The 4th industrial revolution
Many terms revolve around the trend topic Industry 4.0 – Intelligent Factory, Smart Factory, Integrated Industry, Internet of Things, Digitalization, Cloud Computing, Big Data, Factory of the Future and more. The fourth industrial revolution: The automation of production processes through decentralized, internet-controlled provision of data and information – a revolution driven by the Internet, which still requires a lot of research and development and yet is already changing entire product worlds and their production and manufacturing processes. Production machines, for example, are no longer configured individually by employees, but by automatic data transfer from PC to machine. Automatic data storage at the end of the manufacturing process allows data to be reused; Machines are controlled via tablets and apps; Real-time information enables immediate response to disruptions in the production flow.
No digitization without process optimization
More and more medium-sized companies are venturing into this forward-looking topic. Trade fairs and information events, trade journals and scientific reports, IT solutions and services are available. However, the intelligent networking of people, machines and production processes requires not only the digitization of processes and new IT solutions, but first and foremost process optimization. In order to increase productivity in entire value chains, processes in the company must change fundamentally and processes must be professionally prepared for digitalization. It is not enough to adapt digitization and new IT solutions to proven processes, then promised efficiency increases will not be achieved. In the future, the topic of Industry 4.0 will not only occupy research and industry, but also specialized consulting firms. In addition to end-to-end real-time integrations and flexibilization of logistics processes, the intelligent factory also needs expertise.
Process optimization through outsourcing
The optimization requirements of Industry 4.0 present medium-sized companies with tasks that cannot be mastered with their own resources and expertise alone in this accumulation and complexity. Outsourcing is a solution here. Consulting companies specialize in process optimization and offer process consulting so that medium-sized companies can really exploit cost reduction potentials and optimization opportunities and maintain their ability to innovate. Outsourcing makes it possible to use one’s own resources to increase efficiency. Process optimization requires know-how from experienced and specialized process experts. They review process models based on proven procedures, offer suggestions for solutions, and show new trends and solutions. Outsourcing not only leads to relieved resources, lean processes, increased efficiency, but also to an increase in quality against the background of specialization. Especially processes that are remote from value creation and with a high degree of administrative effort are suitable for outsourcing, e.g. business processes in HR management (payroll, travel expense accounting) or business processes in finance and accounting (financial accounting). They tie up resources in companies unnecessarily.
Result
It is not only all kinds of technical refinements that make up a smart factory. Above all, future-proof companies keep a constant eye on their processes and concentrate on their business purpose.
Do you have your processes put to the test? How much process optimization is taking place in your company? We look forward to your comments.
Image source: Fotolia.com, Photographer: magele
