UNLOCKING THE VALUE OF DATA-DRIVEN MANUFACTURING

The article delves into the smart manufacturing adoption in India, emphasising the crucial role of data. It also discusses how manufacturers can tackle challenges such as data silos, cultural resistance, and the digital skills gap to leverage their data fully.

- Chalapathi Rao

The age of smart manufacturing has long begun, driven by a strategic imperative to remain competitive and improve agility in response to rapidly evolving market dynamics. Manufacturers in India have embarked on their digital journey to transform their factory floors and supply chains with new-age technologies. Today, over 57 per cent of Indian companies make use of smart manufacturing – at the heart of which lies data.

DATA: THE PULSE OF SMART MANUFACTURING

The availability of high-quality, real-time data has made it optimal for manufacturers to gain smart insights, supporting better decision-making and improved efficiency. Data helps manufacturers reduce energy consumption, optimise supply chains, predict future outcomes for the business, and automate processes, which lowers costs and saves time. When applied intelligently, data also enhances product quality, increases productivity, detects production flaws, minimises downtime and instances of unanticipated maintenance.

However, despite having access to relevant data, most manufacturers still struggle to capture value from it. One reason for this gap is the challenge of ensuring interoperability between their information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) infrastructure. The first question before the Indian industry is: with the integration of IT and OT and the convergence of these technologies, how do they ensure greater interoperability? Such integration is essential for grasping data and converting it into valuable, actionable insights.

MASTERING DATA FOR ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS