DIGITAL FACTORY
“ At its core , what Industry 4.0 has brought to manufacturing is connectivity . COVID- 19 put connectivity to the extreme test and manufacturers have learnt the value of digital technologies to keep the lights on in times of crisis . Machine intelligence and transparent use of data help companies to unlock insights into their operations – insights that may never have been available before . These digital threads will inspire new decisions and operational processes . Industry 4.0 strategies should now be looking to embed these lessons and move forward in times of recovery ,” adds Walker .
However , for successful adoption of such strategies , Walker further adds that it “ requires the whole business - from engineering , supply chain , finance and technology – to be engaged and work towards achieving its value . Everyone in the business needs to be engaged with new technology and processes to deliver sustained benefits . What we often see is many businesses adopting a ‘ minimum viable product ’ approach to bring about change and to demonstrate the benefits of a new product or process . This enables a business to start quickly , prove its value and then scale – bringing its people and technology with them .”
Adding to Walker ’ s comments , Budhwar comments that “ ultimately , adopting Industry 4.0 doesn ’ t need to be an all-ornothing expense , but rather a process involving small , measured steps to improve manufacturing efficiency – particularly in ways that are right for your organisation and its specific needs .
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