In an era of information, manufacturing digital transformation is moving with the changing times. It is a fact that manufacturing is a business of necessity, but it also serves as a business to create new products that are more appealing. In other words, it aims to make sure that the products or services are in line with the market demands. The aim of this industry 4.0 is to create new products or services which will be more efficient, cost-effective and competitive.
The industry 4.0 transformation in manufacturing has come with changes in how manufacturing units operate. Now, it is not enough for an operational unit to be fully automated. It is essential for the unit to have digital technologies so that it can perform its tasks more efficiently. This is the core essence of the industry 4.0 transformation in manufacturing. It aims to lessen the manual labor required in the manufacturing process by replacing it with machines and digital technologies. The current system used in manufacturing is called Information Technology infrastructures (ITI) or just simply digital technologies.
In order for the manufacturing industry to understand the need for digital transformation in manufacturing, an in-depth study of the industry 4.0 will be necessary. There are three aspects that the study should focus on which are Predictive Analytics, Digital Manufacturing technologies and Supply Chain Management. Let us take a look at these three topics one by one so that you will be able to understand them better.
The first aspect that the industry 4.0 study should deal with is the matter of Predictive Analytics. With the help of advanced technology, the analysis of past performance can be easily obtained today. This is especially true in case of manufacturing units which are still using legacy systems. These legacy systems were developed several years ago and need quite a bit of maintenance. Since the manufacturing units have been operational for quite some time, there are probably a lot of details stored in the data base of the company. This may include information about inventory, defects etc which may not necessarily be helpful for the company in the present situation.
Hence, by using advanced digital technologies, the data from the past can be analyzed in order to retrieve required information from the source. In other words, it can help the manufacturing unit to reduce its operational costs without affecting its profitability in the short term. This is because the accuracy of the predictive analytics is very high. The data is processed quickly in order to provide timely solutions to the queries. Hence, there is no more need for manual processing and it makes the entire process automated.
Another aspect is Supply chain management. Here, too, advanced technologies are used to process the raw materials, make the parts and deliver the finished goods. The logistics processes involve physical and electronic movement of goods in the supply chain. Any broken or missing link in the chain has a negative impact on the whole system. Hence, it is imperative to manage the flow of goods in the correct manner. This helps to achieve better results in terms of quality, delivery and cost control.
Other aspects of manufacturing digital transformation are inventory management, work scheduling and manufacturing orders. Each of these requires accurate data for planning and executing the task. To achieve this, a comprehensive ERP solution is used. It provides the essential tools for workforce management and overall supply chain planning. These solutions also help in improving efficiency in every area of the business.
If you want to get hold of the latest manufacturing digital transformation techniques, then contact Cogent Digital Manufacturing Services. This company has been helping clients in the UK and Europe for over 10 years. It has the skilled and well-trained staff to customize ERP systems to the size of your business and provide complete functionality. Contact them for a customized ERP solution today.
Deepak Wadhwani has over 20 years experience in software/wireless technologies. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies including Intuit, ESRI, Qualcomm, Sprint, Verizon, Vodafone, Nortel, Microsoft and Oracle in over 60 countries. Deepak has worked on Internet marketing projects in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange Country, Denver, Nashville, Kansas City, New York, San Francisco and Huntsville. Deepak has been a founder of technology Startups for one of the first Cityguides, yellow pages online and web based enterprise solutions. He is an internet marketing and technology expert & co-founder for a San Diego Internet marketing company.