Don’t Forget to Lock Your Robot

There was a time when keeping your business safe and secure meant firmly locking the doors behind you when you went home for the evening. Now we store documents and important information electronically. We need strong passwords and robust firewalls to keep the bad guys from reading sensitive emails and tapping into our bank accounts.

We don’t yet know everything Industry 4.0, smart manufacturing, and smart factories will bring, but we know that artificial intelligence will play an important role. Mobile robots appear to be a part of that future, too. We now have mobile 3D printers that could be used for additive manufacturing, and while not industrial, it’s easy to see how Amazon’s warehouse robots could be used in an industrial setting.

As factories become more automated, security needs change. Increased automation means that you will need much more than a deadbolt and your favorite band name spelled backwards to keep your factory safe and secure.

Cross-country hacking

Researchers at Brown University and University of Washington recently demonstrated how a robot could be remotely hacked from 3,000 miles away. They also determined with a few quick scans that there were several potentially hackable robots currently operating in the U.S.

Instead of hijacking the machines, the researchers informed the owners that their robots were vulnerable. The significant takeaway here is that people are installing systems without taking proper cybersecurity measures.

People and machines are working together

The trend in manufacturing is moving towards automation and collaborative robots. The clear lines between human work and machine work are getting a little fuzzy. Traditionally people have been in the offices or behind barriers safe from the big, bad machines. But as we see more human-machine interactions in manufacturing, manufacturers need to consider cybersecurity more seriously.

Not just for keeping your information private and protected, but also keeping workers safe while on the floor.

Keep your machines safe

Another important part of keeping your business safe and secure is ensuring that your machines are in good working order. Keeping your machines working like they should ensures worker safety and prevents avoidable downtime.

Indramat motion control systems don’t require much attention, but they do need service from time to time. Call 479-422-0390 for help with Indramat error codes, Indramat repair, or preventive maintenance and inspection for your Indramat system.