An Industry 4.0 Approach: Data Acquisition and Machine Monitoring for Welding Machines

The research introduces an innovative application of Industry 4.0 principles in welding by employing IIoTbased performance monitoring equipment. One the important aspect of Industry 4.0 adaption is understanding the requirement from the customer and develop/ provide the acceptable solution to them is crucial. An attempt has been made to develop a solution which can be used for any kind of welding machines including legacy welding machines. The developed solution delivers real-time updates on shop floor welding processes with the help of Operational Technology (OT) and Information technology (IT) with the help of hall effect sensors and voltage transducers by connecting them to the Programmable logic controller (PLC). Additionally, it facilitates real-time feedback, alerts, and report generation. The study comprehensively assesses the effectiveness and production capacity of an industrial welding system, presenting a detailed design overview and practical demonstration. Potential enhancements, such as integrating machine learning, emphasizing remote monitoring, evaluating energy efficiency, addressing cybersecurity, and assessing scalability, are explored. The research includes a cost–benefit analysis for the shopfloor and provides insights into the real-world effectiveness of IIoT-based welding performance monitoring in industrial contexts. The developed solution has been tested, validated, and deployed in one of the welding industries, and it has helped in real-time monitoring, scheduling the work and data analytics.