The future is now

Half travel diary, half illustrated documentary, THE FUTURE IS NOW is a one-of-a-kind account of an industrial and human adventure.

Our writer and illustrator spent four days embedded in Renault’s production facilities to see what goes on within their walls and how things are changing in the world of Industry 4.0.

Fast forward

to the future

When Renault suggested we do an inside report on the smart factories of the future, I immediately saw myself as Marty McFly in his DeLorean. Without missing a beat, I grabbed Erwann (my trusty Doc Brown) to FAST FORWARD TO THE FUTURE.

Industry 4.0 is a little like 4G mobile

Fourth Industrial Revolution or I4.0
It’s 2010s, the era of connected objects, big data and artificial intelligence, as well as of mass customisation, unique products and new technologies connecting the customer to the production facility. I think this assignment is going to keep us on our toes!

We're knocked speechless!

We’ve never seen anything
like it.
A fantastic mechanical dance.
A vast, noisy hangar filled
with people, robots, conveyor belts
and busy operators
right and left.
Everything fits together
and dovetails seamlessly.
It never stops.
We don’t know where
to start.

The first thing that strikes me is how orderly everything looks. Each person is in the right place and seems to always know what they are expected to do. The line operators’ movements are organised and precise. Every minute – or every 72 seconds, to be exact – a new vehicle arrives and the same routine begins all over again. It’s like a perfectly choreographed industrial ballet.

Journey to the Centre
of the Factory

At exactly 5:15 p.m., Julien, the maintenance technician who looks like he's 18 but is really 30, piques our curiosity:

"Want me to take you to a place where no one ever goes?"

Erwann and I nod at each other. This is just the kind of challenge we like. A few seconds later, we find ourselves following our knowledgeable guide up an iron staircase.

The climb takes us from a noisy swarming beehive to a virtually deserted silent area overlooking the entire production line. It’s mesmerizing. There’s only the car bodies moving along on the conveyor belts at regular intervals.

“Look, that’s where the customisation starts. That’s where the film begins.”

Bang Goes the Theory

“We’ve put all of the supply chain – deliveries, inventory, parts preparation and assembly kit distribution – on the periphery of the production line. What you need to understand is that everything is organised around this central line,” explains Franck patiently, outlining the setup with his hands.
“The system is designed to optimise flows by shortening the distances as much as possible.

This has also had a critical impact on safety, because it reduces the opportunities for accidents,” he continues, as though talking to a small child.
“In this way, we’ve improved performance next to the line, redrawn and optimised flow paths, simplified each person’s work and significantly improved end-product quality and compliance. It’s as simple as that.”

Hmm... it doesn’t seem that simple to me, Franckie baby!

I ask him about the “full kitting” and “AGVs” everyone keeps mentioning since we got here. “Full kitting and the AGVs keep the system running smoothly.

AGV

As you’ve seen, the entire system is organised around mass customisation. Off to the side, at the start of the line, we prepare a kit for a specific customer’s vehicle – we’ll call him Fred.
A small mobile robot, or AGV (for Autonomous Guided Vehicle), brings the kit to the right place at the right time, with the exact number of parts needed for Fred’s car. This set of parts for each vehicle in the day’s film is known as the AGV kit. Is it clearer now?”

AGV charger

AGV kit

My Friend the Cobot

When Erwann and I arrive in Cléon on the fourth day of our assignment, we can only talk about one thing: collaborative robots, or cobots. These are robots that work hand in hand with humans. Together.

Until now, they had been kept at a distance. In sheet metal working, for example, the very powerful and imposing robots are in their own separate space, for safety reasons. On the assembly line, there are many men and women assisted by mechanical arms and AGVs, but few robots.

Now, finally, robots working with humans! It’s a new world!

As I watch the engine assembly line, it takes me a while to understand that the articulated arm screwing pieces together every ten seconds next to the young female operator is a collaborative robot. Somehow, it wasn’t as impressive as I expected.

A Special Partner

“Actually, it’s a real revolution,” says Laurent, whose enthusiasm is infectious. “You have to keep all that power under control, because there’s always someone right beside the robot. It can’t be too fast, or move too suddenly. The pace of the partnership has to be worked out, and the tasks are shared. The cobot only handles tedious tasks with no added value, while the operator uses higher skills.”

When you look at it that way, it is impressive.

"Digital is the new normal!"

The Strongest Link

After talking with Isabelle and spending several days embedded in a smart factory, I see that Industry 4.0 isn’t just about transforming manufacturing, but rather fits into a much larger picture: the transformation of society.

In today’s world, our relationship with mobility has changed. We no longer get around or use automobiles in the same way. Customers have different expectations. This paradigm shift has certainly contributed to the changes under way in automotive manufacturing. To be sure, we’ve got the digital transformation, connected objects and collaborative robots, but the real news is that they are being used to create the customised, autonomous electric vehicles this decade’s customers want.
Factories have simply adapted. Well, so to speak – it’s not that simple. New professions, new skills and new tools –

The world is changing and industry is adapting fast

Clearly, my first-day images of Charlie Chaplin and my Granddad’s Renault 4 are a thing of the past.

The future
of your dreams

Cosmic car

Cosmic Cars Cybotron

Car, Car, Car DJ Hell

Cars Gary Numan

Drive Bobby McFerrin

Drive My Car Curtis Harding

Ride Like The Wind Christopher Cross

Robots are our friends

The Robots Kraftwerk

Robot Rock Daft Punk

The Girl And The Robot Röyksopp

Cvalda (Dancer In The Dark) Björk

I Robot The Alan Parsons Project

Everyday Robot Damon Albarn

The future was better before

Love In Outer Space Sun Ra

Future Shock Herbie Hancock

Shape The Future Nightmares On Wax

Souvenir Du Futur -M-

Mothership Reconnection (Daft Punk Remix) Scott Grooves feat. Parliament/Funkadelic

Intergalactic Beastie Boys

The production line

in 72 seconds flat

The factory changes

day after day

A look at the future

as weeks go by

The future is now

The future
of your dreams

The production line

in 72 seconds flat

The factory changes

day after day

A look at the future

as weeks go by

The future is now

The future of your dreams

The future
of your dreams