(180b) Industry 4.0 Applications to Four Chemical Engineering Operations – a Learning Experience for Engineering Students

Abstract

Industry 4.0 is characterized by technologies that connect the physical and digital space. It could be construed as an evolution of Industry 3.0 which brought us the digital revolution. It will encompass the evolution of technologies, such as: robotics, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, internet of things (IoT) as well as the industrial internet of things (IIoT), bio-molecular science, blockchain technology, additive manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, and fifth generation wireless technologies. These technologies will significantly speed up the rate of change and will drastically alter the way companies will produce, market, and distribute goods and services and develop life-long relationships with their customers.

Chemical companies are not oblivious to the transformative changes that Industry 4.0 will bring. Many are already changing or preparing to change their mode of operations to incorporate strategic goals that would make them more competitive. Workforce preparation is a part and parcel of such a major transformation. Hence, it is prudent for technological colleges and universities to offer interdisciplinary courses, minors, or concentrations that in some way would bridge the gap among various Industry 4.0 disciplines, thereby allowing students to broaden their perspectives and explore possibilities beyond their narrower academic field.

Today’s information workers need to be multi-taskers, fully capable of working with colleagues, suppliers, and customers with vastly different educational backgrounds. Hence, in addition to their in-depth knowledge in their own areas of expertise, they also need to have a broader understanding of other relevant academic disciplines.

This paper specifically describes four chemical engineering operations that were significantly transformed by a group of students who incorporated selected Industry 4.0 technologies. The four operations included injection molding, wastewater treatment, desalination, and synthesis of iron nanoparticles. Student engagement was in form of course projects conducted by individual students as they evaluated four selected operations and explored ways to transform those operations into “lights-out-manufacturing” with little or no human intervention.

The objective was to make the operations completely automated using I-4.0 technologies. Technologies that were considered included: IIoT, ML, blockchain, AI, AR, and VR. Additionally, upstream, and downstream operations were considered with particular attention to industrial symbiosis possibilities.