7 DIGITALIZATION IN MANUFACTURING The Made Smarter Ben Sheriden


Review published in 2017 concluded that digital technologies for manufacturing could improve industrial productivity by 25%. “We’re working


with the Manufacturing Made Smarter Industrial Strategy Change Fund, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult and the Digital Catapult to ensure that, where new technology is introduced as part of wider investment, it will add value and achieve the highest level of interoperability,” said Ben. By investing in digital technologies, manufacturing companies stand to benefi t not just by simply cutting costs, but also by increasing revenues through innovative product and service development. If this happens, UK manufacturing supply chains will be more resilient to global shocks, such as the recent Covid-19 pandemic. In June 2019 BSI, in partnership with


Innovate UK, published a standards roadmap for smart factories called ‘Realizing productivity growth through digital technologies’ aimed specifi cally at SMEs (click here to download). The report makes several recommendations to help SMEs access the support they need to start the transition to digital. The report recognizes that more


needs to be done to reassure SMEs that digital can work for them. In workshops and in discussions with individual


manufacturers, Ben has heard fi rst-hand what some of their concerns are. “If SMEs are going to invest in new technology, they are looking for a rapid return on their investment,” said Ben. “The cost to them of getting it wrong is


extremely high, to the point where some could go out of business. The value of making these


changes has got to be very clear to them.”


A real issue is the lack of


trust between manufacturers and the vendors who provide digital solutions: “One experienced factory owner in the West Midlands said, every time someone mentioned Industry 4.0 to him they wanted to sell him something that cost a lot of money, yet it was always something he didn’t want.”


To reassure business owners


and provide clear guidance, BSI has published PAS 1040, a guide for adopting digital technologies in manufacturing. “It’s a starting point for manufacturers to think about how digital manufacturing might be useful to them,” said Ben.


“It will help them assess how ready


they are to adopt digital manufacturing, what different parts of the business would be affected and where to focus their attention. Digital manufacturing introduced in the right way radically affects the way you do your business.”


PAS 1040 DIGITAL READINESS CLICK TO READ


THE BENEFITS OF DIGITALIZATION CLICK TO READ


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