Digitalization
Reducing the time to market for a new product, reducing design costs and excellence in quality force corporates to gain competitive advantages over management of the life cycle of an industrial product. In this context, the integration of customers, suppliers or partners in the value chain becomes a key success factor for the company.
A product generates multiple information during the different phases of its development and its market entrance : definition, design, manufacture and maintenance.
A product lifecycle management system (PLM) centralizes all this data within a common and secure space that guarantees the traceability of data exchanged during the project. It allows all parties to communicate and collaborate stakeholders in the development of a product: design office, subcontractor, co-contractor, marketing department, etc.
When we talk about PLM, we often talk about complicated applications reserved for a small number of insider companies that bring complex products to market. We imagine that very specialized tools are needed to enable them to succeed in this task which is really perceived as “out of common sense”. This vision is however very far from the reality!
Global market share
PLM and engineering application market share by end 2019 (%)
Process digitalization approach
Service and product design
- The first phase of our process digitalization approach is the design of effective services and products. These two aspects play a particularly decisive role.
Process design
- The second phase defines the process design in the sense of an operational production where the main objective relies on process efficiency.
Transformation
- Development direction is being compared to the current situation (before development) to enable the planning of scope and timeline for a phased transformation.
Implementation
- It consists of the phased transformation and closure of every single gap in order to realize the target service or product and the underlying target process. Here an agile development approach is used (such as the scrum framework) and the implementation of the requirements is prioritized and distributed over individual sprints.
OILIFINA digitalization journey
We start by reviewing the technological developments and competitive pressures in your industry sector, together with the rate of change. How will this impact you in the short and long term? What future technologies do you need to consider?
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Machine learning (ML)
- Cloud computing
- Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
- Chatbots (intelligent assistants)
Firstly, is your organization ready to be an early adopter, a fast follower, or a follower?
To determine this, we start by knowing what is on your factory floor – digitalization starts from there. Many manufacturers have machines that cannot collect and transmit the data needed to support a digitalization initiative and they will need to be modified or replaced.
During our factory investigation, we also identify how people on the floor collect and use information. In many cases, analog devices are still used to collect information about staff activities on the factory floor, and these will need to be changed.
In order to connect a range of disparate systems and leverage the data from them, you will require middleware to collate and translate the data before it is integrated into your ERP.
That is when a future-fit ERP system can be a major advantage. It enables you to plug-in components such as a MOM system when your business is ready, and automates the collection of data from various sources and orchestrates the flow of information to all parts of the business.
At the customer-facing points of the organization, there is a growing preference among customers to have self-directed interactions with chatbots. Using an ERP application that includes chatbot functionality fast tracks the incorporation of this capability into your customer service process.
Digitalizing your business will result in the generation of large amounts of data. How can you use all the data effectively and still be efficient ?
An ERP system that includes various tools for reporting and analysis is important in allowing people to make decisions based on data. But people can only do so much and may not pick up some critical factors. Increasingly, organizations are looking to AI and ML to help identify trends and anomalies, and predict future events or problems.
Unless managed properly, digitalization projects can generate process and data problems.
Because a digitalized organization will have a lot of data moving around, another aspect of governance is ensuring data security and integrity. Weak points may be when data is being transferred, say between machines and the data collection stores. This can be overcome by putting data rules, access controls and authorizations in place, functionality that should be available with your chosen ERP solution.
A full digitalization project may not be the right answer for every organization. You can start by assessing what you have, how you use it, and what you can change without too much effort. Decide what you want to achieve from digital transformation project and then reach out to your ERP provider to see how they can help and guide you through the process, but make sure their system will enable you to deliver the digital transformation you need.
Our Activity
The digital revolution is not just a question of technology. It’s also about three questions :
- how your consumers are reacting ?
- how your competitive landscape is changing ?
- how your cost structures are transformed ?
Using a radically new approach to strategy, we work with you to define what you can do with digital today and how to use it to strengthen your competitive position in the years to come. We support companies in the design, orchestration and realization of digital transformations in all industrial sectors. We focus on the digital experience of your end customers and the engagement of your employees.
The objective ?
To ensure the creation of value and your agility in a context of digital acceleration.