A recent ‘Trends in Digital Manufacturing’ survey, jointly conducted by SME, a manufacturing association promoting advanced manufacturing technologies, and Plataine, a leading provider of Industrial IoT and AI-based manufacturing optimization solutions, has revealed key insights on plans for factory digitization.

This unique IIoT survey, completed by nearly 400 C-level manufacturers from multiple industries including aerospace, automotive, furniture and chemicals, was designed to help advanced manufacturing managers prepare for the rapid advances in digital technology that are transforming factories. The survey reveals how factories intend to implement new digital technologies, which challenges are faced, and what benefits they envision.

Growth expectations were strikingly optimistic: the majority – 93 percent – of all respondents expect double or single-digit growth in the next year. Meanwhile, 84 percent of respondents reported they are already engaging in digital factory initiatives. These initiatives focused on four areas: 
(1)    Digitization of manual and paper-based processes; 
(2)    Supply chain collaboration; 
(3)    Smart shop-floor sensors; and 
(4)    Automation and robotics.

Additionally, the survey defined a group of industry leaders: companies that expect double digit growth while also reporting exceptional quality standards. Industry leaders, who made up 24 percent of respondents, showed clear trends that set them apart. For example, 37 percent described their organization’s digitization level as ‘mostly digital’ compared to 25 percent of the rest of the market.

When digital strategy was analyzed by tier segment, OEMs were discovered to be significantly more likely to invest in innovation than their suppliers. For example, 67 percent of OEMs are investing in digitization of manual or paper-based processes, compared to 21 percent or less in any other tier. When industrial companies were asked which business pain points they hoped Industrial IoT/Industry 4.0 could address in the future, five themes became clear.

The most popular, reported by 62 percent of respondents, was the hope that digitization could help increase manufacturing capacity.

Furthermore, firms reported on the challenges they face on the road to full digitization, mainly technical and organizational. Technical challenges center on the concern that factories do not have the necessary expertise to adopt advanced digital technology. Organizational challenges center on human resources, such as the staff training to manage the real-time data that streams from different sources.

“Understanding the challenges the manufacturing community faces, and their plans in adopting advanced technologies is critical to success,” says Jeff Krause, executive director and CEO, SME. “Surveys such as our Trends in Digital Manufacturing report give us a good sense of progress made, trends to look out for and how much work still needs to be done.”

Avner Ben-Bassat, President and CEO of Plataine, adds: “It is exciting, though not surprising, to learn that almost all respondents have plans to take digitization initiatives this year. Plataine is proud to have collaborated on this survey with SME, and to partner with leading organizations worldwide on their digital journeys.”

About Plataine 
Plataine is the leading provider of Industrial IoT and AI-based optimization solutions for advanced manufacturing. Plataine’s solutions provide intelligent, connected Digital Assistants for production floor management and staff, empowering manufacturers to make optimized decisions in real-time, every time.

Plataine’s patent-protected technologies are used by leading manufacturers worldwide, including Airbus, GE, IAI, Triumph, General Atomics, TPI Composites, PCC, Steelcase and Argosy International.

Plataine partners with Google Cloud, GE Digital, Siemens PLM, McKinsey & Company, the AMRC with Boeing, and CTC-Stade (an Airbus Company), to advance the ‘Factory of the Future’ worldwide.

For this work, Plataine has received a Leadership Award from Frost & Sullivan 2018 and Innovation Awards from the JEC and CompositesUK organizations, as well as the Shanghai Society of Aeronautics (SSA). For more information visit: http://www.plataine.com

About SME 
SME connects manufacturing professionals, academia and communities, sharing knowledge and resources to build inspired, educated and prosperous manufacturers and enterprises. With more than 85 years of experience and expertise in events, media, membership, training and development, and also through an education foundation, SME is committed to promoting manufacturing technology, developing a skilled workforce and attracting future generations to advance manufacturing. Learn more at sme.org, follow @SME_MFGon Twitter or facebook.com/SMEmfg.

For the full Trends in Digital Manufacturing survey, click here