KC12603 Industrial Revolution & Sustainability

• Industrial Revolution

  • Changes in manufacturing with fewer things being made by hand, and instead made using machines in larger-scale factories
  • Shift from batch to more continuous processing
• Batch processing before Industrial Revolution

  1. Individuals mix predetermined amounts of ingredients in a vessel, heat, cool or pressurize the mixture for a predetermined length of time

  2. Product to be isolated, purified and tested to achieve a saleable product
• Continuous processing

  Larger volume chemicals are now produced through continuous "assembly line" chemical processes
• Types of chemical production

  • Continuous manufacturing processes for commodity chemicals and petrochemicals
  • Batch processes for speciality chemicals, fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals
• 1st Industrial Revolution began in Europe


  1760s
• 1st Industrial Revolution

  • Transition from traditional craft production methods to machine powered production, giving rise to new manufacturing processes and rapid expansion of factories
  • Textile industry transformed with introduction of new machines for spinning and weaving
• Steam engine invention

  • Allowed steam power to spread across British industries, including flour, paper, and cotton mills, iron works, distilleries, waterworks and canals
  • Transformed the way energy was produced and used
• Use of coal as a source of energy became more widespread during the 1st Industrial Revolution, as it was more efficient and less expensive than other fuels like wood
• Developments such as the steamship or the steam-powered locomotive brought about further massive changes because humans and goods could move great distances in fewer hours
• 2nd Industrial Revolution began

  1870s
• 2nd Industrial Revolution

  • Advancements in pre-existing technologies and the discovery of chemical energy and electricity, mass production of steel and also assembly line production
  • Development of electricity and telecommunication networks transformed the way businesses operated
• Bessemer process

  First inexpensive industrial process that allowed for the mass production of steel
• The Bessemer Process changed the world by making steel cost-effective and mass-producible
• Steel rails lasted ten-time longer than iron rails and could support longer trains with heavier loads, revolutionizing transportation of people and goods
• The expansion of rail networks, along with the development of the internal combustion engine, led to the growth of the automobile industry
• The introduction of electric machines into factories and the introduction of the production line further reduced costs and enabled lower priced goods in the market
• 3rd Industrial Revolution began

  1950s
• 3rd Industrial Revolution


  • Partial automation using memory-programmable controls and computers
  • Invention of the Integrated Circuit (microchip) and the use of electronics and Information Technology to achieve further automation in production
• The growth of the semiconductor industry paved the way for the development of personal computers, cell phones, and other digital devices
• The move from analog electronic and mechanical devices to pervasive digital technology dramatically disrupted industries, especially global communications and energy
• Automation and the introduction of robotics changed the way manufacturing was done
• 4th Industrial Revolution


  Current
• 4th Industrial Revolution

  • Growth of technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, application of information and communication technologies to industry
  • Creation of smart machines that can perform complex tasks and make decisions based on data
  • Production systems with computer technology expanded by network connection, allowing communication and output of information
• 4th Industrial Revolution represents entirely new ways in which technology becomes embedded within societies and even our human bodies
• Prior to independence, the British had incorporated similar industrial processes in Malaysian factories, enabling Malaysia to go through the 1st and 2nd Industrial Revolutions
• When Malaysia gained independence in 1957, the world was already entering the 3rd Industrial Revolution, transforming Malaysia's export industry from rubber and tin to semiconductor components and electrical goods
• In the 4th Industrial Revolution, there is a concern among Malaysians that artificial intelligence and automation will replace human beings and cause jobs to be lost, but there is a positive perception of these technologies
• Mining industry

  Key Malaysian export in the late 1800s
• Mining process

  Enhanced using steam engines in the gravel and pump method
• Knowledge transfer enabled Malaysia to go through the 1st and 2nd Industrial Revolutions
• The workforce at that time adapted to new technologies, learning new skills to stay relevant
• Malaysia gained independence

  1957
• The world was already entering the 3rd Industrial Revolution, signified by a shift from analogue technologies to digital electronics
• Malaysia's export industry shifted from rubber and tin to semiconductor components and electrical goods
• In the 4th Industrial Revolution, there is a concern among Malaysians that artificial intelligence and automation will replace human beings and cause jobs to be lost
• 73% of Malaysians believe that new technologies like automation and AI will help make them more productive and perform their job better
• Chemical engineers' role in 1st industrial revolution

  Developing and improving technologies for textile manufacturing, such as the steam engine, which greatly increased production efficiency
• Chemical engineers' role in 2nd industrial revolution

  Contributing to the development of the petrochemical industry and the production of synthetic materials such as plastics, which enabled mass production of consumer goods. Also, the creation of Bessemer process to produce steel in mass production.
• Chemical engineers' role in 3rd industrial revolution

  Developing new materials and technologies for electronics, such as semiconductors and conductive polymers, which enabled the development of computers and other digital technologies
• Chemical engineers' role in 4th industrial revolution

  Developing smart materials, sensors, and automation technologies, which enable the integration of physical and digital systems in manufacturing and other industries