The Challenge
A critical part for businesses involved in industry is reducing downtime. It is estimated that every factory loses at least 5% of its productivity due to downtime and many lose as much as 20%. Problems in production can take time to detect and report and this can lead to lost capacity, lost production and increased labour costs.. The cost in manufacturing can be very significant and cost a company millions. Industry 4.0 looks to reduce this.
It can be difficult to get an accurate picture of how a factory floor/ individual machines are performing. When live data are presented via sheets of figures or charts, it can seem too abstract to make decisions.
Industry 4.0
Companies across the globe are in the process of transforming how products are produced through digitalisation. The term, Digital twin, refers to a near-real-time digital image of a physical object or process that helps optimise business performance.
The digital twin can allow a company to digitise its production process. Through the use of sensors, located on the production line, issues can be detected and solutions sent to the relevant people almost immediately.