The impact created by digital transformation solutions in the manufacturing vertical, suppliers, and customers is staggering. Moreover, digital technologies can assist manufacturers to improve their operational efficiency and optimize multiple business segments from product development, planning to supply chain management.
Advanced manufacturing technologies offer various benefits that can help manufacturing companies unlock digital business models, adapt to changes faster, or even anticipate changes before they occur.
Nearly half of all manufacturers will be invested in artificial intelligence, data analytics, and improved resilience to drive smart manufacturing.
Digital transformation in manufacturing means enhancing traditional manufacturing processes, products, and workforce with digital technologies like eCommerce, automation software, sensors, industrial robots, etc.
Apart from this, the dynamics of manufacturing are constantly changing because of economic, social, and political landscapes.
Digitalization Challenges In Manufacturing
The manufacturing sector is not free from the challenges like any other industrial segment. Such challenges are holding back industrialists to adopt advanced digital transformation solutions.
Also, such challenges can stop industries from fighting the limitations of business operations and changing market conditions.
Here are the challenges that industrialists face while adopting digital transformation into their operations –
- Digitizing manufacturing operations incur heavy costs on human resources. At times, the workforce even feels distracted in the situation of changing workplace needs.
- Digital transformation initiatives require different processes, latest release cycles, APIs, and innovations in digital innovations. And integrating such innovations can be quite expensive.
- Manufacturing operations contain numerous resource constraints. So that management does not deal with ill effects at ease before seeing benefits delivered by devices in manufacturing.
Thankfully, Industry 4.0 has brought a good time for the manufacturing industry.
Read more : AR Remote Assistance Solutions that Empower Manufacturing Sector
Use Cases of Digital Transformation In Manufacturing
Digital transformation in manufacturing is not just about the automation of assembly lines, optimizing supply chains, or improving levels of inventory tracking. Also, it includes a change in approaches, mindset, and innovative ways of problem-solving.
Here are some use cases that are proof of how digital transformation tools can redefine manufacturing processes –
1. eCommerce
Nowadays, making sales to different businesses has become quite challenging for manufacturers. Furthermore, it needs to be counterproductive with a traditional platform that is unable to fulfill the needs of today’s customers.
eCommerce companies can start implementing digital transformations by making their operations simpler and more effective. In addition to this, other businesses can harness the potential of eCommerce to expand their online presence.
Other than delivering accurate data of products to customers, eCommerce platforms can automatically sync it with WMS and ERP to reduce inventory management efforts and the chance of human error.
Moreover, eCommerce companies make it comfortable for manufacturers to sell directly to consumers or sell B2B without disrupting their existing channels.
2. Big Data
Big data solutions can help manufacturing companies increase their production capacity significantly. Apart from this, such solutions can decrease material consumption rates with machine learning.
Moreover, it can assist manufacturers to automate their processes and have an accurate data-driven analysis of production history.
3. IoT
IoT-enabled cloud systems like Microsoft Azure and Tetra Pak could use real-time data for accurate preventive maintenance and prediction when an equipment needs maintenance.
Moreover, the inefficient process of data from wearables can translate into an inefficient workforce. However, advanced IoT solutions can help you resolve this issue more effectively.
4. Digital Twins
Digital twins hold great potential for optimizing performance and manufacturing system maintenance. A digital twin is a digital representation of a real-world machine or system that allows companies to understand, analyze and optimize processes through real-time simulation.
Operators can use a digital twin to identify why a part in a machine is malfunctioning or to predict the lifetime of a product. Such simulation can be helpful in product design and ensure equipment uptime.
5. Industry 4.0
Industry 4.0 means the integration of industrial factories, traditional manufacturing methods, and smarter supply chains. The main purpose of this trend is to automate manufacturing processes where all the processes can be controlled digitally and in real-time.
Asset management, operations, and personnel management can be considered the most prominent IoT use cases. Furthermore, manufacturing companies can establish preventive maintenance measures via real-time monitoring, improved work conditions, enhanced efficiency, risk management, improved worker productivity, etc.
Concluding Lines
Nowadays, manufacturing businesses and factories depend on company-specific processes to attract customers and grow their sales. Furthermore, such processes are helpful in maintaining all types of business relationships, such as quotations, contracts, and ordering functions.
Thankfully, digital transformation solutions are positioned to help businesses harness the power of digitization in manufacturing.
However, any digital transformation strategy should keep up pace with the changing times. Therefore, manufacturers should remember that digital transformation is inevitable and should not be seen as a solution. Also, they need to create a well-defined digital transformation roadmap to stay at the top of the highly competitive market.
