Cyber-physical systems, or Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), represent one of the fundamental pillars ofIndustry 4.0. The concept, thanks to the increasing availability of connectivity, has allowed for an ever-widening practical deployment of these technologies. But what are they all about? And what are their fields of application? Let’s find out in stages.

What are Cyber-Physical Systems and why they are already present in companies

The term Cyber-Physical Systems identifies intelligent systems comprising engineered networks of nodes capable of interacting with each other, consisting of physical and computational elements.

This definition was coined by Radhakisan Baheti and Helen Gill¹. Importantly, the original definition also mentions the ability to interact with humans in innovative ways.

Functionally, especially in the manufacturing sector, we can define as a cyber-physical system any physical entity capable of connecting to the Internet, as is already the case in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). However, to be classified as a CPS, a connected device or machinery must be capable of:

  • monitor themselves automatically;
  • Generate information about its own operation;
  • Communicating with other entities.

This needs to be done autonomously, without the need for any control activities or data mining. In this sense, CPSs can be considered an operational evolution of industrial IoT, in which devices, in addition to being connected, enjoy an increasing level of autonomy.

Where Cyber-Physical Systems Find Application in Enterprises

To better clarify what this is all about, let’s take a widely recognized example: the latest generation of cars can be considered CPS. This applies not only to self-driving models, but also to those equipped with parking and anti-collision sensors, which are capable of stopping the car if the driver does not intervene in time.

In the industrial setting, either a single connected and autonomous machine or an entire smart factory can be considered CPS. Here, the autonomy of operations is complemented by the possibility of control and intervention by operators, who can decide whether to take note of what is happening or interact with the system to implement correctives.

As we have mentioned, CPSs can be understood as an evolution, or rather a hybridization, of industrial IoT with embedded systems, which first introduced electronics and later information and communication technology (ICT) into machinery, equipping them with dispositive and instrumental capabilities.

Today, cyber-physical systems find use in all areas where there is a need to make operations more efficient, from monitoring to production, especially where a certain level of discretion is required. These systems fit into that rather large area where automation of linear processes is not enough, but neither does it require the problem solving skills typical of humans.

Enabling advanced controls and monitoring

Another field of particular interest in which CPSs find wide application is in the establishment of so-called smart sensor grids. Thanks to the combination of timeliness in information gathering, autonomous interaction capabilities and analysis typical of big data, it is possible to build highly efficient control systems capable of autonomously performing first-level interventions based on received instructions. These characteristics make the discipline of cyber-physical systems particularly attractive for the management of critical infrastructure, both in an absolute sense and with regard to corporate assets.

For example, within the supply chain, cyber-physical systems can adjust the pace of production based on the raw materials actually available, taking into account all intermediate processing and adjusting based on monitoring the different machinery or departments involved. For supply chains where machinery startup has particularly wasteful modes, the ability to avoid them or manage them in an optimized manner can be an important optimization point.

Integrating the physical and digital worlds is already a reality

Cyber-Physical Systems somehow embody all the key features of Industry 4.0 and the smart factory, formalizing the concept in a design in which the roles of next-generation machinery and devices are established and recognized. Interconnectedness, data-driven decision autonomy and, most importantly, the ability to inform operators for better quality decisions are the main aspects of these systems.

Do you want to make your company’s supply chain more efficient? Tell us your needs and find out together with our experts the best way to start the digital transformation process.

¹: Source. IEE Control Systems Society

Summary