It seems that during the current COVID-19 pandemic that some industry segments and corporations are thinking more seriously about implementing “Industry 4.0”.
They are doing so, either from a perspective of cost savings for those that are adversely impacted by COVID-19, or from those who have experienced an increased demand for their product, how they can increase their production capacity while minimizing capital and other investments to satisfy this increase in demand.
In both cases the benefits of investing in “industry 4.0 are remarkably similar;
Manufacturers and industries across the globe are all “trying to do more with less”.
All production operations have a common goal, improve production rates, reducing down time and scrap rates, while at the same time adapting to significant changes in their markets, technologies and compliance requirements.
These factors should ignite an increasing demand for the implementation of “Industry 4.0” solutions.
These dynamics should drive an increase in the adoption rates of “Industry 4.0” and yet it seems that this is not yet the case. The major impediment, either real or perceived, continues to be how to protect the proprietary real time data that is required to run a successful “Industry 4.0” solution.
It would seem that in today’s “global hacking environment” this will be a continuing and genuine concern of all those seeking to take advantage of implementing “Industry 4.0”.
Data connectivity is a paramount enabler for improving efficiency and product quality, but not at the expense of the potential loss of intellectual property. Solving this conundrum must become a priority for all those involved in offering “Industry 4.0” solutions if it is to become the widely adopted production management system of choice that realizes for its users all the many benefits it has the potential to offer.
David Harbourne September 2020
