Implementation of an Automated Pick and Place System for Didactic Study of Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 represents a significant evolution in the field of automation and production, imposing the need to develop advanced educational platforms to train the next generation of engineers and researchers. In this article, is presented an innovative didactic platform for the study of Industry 4.0, focused on the implementation of an automated pick and place system. Our platform integrates advanced hardware and software components, including pneumatic cylinders, vacuum grippers, IO-Link sensors, IO-Link master and IO-Link solenoid valve group, HMI (Human-Machine Interface) and control buttons. These components are interconnected to create a modular and flexible system that is easy to use for educational and research purposes. The article will detail the architecture and operation of the system, as well as the software development process, including the programming languages and environments used. It will also discuss the implemented communication protocols (Profinet, OPC UA, MQTT) and the possibility of activating a web server for interfacing with other systems. The results obtained demonstrate the efficiency and applicability of our platform in the educational environment, providing students and researchers with an interactive and practical environment for understanding and applying Industry 4.0 concepts. This platform is a valuable resource for training future generations of automation and advanced technology specialists.