Smart Manufacturing


Raimund Klein reveals the future path for digitalisation and how it will impact on industry


Understanding the digital impact


D Raimund Klein


Siemens’ vision is for factories to reap the benefi ts of digital data


10 www.engineerlive.com


igitalisation is said to be a major turning point in the history of how businesses are run. It has expanded


in signifi cance, from existing as bytes and bits to representing an entire way of connecting the physical realm and the digital realm to create even more competitive business models. In recent years, it has become relevant not only to consumer businesses such as telecommunications and media, but also the industrial landscape.


Digitalisation has been hailed a buzzword for its ability to create new business and growth opportunities for companies. However, at this point in time, the trend is still a relatively new concept for manufacturers. The


digital transformation of factories marries the virtual and real world, enabling businesses to achieve the next level of manufacturing. Digital and networking capabilities go hand in hand in tightening the integration of operations, with an industrial Ethernet as the backbone of these processes.


Manufacturers are beginning to realise that leveraging data is key to improving factory processes and gaining a competitive edge. A report by a 2014 Economist Intelligence Study found that every single manufacturer surveyed acknowledged that data collection to be a priority concern for their business. Production ineffi ciencies, under-utilised resources and long time-to-market can be attributed to


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