Industrial automation provider Festo has developed an online tool to help companies assess their readiness for Industry 4.0 adoption. Called Industry 4.0 Quick Check, it enables companies to identify their current Industry 4.0 maturity level and what their next training and development priorities should be.
Neil Lewin, Festo Learning & Development Consultant, explains: “As digital transformation gathers pace, more and more companies are making the transition to Industry 4.0 working. However, assessing just where you are in the process and what support you need along the way can be very difficult. Do you really know how well your production and processes are prepared for digital transformation? And how do you empower your employees through training and qualifications?”
Festo has extensive expertise in this area, having delivered bespoke Industry 4.0 workshops and seminars from senior management to shop floor level; ensuring positive buy-in to this sensitive change in manufacturing. Supported by Festo Didactic Cyber-Physical factory training hardware, custom courses support the spectrum of technical, organisation and people development needs for many manufacturing organisations.
Industry 4.0 Quick Check has been developed from Festo’s considerable experience in adopting Industry 4.0 practices at its own manufacturing sites and in delivering workshops for third parties. Neil Lewin explains: “Our new online tool makes it much easier to find answers by guiding the user through a set of questions about their business priorities. It then immediately delivers a report by email containing recommendations on how they can move forward on their Industry 4.0 journey.”
The user is prompted to choose three targets for which they would like to receive initial recommendations for action. The Quick Check then asks 15 questions that cover the following aspects of the business:
• Data Collection and Processing
• Networking and Integration
• Production Autonomy
• Strategy and Processes
• Employees and Culture
The software analyses the results of this online survey to assign a maturity level. The evaluation and the corresponding recommendations for action are presented graphically and in writing in a summary report.Neil Lewin concludes: “Industry 4.0 Quick Check provides an easy to use, accessible and free of charge self-assessment of a company’s Industry 4.0 status. It provides a clear visualisation which can help guide the user to their priorities.”
Festo is then able to support the customer in defining how Industry 4.0 will look for their specific business and which actions they can take in the short, medium and longer term. Festo is also able to offer a more comprehensive two-day consultant led investigation and assessment with detailed activity report.
