What automation can do
In many places, machining is still the method of choice for manufacturing components. This explains the use of hundreds of thousands of CNC machines and the unbroken demand for these systems to this day. While large series were often produced on these machines in the past and multi-year framework agreements between machining companies and OEMs were the standard, the trend today is often towards smaller batch sizes. Volatile markets and shorter response times are also shaping the economy. This results in changes at all company levels, especially the technical level. Industry 4.0 is probably the most popular term for these changes. The Industry 4.0 Research Advisory Board recently published "Blind spots in the implementation of Industry 4.0"¹. The study focuses primarily on the obstacles for which the industry needs prompt solutions.
In their evaluation, the scientists identify three so-called obstacle categories.
- the lack of initial impetus for digitization
- a lack of strategic capabilities
- internal implementation problems
Examples of a lack of impetus could be an impending generational change or simply a lack of need to digitize. According to the study, a reluctance to digitize is also evident in sectors characterized by durable capital goods. "Once procured systems have paid for themselves, companies have little interest in digital innovations for existing systems, such as predictive maintenance or the rapid replacement of systems with a new digitalized generation. Accordingly, there are hardly any demands on machine and plant manufacturers to (subsequently) digitalize their products." The category of lacking strategic capabilities includes, for example, obstacles such as the unclear economic benefits of digitization projects. For example, sufficient data must be available for the automation of production planning and control. This in turn requires sensors on machines and the corresponding storage and analysis capabilities - both of which are often lacking. The shortage of skilled workers is probably one of the most serious internal implementation problems.