K4.0 Kiosk

The K4.0 Kiosk was originally designed to meet internal manufacturing challenges at Integra Systems. As a manufacturer with circularity values and a commitment to Industry 4.0, we wanted to digitise our workflows and strive for a ‘cradle to cradle’ cycle wherever possible. We then challenged ourselves to create an all-in-one, kiosk-based digital solution that could centralise workflows and reduce waste by capturing manufacturing data and automatically synchronising this data into backend systems. The dramatic success of our own facility led us to commercialise it for others, meeting the needs of a vital gap in the manufacturing market.

We successfully identified the different process and information scenarios of manufacturers – such as ERP data, CAD and data measurement tools – and consolidated them into a centralised, digital environment that operates in real-time. The Kiosk represents the K4.0 concept’s all-in-one capability and reflects how information is accessed: via terminals (i.e. kiosks) located at each workcentre across a facility. This design enabled us to achieve a company-wide solution that married all aspects of business workflows digitally. We even included video connectivity for supercharged communications and live prototyping to ensure no stone was unturned in meeting our Industry 4.0 aspirations.

The K4.0 design was launched 12 months ago and has generated excitement across the industry as a world-first, revolutionising the way we work. Processes have sped up considerably and are easily measured due to the instantaneous, transparent nature of information. Clients and other departments can share in the process via online connection for reduced downtime between jobs. We estimate our time-savings as 30% per job and a 50% reduction in paper usage. Our ambitions have already been realised in manufacturing but the K4.0 will perform just as impressively in many other industry sectors as testament to its usability.

Integra’s K4.0 Kiosk utilises a powerful compact computer and large touchscreen display as its key hardware but has proven effective during the pandemic because of built-in hand gesture and facial recognition inputs (i.e. touchless functionality where you, quite literally, wave your hands in front of the screen to operate it). The Kiosk digitally tracks timesheets for accuracy of labour allocation and customer invoicing by enabling employees to ‘clock in’ and ‘clock out’. Via its connection to factory machines, it provides greater visibility into manufacturing and machine statistics, which helps reduce downtimes and increase productivity. Additionally, the Kiosk incorporates digital 3D drawings and assembly animation, instead of 2D paper ones, which contributes to version control, reduced errors and reduces confusion. The Kiosk is purposely unassuming in appearance so it can blend into any workspace, but it also boasts some simple manual features, such as a flip-out keyboard and mouse options plus storage drawers, that add to the design’s overall practicality. Here’s a high-level feature summary: 43” touchscreen Windows or Linux operating system Powerful internal computer Flip-out keyboard and mouse option Storage drawers Video call capabilities Easy connection – shop floor to design office, or customers to shop floor Machine connectivity