Industry 4.0: Challenges & Opportunities

While Industry 3.0 focused on the automation of single machines and processes, Industry 4.0 focuses on the end-to-end digitisation of all physical assets and integration into digital ecosystems with value chain partners. Generating, analysing and communicating data seamlessly underpins the gains promised by Industry 4.0, which networks a wide range of new technologies to create value. At the end of this transformation, successful companies will become true digital enterprises, with physical products at their core, augmented by digital interfaces and data-based, innovative services. But this transformation doesn’t come without its share of challenges.

Industry 4.0 Challenges
With so much riding on the outcome of Industry 4.0 projects, companies will need to work hard to overcome initial challenges. Keep an eye out for these potential hurdles:

1. A Gap in Technical Skills: The needs required of the workforce are evolving. When looking to fill open positions, look for applicants who possess “digital dexterity” in that they understand both the manufacturing processes and the digital tools that support those processes.
2. Data Sensitivity: The rise in technology has also led to increasing concerns over data and IP privacy, ownership, and management. To successfully implement an AI algorithm, data is required to train it and test it. For this to happen, the data must be shared. However, many companies are reluctant to share their data with third-party solution developers. As digital ecosystems expand, so does the importance of establishing strong levels of digital trust, backed up by transparency and non-repudiation that provides proof of the integrity and origin of one’s own and third party data. Strong risk management and data integrity systems can help companies avoid breaches and manage disruption to operations better.
3. Interoperability: Another significant issue is the lack of separation between protocols, components, products, and systems. Unfortunately, interoperability impedes companies’ ability to innovate. Further, since they cannot easily “swap out” one vendor for another or one part of the system for another, interoperability also limits options to upgrade system components.
4. Security: When numerous machines and devices are connected to single or multiple networks, vulnerabilities could make the system vulnerable to attack. To help combat this issue, companies need to anticipate both enterprise system vulnerabilities and machine level operational vulnerabilities.
5. Handling Data Growth: As more companies become dependent on AI usage, companies will be faced with more data that is being generated at a faster pace and presented in multiple formats. To wade through these vast amounts of data, AI algorithms need to be easier to comprehend. Further, these algorithms need to be able to combine data that might be of different types and timeframes.

Product Bundling As a Solution

Manufacturers employing Industry 4.0 are redefining themselves in the value chain. Real breakthroughs in performance happen when you actively understand consumer behavior and can orchestrate your company’s role within the future ecosystem of partners, suppliers and customers.

If you haven’t already considered product bundling, now is the time. Product bundling is the term for several individual goods or services purchased together as a combined package at a lower price than if they were sold individually.

At INFRASI, our vendor neutral product bundle of resell products (Okta, Soti, Microsoft, Ruckus) and our services is a cost-effective strategy for manufacturers to adopt technology for Industry 4.0. We provide the foundation components of Industry 4.0 infrastructure with the various digital technologies and at the same time help reduce barriers to adoption/use. We offer four bundles, depending on the number of partner products and services selected.

• Bundle 1 - Partner Product (Soti) + EMM/UEM Service
• Bundle 2 - Partner Product (Microsoft, Soti, Ruckus, Okta) + 2 services (EMM/UEM, IAM, or Wireless)
• Bundle 3 - Partner Product (Microsoft, Soti, Ruckus, Okta) + 2 services (EMM/UEM, IAM or Wireless)
• Bundle 4 - Partner Product (Microsoft, Soti, Ruckus, Okta) + 3 services (EMM/UEM, IAM or Wireless)

Benefits of Product Bundling

With bundles as a manufacturer, you can:

1. Optimize performance and distribution with costs management - Manufacturing leaders have the opportunity to develop improved operations strategies and to realize key business objectives based on the technologies they may choose to employ at various points in the manufacturing value chain.
2. Address skills gap related to new technology and/or vendor inexperience - The manufacturing industry requires approximately 2.4 million individuals to fill up job roles within the next decade (Deloitte Insights, November 2018). To inspire the next generation and make manufacturing an attractive niche once again, digitally transforming traditional processes is the key.
3. Integrate experience that meets security and user experience requirements - As production facilities continue to reduce human intervention, the practice of protecting these devices at the gateway or network boundaries is no likely longer an effective solution. As you share manufacturing data across supply chains, you need to assess the security strategies of business partners and contractors and close any gaps.

New, combined solutions need to be developed from a range of components from suppliers, communication networks, business applications and customer-facing applications. ‘First movers’ expect to gain significant benefits from their more advanced digital capabilities and greater levels of investment. Let us help you outpace your competitors and better manage your industry 4.0 journey.