The advent of Industry 4.0 has revolutionised the manufacturing sector across the globe. In recent times, local manufacturers are seeing value in rapidly shifting to newer technologies. Recent trends suggest that that trend of autonomy in manufacturing enabled by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is well on its way to becoming a multibillion-dollar industry in India by 2020 and manufacturing has a huge opportunity to lead adoption.
Today, we have the hardware, software and technology available at our fingertips to help facilitate this transformation to smart manufacturing. Yet, most organisations hesitate to take the plunge because they are unsure of how the change will manifest itself in reality.
Hexagon and MSC Software are working to address this through its recent partnership in India with the IIT Delhi (IITD) Automation Industry Association (AIA) Foundation for Smart Manufacturing. The mandate is to evangelise smart manufacturing among Indian MSMEs. We are confident that this Foundation for Smart Manufacturing will help industrial manufacturers develop the disruptive technologies of today and the life-changing products of tomorrow. You can read more about our collaboration here, which includes the development of a demonstration facility in North India.
This is significant because seeing what can be implemented plays a very important role in advancing new technologies, especially in manufacturing. By allowing manufacturers to visualise how they can blend technology with digital experience, it gives them the much-needed confidence to invest in smart tools and processes in their own industry. In turn, they have an opportunity to capitalise on the first mover advantage that puts them head and shoulders ahead of their competitors.
We believe factories of the future will be smarter, faced by the growing need for centralised monitoring and predictive maintenance of manufacturing infrastructure. They have to be equipped to address demand-driven supply, operational efficiency and agile production to stay profitable and relevant in the market. Our demonstration facility is designed to boost resources, consultancy, and research in the field, which is why we are confident the Foundation for Smart Manufacturing can help industry transition from automation to an autonomous future rapidly.
The need for improved productivity is constant across the board. At the moment, adoption of automated tools and moving towards autonomy is key to drive productivity levels in manufacturing. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have much to gain from the Industry 4.0 revolution – especially in the age of globalisation where product quality and uncompromised speed are crucial for competitive success.
