Page 11 - Industrial Technology EXTRA 8th February 2021

through connectivity between machinery, sensors maintenance engineer will find empowerment
and factory software. through machine performance data, the same is
Using a software platform with an appropriate true for production operators, energy managers and
dashboard, they can filter the data of a specific c-level executives and their respective datasets.
machine and overlay this with the plant’s Unlike the business jargon that often riddles
production schedule. Using this insight, they can cross-department conversations in industry – think
decide on the optimal time to schedule Industry 4.0, cyber-physical systems and
maintenance. discussions around industrial ergonomics –
The connected factory’s combination of control, connected factories provide data-driven knowledge.
visibility and flexibility enables workers to make Data is objective and can be processed in a way
better decisions – a sheer contrast to the that everyone understands.
misconception that highly digitized manufacturing Step 3: Create cross-department objectives –
plants disadvantage employees and displace jobs. When communication is enabled across multiple
Step 2: Clear up communications – Connected pieces of software, it allows different business areas
factories also provide a common language for to collaborate and set more intricate and cross-
different stakeholders. As the aforementioned department objectives. Objectives can be related to