2. It’s now or never ...

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now ( Chinese proverb). Look around carefully and the changes in the manufacturing ecosystem become visible. The competition is already on the path and it is just a matter of time before it starts to show and matter. An anytime later response would prove too little, too late. Hoping for the best is not a strategy and what got you here won't get you there.

The biggest challenge for any organization is often getting started; the most crucial step is to take stock of your current environment. In manufacturing, though a lot of water has already flown, mercifully the tide has not been missed (yet). The future isn’t fixed. There is not a single future that we are all running toward, helpless to do anything about. The future is built every day by the actions of people and organizations, that is why it is so important to be an active participant in the future. No organization can today sit back and let the future happen to them—that never ends well. The first step to becoming an active participant in your future is gaining knowledge, and this series of posts is a good place to start.

In the real world we operate in, one must first walk, then run. Continuously building organisational digital competence is critical for targeting any organisational makeovers. Widespread digital transformation will continue to accelerate and evolve for some time.?Every organization will need to innovate, change, and adapt.

Think about it for a moment…all of the work that takes place in manufacturing operations can be placed in one of two categories: (1) activities required to operate and maintain the plant or (2) activities to improve THE WAY to operate and maintain.

Companies that are successful in mastering digital technologies, establishing a digital mindset, and implementing digital ways of working can reach a new rhythm of continuous improvement. Digital, paradoxically, is not a binary state but one of ongoing innovation as new waves of disruptive technologies are released in the industrial ecosystem.

Moreover, digital Transformation is neither a silver bullet nor a magic wand. But it need not be a Bugbear any longer. It is now not something that some big organisations with deep pockets are researching on and experimenting with just because it’s an elephant in the room along with the board of directors. In 2021 it is something very much in our faces whether we choose to see it or not. The book Who Moved my Cheese has this to say, ’what would you do if you weren’t afraid?’ 2021 is the time to be afraid.?Digital is moving the cheese and it’s a make-or-break year.

Not putting in the time and attention needed to meet an objective is a greater fault than not meeting the objective, provided that the objective is worthy of your time and attention (this one certainly is).

The biggest misconception about digital transformation is that it is an all-or-nothing proposition- nothing could be further from the truth. It’s helpful to think of digital transformation as a journey, where each small step can lead to tangible benefits—improved performance, Quality, Operate &Maintain savings, better reliability, more flexibility of operations and thus business agility.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT): Brings together machines, data, advanced analytics and people. It’s the assets and devices connected through network communication technologies that results in Systems that can connect, monitor, exchange, analyse and deliver valuable new unprecedented insights. These insights can then help deliver smarter, faster operational and business decisions in manufacturing.

Smart Manufacturing: The manufacturing industry is going through a step change so significant that it is being referred to as the fourth industrial revolution. The ‘smart’ in Smart Manufacturing is a highly connected, knowledge-enabled industrial enterprise where devices, equipment and processes are connected, monitored and optimized to enhance productivity, quality, sustainability and economic performance.

Smart Manufacturing means bringing the elements of smart technology – sensor inputs, computing power, always-on connectivity, artificial intelligence, advanced data analytics and machine learning – to the traditional production process. Used collectively, these technologies help teams unlock new opportunities to accelerate development, reduce waste, and increase transparency of the supply chain.?

Industry 4.0: The term Industry 4.0 encompasses a promise of a new industrial revolution- one that marries advanced manufacturing techniques with the Internet of Things to create systems that are not only interconnected, but communicate, analyse and use information to drive further intelligent action back in the physical world (Deloitte).

It’s time for action from leaders and the time is now. 71% of manufacturing organisations already have some digital initiatives under way. Industry 4.0 is not just a "project" when you consider that most "projects" have a beginning and an end. Instead, it's a long-term strategy that requires continuous operational- cultural adaptation and evolution. When a company takes its first steps into digitalization, a commitment is made to a new way of doing business from the shop floor to the boardroom.

This commitment requires fortitude, leadership, and guidance from those who've trodden the path before. You don't have to reinvent the wheel and do this alone! Read on.

While digital transformation has come to mean different things for different businesses The fog has lifted on the digital path for the manufacturing sector, and specifically the discrete manufacturing industry. For these oganisations, it is now possible to draw up a concrete roadmap, make up for time lost and be well on the way within 2021 to not only face, but thrive on the new digital normal. As more industry leaders begin to plan and execute their IIoT strategy, the opportunity to get a head start and develop a competitive advantage will evaporate. Thus, it is imperative to move quickly.

However, it is imperative also to steer clear of the 'Big Data' pitfalls that have been the undoing of many an IIoT project. We shall see how in the next post on coming Tuesday. Do like, share or comment so these posts deliver content useful to your endeavors!