These days we are discussing several concepts that summarize different ways of approaching the implementation of technology in the industry and that address the complexity and value expected from this digital transformation. The most ambitious concept is not always the best; it will depend on the challenges and needs of a given company.
A Smarter Industry is the only way to change the industry so that it stands out for its strategic role and remains the engine of the economy.
It is therefore important to differentiate between three key concepts: Digital Factory, Smart Factory and Smart Industry.
Digital Factory
A Digital Factory is one in which everything is connected: products, machines, systems, and people, sharing information in real-time in a transparent manner and adding certain levels of intelligence which improve decision-making. It allows significant improvements to be achieved with inexpensive, simple, and easy-to-implement technology.
It is a concept that can be applied separately to different aspects of factory management, from energy efficiency, to planning, logistics optimization or asset efficiency.
Smart Factory
It allows profound changes in the operations of a factory. It consists of an advanced level of digitalization, in which automation indecision-making is achieved through the orchestration of different technologies and Artificial Intelligence models.
A Smart Factory must be fully virtualized to be able to operate autonomously and flexibly, adapting to any circumstance. The difficulty of implementation is high; sometimes, it is only recommended for new factories or in the need for a change of model due to the circumstances of the environment.
Smart Industry
The same concepts and technologies that we apply to the Smart Factory can be applied to a group of factories, thus extending to supply chains We are therefore talking about a broader concept that of Smart Industry, which allows us to significantly increase the value provided by technology.
Some examples of what this concept allows are: planning for the joint optimization of all resources in the supply chain, ensuring product quality from raw material to final assembly operation, and fully robust and accurate circular economy models.
