Industry 4.0 and manufacturing planning: investing in software to be more efficient

Given this situation, we must not forget, however, that these expensive acquisitions in no way offer a solution to the root problem. A machine can never be idle, but in extreme cases, we find that the utilization level of these resources, a sometimes unknown fact, does not even reach 25% of their availability. And it all stems from poor production planning, largely due to a lack of adequate tools.

Experience shows that the annual turnover of companies that commit to digitalization grows by around 3%, and costs decrease by 4%. So, why this low investment in our country?

Resistance to change is the predominant factor when it comes to holding back investment in Industry 4.0. Many companies do not venture into making a profound change in the way they plan and control their production without first ensuring that their direct competitors have successfully done so. This ultimately means always being one step behind.

The costs associated with implementing a digitalization project are the second factor. However, digitizing a 50-employee plant is much less expensive than acquiring a modern machining center.

A third important point is that the market-adapted offering is scarce. The lack of digitization is overwhelming when we focus on manufacturers of short runs or complex unit production. Planning—carried out, at most, a week in advance—is generally unrealistic and inefficient, as rescheduling due to unforeseen events is constant and, above all, time-consuming. All of this, coupled with the complexity of the product range offered, makes it difficult to find digitization and planning software that adds value in these cases.