Smart Factory Technologies and Strategies

Jun 28, 2024

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.