Unlike other technology trends, Industry 4.0 cannot be reduced to a fundamental technology component. The concept is based on the interplay of many building blocks, which together result in an intelligently toothed system. This also results, for example, in the vision of the fully automated factory, which controls, monitors and optimizes itself. When looking closely, regardless of what this production unit produces or processes, it is always about generating, storing, analyzing, further processing and even distributing data. Thus the well-being and woe of the entire concept of industry 4.0 depends on the purpose of dealing with its own data in a targeted manner and to get the optimum out of them. Together with the partners SAP, Rohde & Schwarz, Hitachi Data Systems, Consol Software and Lufthansa Industry Solutions, COMPUTERWOCHE has conducted the study “Industry 4.0 – Where stands Germany?” In order to elaborate details on perception and implementation. In the spring of 2017 340 decision-makers were asked about their plans and projects around industry 4.0.
Cloud computing sets the foundation
According to the study, cloud computing, security applications and analytics / big data solutions are indispensable technologies for the successful implementation of industry 4.0 approaches. The problem, however, is that currently too few organizations really use these as relevant techniques. Considering the example of cloud computing, 54 percent of companies think that Cloud Computing is indispensable for Industry 4.0. However, only 24 percent actually use appropriate solutions. But who can change this situation?
CIO in the driver seat
According to the survey, the specialist departments for IT, and thus the CIOs, are responsible for the topic of industry 4.0 in about 85 percent of organizations. More than half of the surveyed organizations see it as their responsibility to protect the IT base for industry 4.0. This of course also applies to the development of the basic IT infrastructure. The CIO is responsible for 45% of the surveyed companies when it comes to modernizing production. This is partly so far that 60% of the CIOs participating in the study themselves say that they deal almost exclusively with industry 4.0 topics in the company. If the values for the rest of the IT department are also included in the calculation, the value is over 70 percent. This can reach as much as 95 percent when looking at corporate groups. In turn, the management team is conceptually involved in the planning and implementation of industrial 4.0 projects for every third company. The production manager can say this in himself in every fifth case. Eleven percent of the surveyed companies have not yet clarified the responsibility for this important topic. So there is still a lot to do!
Responsible for the topic of Industry 4.0 and IoT are exactly the right environment at DARZ to lend their imagination step by step. More information about our approach can be found at https://www.da-rz.de/en/ueber-darz/fokusthemen/industrie-4-0/