SOUTHFIELD, Mich., June 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A recent
'Trends in Digital Manufacturing' survey, jointly conducted by SME,
a manufacturing association promoting advanced manufacturing
technologies, and Plataine, a leading provider of Industrial IoT
and AI-based manufacturing optimization solutions, has revealed key
insights on plans for factory digitization.
This unique IIoT survey, completed by nearly 400 C-level
manufacturers from multiple industries including aerospace,
automotive, furniture and chemicals, was designed to help advanced
manufacturing managers prepare for the rapid advances in digital
technology that are transforming factories. The survey reveals how
factories intend to implement new digital technologies, which
challenges are faced, and what benefits they envision.
Growth expectations were strikingly optimistic: the majority –
93 percent – of all respondents expect double or single-digit
growth in the next year. Meanwhile, 84 percent of respondents
reported they are already engaging in digital factory initiatives.
These initiatives focused on four areas:
(1) Digitization of manual and paper-based
processes;
(2) Supply chain collaboration;
(3) Smart shop-floor sensors; and
(4) Automation and robotics.
Additionally, the survey defined a group of industry leaders:
companies that expect double digit growth while also reporting
exceptional quality standards. Industry leaders, who made up 24
percent of respondents, showed clear trends that set them apart.
For example, 37 percent described their organization's digitization
level as 'mostly digital' compared to 25 percent of the rest of the
market.
When digital strategy was analyzed by tier segment, OEMs were
discovered to be significantly more likely to invest in innovation
than their suppliers. For example, 67 percent of OEMs are investing
in digitization of manual or paper-based processes, compared to 21
percent or less in any other tier. When industrial companies were
asked which business pain points they hoped Industrial IoT/Industry
4.0 could address in the future, five themes became clear.
The most popular, reported by 62 percent of respondents, was the
hope that digitization could help increase manufacturing
capacity.
Furthermore, firms reported on the challenges they face on the
road to full digitization, mainly technical and organizational.
Technical challenges center on the concern that factories do not
have the necessary expertise to adopt advanced digital technology.
Organizational challenges center on human resources, such as the
staff training to manage the real-time data that streams from
different sources.
"Understanding the challenges the manufacturing community faces,
and their plans in adopting advanced technologies is critical to
success," says Jeff Krause,
executive director and CEO, SME. "Surveys such as our Trends in
Digital Manufacturing report give us a good sense of progress made,
trends to look out for and how much work still needs to be
done."
Avner Ben-Bassat, President and
CEO of Plataine, adds: "It is exciting, though not surprising, to
learn that almost all respondents have plans to take digitization
initiatives this year. Plataine is proud to have collaborated on
this survey with SME, and to partner with leading organizations
worldwide on their digital journeys."
About Plataine
Plataine is the leading provider of Industrial IoT and AI-based
optimization solutions for advanced manufacturing. Plataine's
solutions provide intelligent, connected Digital Assistants for
production floor management and staff, empowering manufacturers to
make optimized decisions in real-time, every time.
Plataine's patent-protected technologies are used by leading
manufacturers worldwide, including Airbus, GE, IAI, Triumph,
General Atomics, TPI Composites, PCC, Steelcase and Argosy
International.
Plataine partners with Google Cloud, GE Digital, Siemens PLM,
McKinsey & Company, the AMRC with Boeing, and CTC-Stade (an
Airbus Company), to advance the 'Factory of the Future'
worldwide.
For this work, Plataine has received a Leadership Award from
Frost & Sullivan 2018 and Innovation Awards from the JEC and
CompositesUK organizations, as well as the Shanghai Society of
Aeronautics (SSA). For more information visit:
http://www.plataine.com
About SME
SME connects manufacturing professionals, academia and communities,
sharing knowledge and resources to build inspired, educated and
prosperous manufacturers and enterprises. With more than 85 years
of experience and expertise in events, media, membership, training
and development, and also through an education foundation, SME is
committed to promoting manufacturing technology, developing a
skilled workforce and attracting future generations to advance
manufacturing. Learn more at sme.org, follow @SME_MFG on Twitter or
facebook.com/SMEmfg.
For the full Trends in Digital Manufacturing survey, click
here
SOURCE Plataine