Global Citizenship: Together for a Perfect PCB Solution
Smart Automation: Odd-form Assembly—Dedicated Insertion Equipment Matters
Nolan’s Notes: Everyone Has Their Eye on India
The Smart Factory IQ Test
March 13, 2019 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Let's see how prepared you are to talk about Industry 4.0. The following 12-question test will measure how much you know about smart factory concepts and philosophies[1]. Since the concept of a smart factory is larger than the electronics manufacturing industry and encompasses the entire supply chain, the terms and concepts here are also more global in nature.
Questions
1. To realize the digital supply network needed for smart factories, manufacturers must:
a. Introduce horizontal integration through multiple organizational systems
b. Implement vertical integration through manufacturing
c. Integrate throughout the entire value chain
d. All of the above
2. True or False: A smart factory implementation relies on shop floor automation exclusively.
3. True or False: The ability to adjust to and learn from data in real time can make the smart factory more responsive, proactive, and predictive, and enables the organization to avoid operational downtime and other productivity challenges.
4. In a proactive smart factory system, employees and systems can anticipate and act before issues arise, rather than reacting to them after they occur. Which feature is NOT a factor in delivering a proactive smart factory system:
a. Identifying anomalies, restocking, and replenishing
b. Destructive process testing
c. Predictively addressing quality issues
d. Monitoring safety and maintenance concerns
5. True or False: AI, cognitive computing, and machine learning have made it possible for smart factories to override human operator decisions on the shop floor.
6. Which of the following factors makes this the right time for smart factory implementations?
a. Manufacturing has grown increasingly global, fragmenting production and spreading it across multiple geographies
b. Smart, digital technologies have ushered in a new set of competitors who leverage the digitization to enter new markets
c. IT is beginning to take data from automation and turn it into insight and action
d. Skilled talent shortages are forcing manufacturers to mitigate risk and reconfigure staffing to do more with fewer staff
e. A and C
f. B and D
g. All of the above
7. Undertaking a smart factory journey can address a number of business practices. Which is NOT one of those practices:
a. Asset efficiency
b. Sustainability
c. Improved company picnics
d. Better profitability
e. Labor force stability
8. True or False: Smart factory automation achieves agile operation with off-the-shelf automation and control systems industry-wide.
9. Industry 4.0 includes which of the following digital and physical technologies:
a. Analytics
b. Web browsers
c. Robotics
d. High-performance computing
e. Augmented reality
f. AI and cognitive technologies
g. Buggy whips
h. Advanced materials
10. True or False: Organizational change management will be a simple, matter-of-fact affair since smart factories will result in a net loss of manufacturing jobs.
11. True or False: Cybersecurity becomes a greater concern precisely because a smart factory is highly connected.
12. True or False: The most effective way to implement a smart factory is to start with a greenfield ground-up/build-out.
This quiz is published in the March 2019 issue of PCB007 Magazine. To find out the answers to the questions, click here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Our marketing partnership with I-Connect007 is already delivering. Just a day after our press release went live, we received a direct inquiry about our updated products!"
Rachael Temple - AlltematedSuggested Items
I-Connect007 Launches Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest
09/15/2025 | I-Connect007I-Connect007 is pleased to announce the launch of Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest (AEPD), a new monthly digital newsletter dedicated to one of the most critical and rapidly evolving areas of electronics manufacturing: advanced packaging at the interconnect level.
ICAPE Group Unveils Exclusive Report on Sustainability in Electronics Manufacturing
09/15/2025 | ICAPE GroupICAPE Group, a global leader in printed circuit boards (PCBs) and custom electronics manufacturing, today announces the launch of its 2025 Industry Outlook & Innovation Report: Sustainability in Electronics Manufacturing. This exclusive report is accompanied by fresh insights from a dedicated Statista survey of 100 electronics manufacturing professionals, commissioned by ICAPE Group.
Panasonic Industry will Double the Production Capacity of MEGTRON Multi-layer Circuit Board Materials Over the Next Five Years
09/15/2025 | Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd.Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd., a Panasonic Group company, announced plans for a major expansion of its global production capacity for MEGTRON multi-layer circuit board materials today. The company plans to double its production over the next five years to meet growing demand in the AI server and ICT infrastructure markets.
Sustainability and Selective Soldering
09/15/2025 | Dr. Samuel J. McMaster, Pillarhouse InternationalSustainability is more than just a buzzword for the electronics industry; it’s a key goal for all manufacturing processes. This is more than a box-ticking exercise or simply doing a small part for environmentally friendly processes. Moving toward sustainable solutions drives innovation and operational efficiency.
ASM Technologies Limited signs MoU with the Guidance, Government of Tamilnadu to Expand Design-Led Manufacturing capabilities for ESDM
09/15/2025 | ASM TechnologiesASM Technologies Limited, a pioneer in Design- Led Manufacturing in the semiconductor and automotive industries, announced signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Guidance, Government of Tamilnadu whereby it will invest Rs. 250 crores in the state to expand its ESDM related Design-Led Manufacturing and precision engineering capacity. ASM Technologies will acquire 5 acres of land from the Government of Tamilnadu to set up a state-of-the-art design facility in Tamil Nadu's growing technology manufacturing ecosystem, providing a strong strategic advantage and long-term benefits for ASM.