NMIM readies for Industry 4.0
WITH the advent of the Industry 4.0 in Malaysia, SIRIM’s National Metrology Institute of Malaysia (NMIM) is stepping up its efforts to ensure that it can offer the proper support to industries looking to embrace the benefits of this new industrial revolution.
In the smart manufacturing environment, calibration affirms the quality of a product by determining how the product measures up to and is in compliance with specified standards, whether national or international.
In the wake of Industry 4.0, a bigger and faster marketplace is emerging. Accurate measurements are increasingly important for industries to enhance their competitiveness and the marketability of their products. Consequently, new calibration techniques have to be explored to address arising needs.
One approach to support the growing smart manufacturing ecosystem is remote calibration. Traditionally, an industry player would have to physically bring their devices to NMIM’s laboratory to be calibrated against its primary standards, which takes time.
“The normal calibration process can take around two to three weeks. What’s more, some sensors and machineries cannot be disassembled. Therefore, there is a need for remote calibration to reduce disruptions to the manufacturing process,“said NMIM senior director Dr Osman Zakaria.
With remote calibration, the process can be conducted via the Internet or radio frequency. This can help speed up the calibration process and minimise the production downtime.
“Because the calibration process is faster, the company will be able to boost increase its productivity.
“Remote calibration is currently still being tested in the testing stage in Malaysia. “We need to ensure the accuracy of the data being transmitted and iron out the kinks. For example, how can we monitor and verify that the standards are conformed to?” he said.
Data credibility is another issue.
The system established has to be secure so that hacks, interference or software tampering does not occur. This is where good support infrastructure is needed.
At the moment, there are few countries adopting advanced calibration processes, such as Germany and the United States. These countries have already established a system that allows for remote calibration.
Malaysia still lacks quality infrastructure to support the calibration processes required for Industry 4.0. It is, therefore, imperative that the country create an ecosystem that is able to facilitate smooth communication between the cyber and physical realms.
“Training programmes are also essential to equip our people with the proper capabilities. This will ensure that the progression of our calibration services is aligned with Industry 4.0 requirements.”
Additionally, a comprehensive software system that is able to transmit the information gathered is also required.
As the national measurement institute, NMIM has a key role in upholding primary standards. This means that all other secondary laboratories are required to be competent in carrying out secondary calibration processes. Therefore it is mandatory for all secondary laboratories to send their equipment to NMIM for calibration.
“We are the highest ranked metrology institute in the country, as such we have to be competitive and continuously keep improving to be on par with other countries,” said Osman.