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58 MMS August 2017 mmsonline.com QUALITY GAGING TIPS Columnist The internet and modern technology increas- ingly are shaping the manufacturing industr y. Digitalization already has changed our world, and now we are facing another significant change, a new revolution in manufacturing. It's called Indus- try 4.0, the networked factory. The first Industrial Revolution came about with water power and the steam engine, giving people access to a wide range of goods for the first time. The next revolution included electric power, which led to mass production. The third iteration brought about computerization, which led to immense advances in product quality but also required networks, setting the groundwork for fur ther changes. The fourth revolution, Industry 4.0, will facilitate extensive individualization, even further changing how products will be manufactured and sold. Today, information is a matter of course, acces- sible to everyone and no longer a "privilege." During the third revolution about 35 years ago, the concept of data collection for process control took a major leap forward. This was about the time that a com- bination of electronic technology and economics allowed gaging to become digital. With a digital signal available, it became possible to transfer information via cable directly from a digital caliper, micrometer or indicator to a data collector. This made it much more practical to make process- control decisions based on statistical analysis. Until now, checking parts at a gaging station with a hand tool or a dedicated fixture gage con- nected to a computer via a cable for data collec- tion has been the norm. Today's hand tools and digital indicators have data output built in, making collecting data easy and cost-effective. These tools also are fast and reliable, and provide a great solution for many process- or quality-control applications. However, they still require that cable from the gage to the computer to facilitate the data collection. Industry 4.0 wants to take data collection to new levels, monitoring all along the manufactur- ing process, collecting and storing information from individual measurements to offsets sent to the machines to production results. A lot of data need to be collected. But the collection process must be easy and transparent to the operator without requiring additional work that would delay the manufacturing process. Technology is ready to take that leap. Just as cellphones and wireless computer peripherals have become common in our everyday lives, wire- less technology is moving onto the shop floor. Small transmitters are now being built into digital calipers, digital micrometers and digital indicators, allowing them to wirelessly send data to the gaging computer. Each integrated transmit ter in the measuring tool uses slightly different signal coding that allows many gaging stations to communicate to a single computer simultaneously. These trans- mitters are not that much more expensive than data cables, making the cost more than justifiable when cabling alone won't get the job done. Data Collection for Industry 4.0 Wireless technology is moving onto the shop floor, and its integration in digital gaging is contributing to the next Industrial Revolution. GEORGE SCHUETZ DIRECTOR OF PRECISION GAGES MAHR INC.