We keep stumbling over the expression “digitization”; it feels like it’s on everyone’s lips and, as far as possible, is also being implemented in many areas. But what does digitization mean? It’s about more than switching from paper to paperless or not allowing us to meet in person. No, it’s also about connecting interfaces, simplifying processes, and making communication faster. The coupling between two areas, large areas of responsibility and locations, is facilitated by uniform digitization.

But How Do We Create Digitization?

The easiest way is to introduce an adapted information system in your company. This way, appointments, tasks, agreements, goals, and results can be coordinated, and work processes can be more easily understood. Especially across departments, information is only lost or available once the relevant colleague continues to work on the task. A dynamic process that takes both employees’ and tools/production steps into account can be taken into account by an appropriate system. The knowledge of each individual is therefore also more critical, and cooperation becomes more effective and closer.
Increasing requirements due to legal or cultural demands play a decisive role in digitization and the connection of systems. The process documentation must be guaranteed, and a complete obligation to provide evidence must be observed. Digital documents are independent of time and place; they do not follow working hours or are not dependent on the presence of colleagues; a more flexible work design can also be created as a result. The most up-to-date information can always be called up at any time, which plays a decisive role in production.

A Case For Change Management

It is advisable to start a new project to implement changes in digitization in a company. Accepting the employees and accessible resources are crucial in a larger project such as digitization. Change management ensures that everything runs smoothly and that the associated adjustments are made during ongoing operations. Constant information collection provides an excellent opportunity for evaluation and can filter out hidden potential. In the case of product changes in particular, it is advantageous if data can be exchanged and workflows can be adapted immediately.

Digitization Does Not Stop At Industry Either – Industry 4.0

Digitization is essential in manufacturing companies. Digital collaboration can only be guaranteed by a software solution that connects all company areas. Specific processes can ensure seamless use; reducing errors and associated costs is only one advantage. Paperless management, automated processes, up-to-date information, and the distribution of tasks are just examples of the benefits of digitization in the industry. Industry 4.0 is on the rise, and you should also live it.

Conclusion

Take yourself and your company further, and use the possibilities and opportunities of digitization to professionalize and restructure your internal processes. With digitization, you are independent of location, not tied to any time of day or dependent on the presence of colleagues. Digitization brings greater flexibility, primarily when the company operates globally and colleagues work across multiple time zones. Take advantage of the opportunities and take your company to the next level of digitization.

Also Read: 6 Daily Habits For Success

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Innovation is a continuous process and the digital transformation of small and medium-sized manufacturing companies is a real opportunity for developing this sector. But like society as a whole, which is today faced with perpetual change, this transformation towards Industry 4.0 is not without causing radical upheavals. In addition to internal disruptions, industrial companies must also deal with increasingly fierce global competition and the needs of tomorrow’s consumers, who require the implementation of unprecedented actions to distinguish themselves.

It is therefore important to organize to capture all employees’ good ideas and transform them into concrete action plans. And these actions whether they are carried out to perfect a production technique, improve a manufacturing method, or increase the capacity of the equipment to make them correspond to new technological standards cannot be content with being punctual but must be engaged in the process of continuous improvement.

New jobs, new skills In Factory 4.0, the requirements for professional skills differ from those of the conventional factory. Because jobs related to robotization and automation, in particular, are being reinvented, new know-how is multiplying. Certain positions can undoubtedly be abolished, but industry 4.0 also creates value-added jobs, contrary to popular belief.

It can be said that the innovative manufacturing worker is more qualified. And what are the qualifications that attract the most attention? In addition to inventiveness, the advent of the connected industry requires the ability to analyze data, solve problems, advance notions in computer and electronic security, and adapt to deal with complex work changes. Under these conditions, it will be essential to properly manage the talents and skills of employees to be well prepared.

The importance of adopting innovative tools. To grow its turnover and stay ahead of the competition, the modern industrial company must have recourse to technological tools that follow the trends. This is a significant challenge when we see how quickly these new digital tools are evolving and transforming our environment. But the time is over to question the need for the integration of innovative tools as a way forward to advance your business and knock out the competition. It is more about the adoption by the industrial sector of major technologies affecting particular machinery, computer software, connected objects, etc.

And bold management and production practices while machines and software tools must stick to new technological trends, industrial innovation also involves implementing effective management methods and business models. To have an optimal operation, specific industries which work under strong constraints like the food industry, seek to choose a verticalized ERP for the food industry. Any new practice that considers both the productivity of a company, the quality of life of its employees, and respect for the environment enhances its brand image and strengthens its competitiveness.

The shift to Industry 4.0 is essential for our manufacturing companies. Transitioning to a related industry is a demanding but exciting challenge. When French manufacturing SMEs give themselves the means and capacities to innovate and seize business opportunities to become more competitive and prosperous, everyone wins.

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In recent years, the market for collaborative robots, or cobots, has boomed in the industrial arena. These types of machines are designed to support human labor in industrial companies. That is to say, they do not imply the total automation of work but rather coexist with the workers to improve production methods.

Unlike traditional industrial robots, collaborative robotics is characterized by the ability to detect the presence of people and interact with them, too, among other things, to prevent accidents. These machines are more compact and lighter than conventional robots. They can be easily moved around the factory and are capable of performing different functions within the production chain itself.

With a lower cost, all these characteristics make collaborative robotics a more accessible option for SMEs than conventional robots. It will be possible to automate production in a more significant percentage of the industrial fabric thanks to it.

Collaborative Robotics And Smart Factories

The concept of industry 4.0 (or the fourth industrial revolution) would not be understood without the existence of Smart Factories. These intelligent factories are highly automated and digitized and use collaborative robotics to create a more efficient and fluid work environment.

Smart Factories put people at the center of their activity. Thanks to collaborative robotics, workers can focus on performing work that requires human capabilities. They are freed from routine, heavy or dangerous tasks, and optimized processes.

The most common collaborative robots are in charge of the “pick and place” function, that is, the task of picking up an object and placing it in another place. We can also find them in assembly lines or in the warehouses of intelligent factories, where they are capable of repeating the same movement with perfect precision.

Collaborative robotics reduces the health risks derived from tasks that require the use of force, forced postures, or the handling of dangerous substances. Furthermore, cobots are designed to ensure the safety of workers when interacting with them. Some of the most common uses of robots in factories are painting, welding or packaging, and handling pallets.

Also Read: Robotics – How Robots Will Help In Education

Safety Is A Priority For Collaborative Robots

Collaborative robots have several features that improve safety in Smart Factories. For example, they have low-inertia servo motors or elastic actuators, which offer a very reliable response and are made of light materials and rounded contours. The defining aspect of collaborative robotics is sensors that ensure safe interaction with people. According to the international standard ISO 10218, we find four types of robots according to their safety functions:

1. Safety Guarded Stop

These cobots typically work independently, performing a primary task, while the worker performs a secondary role. However, sometimes employees need to interact with the machine. When a human approaches a certain distance, this robot completely stops its activity. The safety monitored stop function is implemented in conventional robots utilizing special sensors.

2. Speed ​​And Separation Monitoring

In this case, the robot monitors its surroundings and can detect the proximity of workers. Unlike the first type, it progressively reduces its speed depending on the workers’ distance. If it gets too close, it can completely stop its activity. This feature of collaborative robotics is used in jobs that require the frequent presence of people.

3. Hand Guide

This type of robot can learn trajectories with the help of a person. This is a valuable function for quickly programming a new guideline, for example, for a pick and place machine. They are conventional robots equipped with a sensor like the two previous types.

4. Limitation Of Force And Energy

It is the most common and safest type of collaborative robot. At the same time, the former use standard industrial robots with additional sensors, these types of machines are specifically designed for interaction with people.

These cobots have all kinds of sensors that allow them to detect abnormal forces in their activity. This allows them to respond immediately when they contact a human. In this way, they can stop to avoid injury or dissipate some of the energy of the impact. In addition to being very light, these robots sometimes have an outer shell that absorbs shock.

Advantages Of Using Robots In Smart Factories

We have seen how safety is the main feature distinguishing collaborative robotics from traditional industrial robots, and its application can reduce and avoid risks and injuries characteristic of factories. In conclusion, collaborative robotics is a key tool for security understood as ” safety, “that is, the protection of employees.

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Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, IoT, RPA, cloud systems. A turning point has been reached where it is rare not to see any of these tools implemented in organizations of all kinds. Focusing on the Internet of Things, according to Advisor, it is estimated that in 2030 there will be some 125 million connected devices, more than three times the number there are today. Connected devices have moved from ideas to execution, and their application already provides a lot of value to different types of businesses. For instance:

• Entities Dedicated To The Health Sector: With IoT, it is possible to monitor patients’ waiting time, sending the data to a system that subsequently produces statistics. This information is determined, for example, the specialty in which it occurs the most, thus establishing more spaced appointment systems to avoid the delay and concentration of sick people. On the other hand, with RPA, updating information from medical records can be automated, making healthcare personnel less time-consuming to paperwork and more to healthcare.
• Tourism And Hotel Sector: There are already hotels that use IoT sensors to retain guests. One of them is the Hilton hotel chain that uses this technology to identify recurring customers and serve them in a specialized way, for example, by leaving an object that they usually ask for in their rooms, even offering them deals in restaurants.

And this is only the beginning since the hyperconnection of data is one of the characteristics of Industry 4.0, whose core of understanding revolves around analysis and processing to transform all information into knowledge. This is in the face of two axes; on the one hand, to better understand consumers and, on the other, to establish work teams that can work simultaneously with online processes. All to create the concept we have been talking about: the hyperconnected company or company 4.0.

But how is all this put into operation within a company to carry out technological evolution? Although all experts agree that the main thing is to have a strategy that marks the steps, it is not an easy question to answer. In other words, it is useless to have the most innovative tools on the market implemented, but there is a “guide” that will mark the implementation of each stage. So will it cost me a lot? How do I start, and where? How do I involve my workforce? How do I guarantee security throughout the entire process?

The technological combination as the basis of Industry 4.0 these and other questions are resolved within the strategy in which risks and challenges are contemplated. In addition, the foundation of Industry 4.0, and that defines the hyperconnected company, is the combination of different software and technologies:

• 360 And Intelligent Communication: Using other channels to communicate facilitates workflows for both internal and external processes. More and more applications include voice and video systems and writing to be able to work and establish relationships with customers and suppliers.
• RPA or Process Automation: This technology makes it possible to robotize specific tasks that free up teams to work on other activities of more excellent value for the business.
• Cloud systems: With the rise of teleworking, the way of working with and in the “cloud” has increased. In addition, they can be combined with in-house systems, even with Edge Computing solutions, to meet specific needs.
• IoT (Internet of Things): As we have said before, IoT devices elevate the capabilities and reach of companies to another level, placing them ahead of their competitors in the market.
• Machine Learning: OR “machine learning,” a form of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that, as its name suggests, allows machines to learn without having to be programmed to do so. Although it may seem too futuristic and many entities feel the reluctance to incorporate this type of technology into their processes, the truth is that Machine Learning is essential to identify patterns in the data, which will allow us to make predictions.
• Cybersecurity: In the cloud, locally, and in all processes. Cybersecurity is already a genuine concern in almost any company, and it is essential to have programs and applications that guarantee the confidentiality of data. Although each software already incorporates specific protocols against cybercriminals, we cannot talk about Industry 4.0 without mentioning the importance of security plans in the network (both internal and external). In this article, we leave you some recommendations so that you can start now in your organization.

The pace of evolution is already constant, and companies must get on the digital bandwagon if they want to remain competitive in the market. The technological combination has become a necessity of which we are experts. 

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What Are The Main Benefits Of Company 4.0

• It favors increased productivity.
• Generates more flexible and efficient means of production.
• It allows better management of the company’s resources. 
• Reduces human and machinery errors.
• Shorten production times.
• Reduces the environmental impact generated by production processes.
• Reduce costs and increase profit thanks to the optimization of resources.
• It allows a real-time connection of all areas of the business, from manufacturing to after-sales.
• Facilitates the prediction of consumer habits.
• It favors the ability to adapt to market demand.
• It allows the use of information for analysis from multiple channels.

What Challenges Does An Organization Face To Transform Into A Company 4.0?

Redirecting an organization towards company 4.0 is a path full of opportunities . However, there are also challenges and risks to be prepared for. How you meet these challenges will determine the success of the company. The most relevant challenges associated with Industry 4.0 are the following:

Disruptive Thinking

If an organization does not have human capital willing to do things differently, to work in a constant digital transformation process or to develop a disruptive vision of the future, there is little that can be done to move to company 4.0. Human resources have to be fully involved in the transformation and believe that its implementation is the best for the company. Having committed people is something that will pave the way to achieve an optimal 4.0 company.

Connectivity

The connection between different systems, data, production plants, workstations, etc. is essential for the proper functioning of the organization. To this day, there are still many companies that do not trust connectivity beyond their physical spaces. However, cloud computing , telecommuting, 5G and globalization are forcing companies to adapt.

Cybersecurity

Security is one of the biggest concerns of managers of companies. The more digitized the world is, the greater the security risks organizations face. However, there are more and more innovative systems capable of protecting us from cyber threats.

Automation

The fear of losing human control with the implementation of automation in 4.0 companies is one of the most common. But nothing is further from reality, automation allows more efficient control of all processes in the organization and significantly reduces the risk of making mistakes.

Digital Technologies Used In Companies 4.0

Technologies are constantly changing and evolving. Due to this, a company that wants to become a 4.0 company must understand that this transformation process is dynamic. These are some of the technologies that you will find in companies adapted to the Fourth Industrial Revolution:

• IoT
• Big data
• Cloud Computing
• Artificial intelligence
• Advanced robotics
• 3d print
• Smart devices
• Platforms and applications managed by intelligent algorithms
• Digital channels
• Augmented reality
• Enterprise Resource Management Software (ERP)
• Business intelligence

What Areas OR Sectors Are Transforming Industry 4.0

This change to smart companies is more noticeable in some sectors or in certain areas of the different companies that are transforming their businesses into productive phenomena. Some of these areas and sectors are the following:

The Health Sector: The application of innovative concepts has become the axis of many 4.0 companies in the Health sector. Without a doubt, this is one of those that are taking advantage of the digital transformation at all corporate levels. Hospitals, consultations, residences, or pharmaceuticals are just some examples of companies that are knowing how to take advantage of changes and new technologies.

The Construction Sector: Digitization has positively and considerably affected this sector since it has allowed it to control and manage the progress of the works and thus achieve optimization of resources. In addition, it facilitates the application of standards and techniques to conserve the environment and optimizes development times on construction sites. In short, the application of technology and digitization has made it possible to transform traditional companies into highly efficient 4.0 industries in the construction sector.

The Automotive Sector: Companies like SEAT or Ford have become a benchmark in company 4.0. Its success is due to the application of resources such as artificial intelligence, robotics, augmented reality, or big data to function more productively and efficiently.

The Distribution Area: The distribution channel has always been a weak point in many companies but, with the application of 4.0 business strategies, the logistics area has achieved high performance that has allowed it to simplify and minimize delivery times. In a 4.0 company, distribution is able to anticipate demand fluctuations and help improve overall supply chain visibility.

The Business Intelligence Area: On the path of transformation towards 4.0 companies, many organizations are integrating areas such as Business Intelligence to become smart businesses, capable of making decisions and acting based on data and resources quickly. 

The Human Resources Area: People are the true engine of change within organizations. That is why the Human Resources area in the 4.0 company has to become the focus of digital transformation. It must be the center for the care of talent and the management of human capital.

Also Read: Artificial Intelligence In Electronic Business

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