based on collaboration between humans and machines.
In Industry 5.0, robots relieve humans of physically demanding tasks in production operations, allowing them to concentrate on other, more important and delicate tasks. In this way, human skills and capabilities complement robotics in an optimal manner.
Industry 5.0 is inevitable progress.
Once a process has been made more productive through technological advancements, there is no sense or benefit in reverting to the old ways. This is why nearly all office tasks are now handled by computer technologies. Similarly, I5.0 represents the new way of doing things in industry, and there is no going back.
The unstoppable progression of I5.0 is now evident, but it comes with important questions and consequences that manufacturers and policymakers must address, such as the risk of systemic vulnerabilities in highly integrated systems, as well as concerns about over-automation.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages:
The advantages offered by I5.0 can be listed as follows:
- Predictive maintenance through smart sensors, IoT devices, and customized software, replacing traditional preventive maintenance.
- Sustainability promises to use resources wisely by adapting to current needs.
- Industry 5.0 places humans at the center of production, where they focus on creativity and significant decision-making, while robots handle repetitive or even hazardous tasks.
- Smart sensors and software provide real-time and predictive insights into climate, humidity, temperature, and energy consumption.
- Smart machines, with customized software, machine learning, and industrial automation, can predict operational production efficiency.
Disadvantages:
Three main disadvantages can be identified:
- People may need to develop entirely new skills and learn how to work alongside robots.
- The adoption of new technologies always requires time and effort. How will the manufacturing industry implement technologies like customized software, real-time data, robotics, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Cloud to connect factories?
- There is a cost associated with training people for new roles. Some companies may struggle to upgrade production lines for Industry 5.0.
