UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN

ACADEMIC YEAR 2022/2023

ASSIGNMENT

UEMH4283 - AUTOMATION IN THE 4TH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

BY
ONG LOKE BOON
(1701489)

Bachelor (Hons.) of Chemical Engineering

Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science

1.1. Introduction

Industrial revolution is a term used to describe the milestone humanity reached in search of a more
efficient way to derive work done in important aspect of economic growth in industry such as
textile, iron industry, steam powers, machine tools, and transportation. In modern history, the
Industrial Revolution was the transition from an agriculture and handicraft economy to one
dominated by industry and machine assembly. These technological advancements provided new
methods of working and living, drastically altering civilization. This procedure began in the 18th
century in Britain and extended throughout the world from there. Although French writers used
the word earlier, the English economic historian Arnold Toynbee (1852-83) popularized it to
describe Britain's economic progress from 1760 to 1840. Since Toynbee's time, the phrase has
been used to refer to a process of economic transition rather than a period in a specific location.
This explains why certain regions like China and India did not start experiencing their first
industrial revolutions until the 20th century, while others like the United States and western Europe
started experiencing their "second" industrial revolutions by the late 19th century.

1.2. Literature Review

In the 18th century, modern industrialization started in England and Scotland, where farmers,
particularly in Scotland, had high literacy rates. As a result, literate artisans, skilled laborer,
foremen, and managers are hired to operate the newly established textile factories and coal mines.
Unskilled labor constituted a large portion of the workforce, and at textile mills in particular,
children as young as eight proved beneficial for performing duties and boosting the family's
revenue ("Industrial Revolution | Definition, History, Dates, Summary, & Facts", 2022).

Textile industrial revolution began when the preceding proto industrialization driven by small
scale agriculture of cotton and low marginal labor productivity, more rural workers are available
to expand the manufacturing of spinning raw cotton into yarn, weavers working looms to produce
cloth and linen. However, when demand for textiles increased after 1650, particularly in the
eighteenth century, merchants sought more and more cottage laborer to make an increasing number
of commodities. Proto industrialization occurred frequently, in locations with poor soil,
mountainous terrain, or a concentration of land in a few hands. In the eighteenth century, it reached
unparalleled proportions, even dominating specific regions in the Netherlands, northern France,
the German Rhineland, Belgium, and, above all, England ("Proto-Industry | Encyclopedia.com",
2022).

Power loom was then designed and invented in 1786 by Edmund Cartwright for the sole purpose
of improving textile production. The power loom has four functions namely shedding, picking,
battening and taking-up operations. Shedding is the raising of the warp yarns to form a loop
through which the filling yarn, carried by the shuttle, can be inserted. The shed is formed as the
harnesses elevate the heddles or healds, which raise the warp strands. A little carrier device known
as a shuttle inserts the filling yarn through the shed. Normally, the shuttle is pointed at both ends
to allow passage through the shed. The filling yarn is wound onto a quill, which is then installed
in the shuttle in a conventional shuttle loom. As the shuttle goes across the loom, the filled yarn
emerges through a hole in the shuttle. The shuttle weaves an edge, or selvage, on either side of the
fabric as it moves back and forth across the shed, preventing the cloth from raveling. The shuttle
goes through apertures in another frame called a reed as it moves across the loom, laying down the
fill yarn (which resembles a comb). The reed presses or battens each filling yarn against the section
of the fabric that has already been created with each plucking operation. With each weaving
operation, the newly constructed fabric must be wound on a cloth beam. This process is called
taking up. At the same time, the warp yarns must be let off or released from the warp beams.

Industrial revolution has changed the ways people’s usage of basic building material to iron and
steel, energy resources form man labor to fuel such as steam engines, coal, electricity, and
petroleum with the introduction of internal combustion engine that outperforms traditional means
in transportation. In addition, the wave of new digital infrastructure job skill that are required for
operating machines and automated system in a production facility have made people more inclined
to embark on blended learning which consists of face-to-face learning with practical activities to
stimulate critical thinking, and digital literacy such as programming, data analysis to better suit for
the future working landscape of automation whereby the machine operates in tandem with internet
of things.
1.3. Discussion

The Industrial Revolution was defined by technological, economical, and cultural factors. Among
the technological advancements were the following: (1) the use of new basic materials, primarily
iron and steel; (2) the use of new energy sources, including both fuels and motive power, such as
coal, the steam engine, electricity, petroleum, and the internal-combustion engine; (3) the
invention of new machines, such as the spinning jenny and the power loom, which enabled
increased production with a lower expenditure of human energy; and (4) the factory system, which
entailed increased division of labor; (5) significant advancements in transportation and
communication and lastly, increasing application of science into industry with the use of electricity
in place of hand operated tools.

The innovation of power loom has greatly increased the efficiency of the textile industry by
lowering the labor hour on hand weaving which is time consuming whilst modern clothing industry
have used synthetic material besides cotton to improve on the durability of the cloths, breathability
and feel to cater the consumer needs. On the agricultural side, the demanding care for cotton
production has driven more farmers to implement smart automation with sprinkler irrigation
system that monitors the moisture content in the soil to determine the amount of water used to
irrigate the cotton plant. The advancement of genetic engineering on the crops has also help
increase the output of the cotton plantation scale with its increase resistance towards lepidopteran
pests such as American bollworm that causes the plant to grow mold, disrupting the photosynthesis
of the plant (Rajendran et al., 2018).

However, industrialization has brought uneven development to a country where city with
technology and resources grow rapidly with infrastructure only built in densely populated place
while the rural area suffers from lower economic output. One of the most distinctive and long-
lasting elements of the Industrial Revolution was the emergence of cities. In pre-industrial societies,
about 80% of people lived in rural areas reliant on agriculture and animal husbandry. Population
expansion caused by the agricultural revolution and the emergence of industry had diminished
possibilities in rural areas, forcing huge migrations to industrialized cities.

The quality of living for many skilled workers declined dramatically over the first 60 years of the
Industrial Revolution. Skilled weavers, for example, were a form of middle class in pre-industrial
society. They grew their own vegetables, made textiles in their houses or tiny shops, and reared
farm animals. They oversaw themselves. The Industrial Revolution was the transition from mostly
agrarian to primarily industrialized society. The contrast was dramatic, particularly for the first
few generations of factory employees who experienced life in the country against life in the
industrial metropolis. With essentially no new legislation and power concentrated in the hands of
the affluent, the emerging working class in the industries suffered (Asam Mark, 2020).

1.4 Conclusion

The Industrial Revolution, also known as the First Industrial Revolution, altered the way
businesses ran and had a long-term impact on the communities we live in today. It lasted from the
1700s through the 1800s. Businesses used economies of scale to streamline their processes and
produce more products at a lower cost. It raised the number of available jobs and the pay linked
with them. Workers went to cities in search of work at the newly established factories, which
initially paid more than farming. Cities changed their planning to accommodate the large influx of
people while maintaining acceptable living standards. Governments enacted measures to protect
industry employees and reduce the exponential increase in pollution that occurred throughout the
era. Entrepreneurs and existing firms were also in greater need of finance because of the upheaval.
Banks grew to provide the required money for these high-growth regions.
2.1. Introduction

A cyber-physical system (CPS) or intelligent system is a computer system that controls or monitors
a mechanism using computer-based algorithms. Physical and software components are closely
linked in cyber-physical systems, allowing them to operate on diverse spatial and temporal scales,
display multiple and distinct behavioral modalities, and interact with each other in context-
dependent ways (Plimpton, 2010). CPS employs transdisciplinary methodologies that combine
cybernetics, mechatronics, design, and process science theory. Process control is sometimes
known as embedded systems. The emphasis in embedded systems is more on the computational
aspects and less on an intense interaction between the computational and physical parts. CPS is
also like the Internet of Things (IoT), sharing the same basic architecture; nevertheless, CPS
presents a higher combination and coordination between physical and computational elements.

A full-fledged CPS, as opposed to more standard embedded systems, is often designed as a

network of interacting elements with physical input and output rather than as independent devices.
The concept is strongly related to robotics and sensor networks, with computational intelligent
methods leading the way. Continuous breakthroughs in science and engineering strengthen the
connection between computer and physical elements through intelligent mechanisms, enhancing
the adaptability, autonomy, efficiency, functionality, dependability, safety, and usefulness of
cyber-physical systems (Hu et al., 2022).

2.2 Literature Review

The future of cyber physical system (CPS) for present now wearables such as smart watch and
glasses with its sensors can be linked with our mobile devices as a digital identity which can be
used for big data analysis for the human healthcare. Objects equipped with sensors, actuators,
computing, and networking are the foundation for a digitalized reality. Today, we already have
wearables. In the future, with new materials and sensor components, sensing can be embedded in
clothing or even implanted into our bodies.

Tiny sensors for nonliving objects such as buildings, automobiles, highways, and robots are
shrinking in size, becoming cheaper, and shipping in billions now. New materials and sensing
technologies expand the variety of sensing modalities available, ranging from temperature and
heart rate to chemical compounds and different gases, to name a few ("DIGITALIZED
PROGRAMMABLE PHYSICAL WORLD", 2022). Printed and bio-degradable electronics have
the potential to enable novel deployment scenarios and applications that are not now available.
Embedded computing, including support for Machine Learning-based inference, has already
enabled even the smallest processors to extract insights from living subjects. Sensor, actuation,
and computer advancements serve not only the low-end of the physical object scale, but also the
instrumentation of massive and expensive machinery, such as factory production cells and wind
turbines.

Another foreseeable trend is the usage of digital twin (DT) to digitalize the control variable
workings into a software to operate a machine remotely. The fundamental idea of a DT is to build
a digital replica (i.e., virtual models) of physical entities to simulate and reflect their states and
behaviors via modelling and simulation analysis, as well as to forecast and control their future
states and behaviors via feedback (Tao et al., 2019). Because the status, behaviors, and attributes
of the physical world vary continuously, all types of data are constantly produced, consumed, and
stored from the time a product is created until it is discarded. To achieve consistency, the DT
incorporates whole aspects, the entire business, and process data. A DT, when used in conjunction
with data analysis, enables firms to make more accurate predictions, logical decisions, and
informed production.

Cyber physical technology such as augment reality (AR) augments the real world with virtual
items and information that coexist in the same area as the real world on the user’s view (Lukman
Khalid, Fathi and Mohamed, 2014). It has the potential to transform how actual information is
delivered to people and to become the newest advancement in information visualization. For
instance, augmented reality can help train engineers or simulate procedures before a person
implements them in the real world. Augmented reality and digital twins have applications in
manufacturing, medicine, energy, and whenever complex training and procedures are performed
on expensive equipment, or when human safety is a critical factor.
2.3 Discussion

Sensing and actuation can entail a wide range of data kinds, reflecting the availability of different
sensing and actuation modalities, such as humidity, nutrition level, or activating an insulin pump
integrated in a person's body. Data rates and dependability requirements can range from single
sensor readings every now and then, possibly daily, to rigorous real-time streaming of data and
control commands utilized in advanced deployments, such as in industrial processing facilities.
Consider that sensor and actuator deployments can be designed to last up to 10-20 years. Sensor
and actuator technologies will vary depending on the industry segment to which they are employed.

Today, programming is primarily accomplished through low-level programming or by manually

specifying and modifying parameters needed in various models. The application of AI, machine
learning, and machine reasoning technologies is quickly expanding, resulting in digital twins (DT)
becoming more self-adaptive and automated, capable of delivering on demands and tasks specified
at a more abstract or higher level. This can be accomplished by establishing intents or objectives,
desired behavior, or a specific consequence. For example, we can program a machine to order
service on parts before they break, while minimizing the impact on manufacturing yield or delivery
lead times. This can be figured out by the digital twin itself with the correct prediction, knowledge
of production plans, and availability of service support. This implies that all relevant resources are
networked and interoperable, and that the necessary information is always available. Digital twins
will become increasingly automated, adaptive, and, eventually, intelligent through time. They will
begin as newborns, learn through interaction with others, and grow into wise adults, possibly
without the involvement of humans.

Ansys, Autodesk, Bosch, Dassault Systems, Siemens, and more suppliers provide modelling and
simulation capabilities through their digital twin platforms. Furthermore, public clouds, such as
Azure Digital Twins and Google's Supply Chain Twin, have enhanced their IoT platforms with
digital twin capabilities (Sacolick, 2021). From these platforms, virtual prototyping can be done
whereby the use of simulation methods for the testing, assessment, and modification of prototypes
in virtual design environments. To identify and fix any issues before construction, virtual
prototyping includes constructing digital models in 3D, 4D, nD, and VR that offer expanded
facilities for further exploration of features and behaviors.
Amazon Kinesis Data Streams, Amazon Sage Maker, AWS Lambda, and other services may be
used in Amazon Web Services (AWS) digital twin architectures. IoT and other real-time data
streams may also feed various systems, including digital twins, which developers must consider.
This includes setting data streaming technologies to transfer real-time data between production
systems and digital twin development and test environments.

2.4 Conclusion

Smart manufacturing is an unavoidable development and attaining cyber-physical interaction and

integration in manufacturing is a critical prerequisite. CPS and DTs are the preferred methods for
accomplishing this. These two technologies, however, are not similar. This study explores the
relationship and comparison among CPS and DTs. It examines and analyses CPS and DTs from
many angles, discussing the differences and correlations between them. Digital twins are an
intriguing developing technology that illustrates the integration of numerous technologies such as
machine learning, IoT, data streaming, and augmented reality. It will usher in a new era of
innovation, safety, and efficiency across a wide range of industries.
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