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14 June 2019

Technology leader Mitsubishi Electric met industrialists in "İşimiz Gücümüz Türkiye" event organized by GİSED (Turkey Venture Capital Funds Association) under the hosting of Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Mitsubishi Electric Turkey Factory Automation Systems OEM Business Development Senior Manager Tolga Bizel gave information about the brand's answer to Industry 4.0, the digital factory concept named e-F@ctory in his speech in the panel titled "What Should We Achieve?" and also made statements on topics such as Society 5.0, Internet of Things (IoT) and the future of robot technologies and artificial intelligence.

"İşimiz Gücümüz Türkiye" event where experiences that make industry's adaptation to the digital age possible such as security, robotics and analytics products and services were explained took place on 13 June by GİSED (Turkey Venture Capital Funds Association) and under the hosting of Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Taking his place as a spokesperson in panel discussion titled "What Should We Achieve?", Mitsubishi Electric Turkey Factory Automation Systems OEM Business Development Senior Manager Tolga Bizel informed us about the brand's answer to Industry 4.0, the digital factory concept titled e-F@ctory. Stating that the path to digital transformation goes through artificial intelligence, Tolga Bizel talked about recent advancements in robotics and Internet of Things (IoT).

Essence of Industry 4.0 is Commerce

Saying that rapid trading is a must have to compete in today's fast-paced consumerist conditions and that we need faster and more flexible factories to provide this, Tolga Bizel said; "When we look at the number of transactions made in the world over online trading websites within minutes, we can more easily comprehend why we need such a change. As a result, in the new era, consumers are forcing manufacturers to undergo a change. This change is not just about speed either, the customers' demands for personalized products also increase day by day. For example, consumers might want to design and personalize products they are about to buy themselves. At this point, it might come to a point where a production line, which is set specifically to manufacture a specific product might be required to be revised at a short notice where it can manufacture a different product, depending on the changing needs and market conditions. Your ability to adapt the investment made on your product line in accordance to the new necessities using a system consisting of robots and machines that can reshape themselves autonomously in the most ergonomical way possible, is the description of the new phase of industry. Thus, today and in the future, factories that can answer the flexible needs of consumer rapidly and perfectly will be needed. In summary, whether you call it Industry 4.0 or digital transformation of factories, its essence is trade. In the following periods, we believe that industrialists who can adapt to this transformation will increase their competitive power in global market."

Society 5.0 philosophy guides societies for adaptation to digital transformation

Saying that in our daily lives, the concept of IoT will make life easier for everyone from a high ranking manager to a housewife, Bizel said; "Now, systems that can detect what you are looking at, that can direct you accordingly and run the supply chain that is required in the background will take place. That your automobile can understand when tires have to be replaced and make the necessary order to the manufacturing plant on the other end of the world are expected as a development in manufacturing phases in the future. It is also possible that production lines of a brand can be integrated with their social media accounts to detect products liked by consumers in order to shape production lines accordingly. Looking at it from a wider angle, we can see that the concept of Industry 4.0 drastically affects the concept of Society 5.0 which targets a higher quality life for societies. Emphasizing that technology should be perceived as a helped and not as a threat to societies, Society 5.0 philosophy guides individuals and societies to adapt into this age of digital transformation and the fourth industrial revolution."

Artificial intelligence will change business models

Saying that digital transformation and smart manufacturing systems brought along with Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0 are concepts that will change societies and global balance, Tolga Bizel continued as such; "In the following period where a new manufacturing approach will take place along with interconnected production machines and human interaction; industrialists, cities, governments and researchers are predicted to perform studies in many different fields in order to adapt to the constantly developing and changing competitive environment. For industrialists in production stages, for governments in country and communication infrastructure, for local managements in city infrastructures and for researchers in R&D studies, priority will be to answer the requirements of Industry 4.0. In this period which we can name as informatics and technology age, smart cities, smart buildings and smart factories are expected to grow in numbers. Technologies such as mobile communication, wearables, smart vehicles, smart homes and Internet of Things will enable broader and more up-to-date data to be made available for companies. At this point, with it becoming easier to reach personal data and artificial intelligence applications increasing, traditional business models are expected to change. In this transformation period, it is possible to say that digital transformation will become a must for businesses."

It's possible to establish the factories of the future, starting today with e-F@ctory

Stating that machines came to a point where they can perceive what is going on around and they can communicate with one another via internet protocols in this age of digital transformation, Bizel said; "At Mitsubishi Electric, we answer this new industrial phase with our e-F@ctory concept. It's possible to establish the factories of the future, starting today with e-F@ctory. Today, thanks to e-F@ctory infrastructure, robots can communicate with other products on production lines and they are ready to share information within themselves and the main system controlling the factory without human intervention in order to increase efficiency. Because in e-F@ctory concept, all products that make up the factory automation work integrated to one another with open architecture."

Humans will work in better conditions thanks to robots

Stating that humans will always be needed in order to install perfectly running systems in manufacturing processes, manage them perfectly and to revise them if needed, Bizel said; "Of course, robots will be densely used in digital factories, but at that point we should also keep in mind that robots will be there to work hand to hand with humans. In this new age, it is expected to share the work between humans and robots in categories of physical works and works that require power of thinking. As robots use repeating algorithms to take care of routine works that require physical power, humans will have the chance to work in better conditions and do works that create added value. Thus, as emphasized with Society 5.0 philosophy, science and technology is used to improve quality of life of people in the age of digital transformation, just like in any previous industrial revolution" ending his words.

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