The Ultimate Guide To Digitizing The Shop Floor

By Brian Curran

As Industry 4.0 initiatives and digital transformation efforts get off the ground, ongoing advances in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic process automation are making their mark on everything from product assembly to quality inspection to equipment maintenance and even good manufacturing practice (GMP) documentation. It’s no wonder that leading manufacturing companies today are focusing heavily on fully digitizing and integrating information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) capabilities. Worldwide spending on the technologies and services that enable digital transformation is forecast to reach $2.3 trillion in 2023, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC). The market research firm estimates that discrete and process manufacturing will deliver the largest digital transformation spending amounts throughout the forecast, accounting for nearly 30% of the worldwide total. A 2019 report from PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Manufacturing Institute also found that 73% of manufacturers planned to increase their investment in smart factory technology over the next year. This guide exlores the state of digital transformation in manufacturing and offers guidance on how you can extend your digital edge.