Smart Factory Technologies and Strategies Lecture

Introduction

• Speaker: Jay Myers, CEO of Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGM Canada)
• Objective: Building world-leading advanced manufacturing capabilities in Canada
  • Supporting cutting-edge Industry 4.0 projects
  • Enabling better deployment of advanced technologies
  • Focus on profitable deployment and necessary business and skills requirements
• Thanks to Salesforce for sponsoring the session

Industry 4.0 Trends

• Current State: Companies are collecting, connecting data across systems
• Key Issues:
  • Identifying critical data for performance improvement
  • Predicting outcomes in processes
  • Building greater autonomy in processes and products
• Consumer Products: Already seeing trends towards autonomy

Expert Panel Introduction

• Peter Coffee from Salesforce: Discussing industry opportunities and best practices

Peter Coffee's Presentation

• Beyond efficiency: Emphasizes avoiding "doing the wrong thing better"
• Industry 4.0 Concepts
  • Predict vs. Reveal: Salesforce reveals current states rather than predicting future.
  • Key Trends: Demand uncertainty, disruption, generational and demographic changes
  • Volatility and Complexity: Growing factors like geopolitical risk, cyber-attacks, climate change
  • Supply Chain Resilience: Anticipate multi-month disruptions, shift from minimum cost to resilience
  • Continuous Education: Rapid technological change requires ongoing skills training, use of technology for continuous upskilling
  • Employee Investment: Continuous upskilling improves talent retention
  • Remote Work and Telepresence: Increasing in manufacturing, frictionless employment changes
  • Convergence of IT & Operations: Salesforce as a central tool
  • Ecosystem Building: Holistic integration, continuous service delivery
  • Distributed Systems: Move intelligence to the edge, avoid central fragility
  • Real-time Data Processing: Smart tools, closed-loop cycles, scalable machine learning
• Key Quotes: "Factory of the future isn't about doing old things better, but about redefining how things are done."
• Automated Systems: Example of tangible smart tools like Bosch's IOT cloud and hand tools
• Machine Learning Applications: Use of AI in practical and complex environments – e.g., America's Cup yachting strategies
• Ecosystem Examples: Salesforce works with various companies like Bosch in building integrated smart systems

Panel Discussion

• Panelists: Craig Holden (CEO, Penivo), Penguin San Cao (VP, ATS), Paul Boris (President & CEO, Pretivm)
• Key Points by Panelists:
  • Importance of Smart Factories: Adoption of Industry 4.0 tools for productivity, adaptability and competitiveness
  • Historical Context: From steam (Industry 1.0) to digital and AI (Industry 4.0)
  • Real-world Applications: Examples from automotive, agriculture, manufacturing
  • Common Pitfalls: Complex adoption, high training costs, data integrity issues
  • Approaches for Success: Avoiding silos, ensuring data flow, starting small and scaling fast, leveraging supplier trials and funding
  • Closing Thoughts:
    • Start Small: Focus on high-impact areas and scale with proven success
    • Employee Engagement: Empower, train and retain workforce effectively
    • Data-Driven Decisions: Ensure quality, reliable data inputs
    • Innovate Systemically: Think beyond efficiency, redefine processes and models
    • Collaborate and Learn: Form support groups, network with other leaders, use resources like NGM
    • Final Note: Smart factories leverage cumulative revolutions across various industries to create different, more efficient operations. Leaders must commit to innovative processes, value employee investment, and be open to rapid, small-scale adoption to create impactful long-term changes.