FEATURE Industry 4.0 & Smart Factories
Industry 4.0 can revolutionise manufacturing
Industry 4.0 initiatives have the power to revolutionise the manufacturing industry, writes Eric Stoop, CEO of EASE
I
ndustry 4.0 is set to revolutionise the future of manufacturing, with the potential to increase productivity, employment and economic growth. But this potential can only be realised if adoption is widespread and initiatives successfully rolled out. However, there are barriers in achieving this – namely when it comes to the technology needed to digitise factories and plants. In some cases, manufacturers invest in technology without an understanding of exactly why or what they’re hoping to achieve, so the digital transformation they’re pursuing doesn’t materialise. In others, the slow adoption of new technologies can stilt progress and bring project failures before ROI is measured.
Building a roadmap Stephen Covey’s advice from “The 7 Habits of Highly Eff ective People” holds true in the context of Industry 4.0, too: to be successful, you must begin with the end in mind. Embarking on digital transformation just for the sake of it isn’t eff ective, such as when companies look for a problem to solve with artifi cial intelligence (AI). Hence, before starting out, answer questions such as: • What problem are you trying to solve? • What are your goals? • What will you use to measure
progress?
• How do you defi ne success? Once you have the answers, you can create a roadmap to achieve these goals.
10 September 2021 | Automation
Starting with a small project As manufacturing exec Casper Zublin noted in a recent Q&A: “You can spend a lot of time strategising where and how, but the important thing is just to start.” Starting with a small Industry 4.0 project can be a good way to start. For many EASE customers, deploying plant-fl oor audit software is one of their fi rst digital transformation projects. A rollout that takes days rather than months helps deliver early wins.
The resources Resources are equally important in Industry 4.0 initiatives; these include: • Budget: Investment is critical to digital transformation, but it’s worth looking at projects that limit capital outlays such as cloud-based software. • Leadership: For any initiative that
requires people to do things diff erently, having leaders on board is essential to team engagement. • Management: If you can’t prioritise
the project in terms of ongoing monitoring and management, it’s doomed to fail. Getting the most from your data is also essential:
• Involve IT from the start to collect data
from various systems involving business intelligence tools. • Set up dashboards that can be monitored daily based on the individual’s scope of work and responsibilities. • Track KPIs and communicate results with the front line, such as displaying metrics on plant-fl oor screens.
Conveying the right message In any digital transformation initiative, you’ll likely run into resistance from people fearful of losing their jobs to automation. Getting these people on board can help accelerate results, adding momentum as more people use the technology.
Unifying the right people Listen to any discussion on Industry 4.0 and one concept is bound to come up: involving those who will use the technology daily. Without their engagement, you risk user adoption failure and put the entire project in jeopardy. For example, if you deploy plant-fl oor audit software like EASE, you’ll need to bring operations to the table, in addition to quality, IT and leadership. Getting operator input when setting up the software – such as writing audit questions tailored to specifi c work processes – gives you better data and insights into plant- fl oor risks.
It is fundamental that companies pursue digital transformation to achieve a successful pandemic exit strategy, despite many being hesitant. Embracing strategies that work towards strong business objectives, team collaboration and early successes all help bring gains and build momentum.
CONTACT:
EASE, Inc.
www.ease.io
automationmagazine.co.uk
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