Industry 4.0 is proving to be the largest transformation of manufacturing improvements for businesses around the world.
The mass digitalisation of processes, assisted by the development of research into automation, traceability, artificial intelligence and improved productivity updates to name a few, will allow businesses to make significant improvements and streamline the way in which their products are created and released to the everyday consumer.
This, of course, means that business leaders have a responsibility to ascertain exactly what Industry 4.0 brings to their sector, and take steps to implement the best processes and train their employees to work alongside these developments for the foreseeable future.
So, what exactly is Industry 4.0, and what can manufacturing leaders do to prepare their workforce for the digital revolution?
What is Industry 4.0?
Put simply, Industry 4.0 is the fourth generation of the digital age, typically known as the era where cyber-physical production systems are heavily involved in making manufacturing improvements.
Its predecessor, Industry 3.0, focused on the development and introduction of computer systems to assist businesses with their processes. The rapid shift in technology, however, has allowed for enhanced innovation and assistance across every step of the supply chain, and thus Industry 4.0 was born.
How will Industry 4.0 help to make manufacturing improvements?
The introduction of new technology provides manufacturing businesses with an entire spectrum of opportunities to improve their overall processes to better serve their consumers, saving time and money in the process. When implemented correctly, Industry 4.0 can pose several key benefits for companies in the sector, including:
- Improved efficiency
- New Opportunities
- Reduced costs
- Gaining an edge over competitors
While all of these benefits serve to improve general operations and contribute to long term success, they will not just happen naturally. Business leaders need to first understand how they want to utilise any new technologies and communicate any operational changes to all employees in the company hierarchy.
Manufacturing workplace training to prepare for Industry 4.0
Embracing Industry 4.0 and implementing new and improved processes is only half the battle for business leaders. If employees responsible for each stage of the manufacturing chain are not fully aware of how to integrate and make the best use of new technologies, they are unlikely to work at optimum levels. As a consequence of this, the business leaves itself vulnerable to harming productivity and ultimately losing money.
A practical solution for all is to implement a manufacturing workplace training programme or risk awareness training course that educates employees on Industry 4.0, and allows them to actively participate in a simulated, risk-free environment that incorporates any new production processes.
Whether it’s artificial intelligence, automation, additive manufacturing or anything else, an effective training course will ensure that employees possess the commercial skills necessary to ensure long term continuity.
At MDA Training, our experiential learning interventions for the manufacturing industry are designed to equip employees with the skills they need to embrace new production processes on an organisational scale. Matched to specific goals and KPIs, we are able to construct a training solution to ensure a return on investment. For more information on our manufacturing workplace training programmes, please click here.
There’s no doubt that Industry 4.0 is proving to be an exciting time for businesses in manufacturing. Years of research and development will allow leaders to streamline their processes and make notable manufacturing improvements. While this is the case, there also needs to be a clear focus on adequate training to ensure that the entire workforce is prepared.