An industry study of five key technologies that are driving Industry 4.0 observes that they are evolving so rapidly that many manufacturers are unsure how they should prioritize their investments.
The comprehensive report from leading global consulting firm Kearney entitled ‘A brave new world for manufacturing – The State of Industry 4.0′ examines current adoption trends, industrial case studies and the future outlook for 3D printing; advanced robotics; wearables, augmented reality and virtual reality; the Internet of Things; and Artificial Intelligence.
The study notes that when manufacturers look at the return on investment from Industry 4.0 projects it is not just the initial up-front costs of the technology that should be taken into account, but also the additional investments required in supporting infrastructure, workforce training, consulting and developing new processes. Equally when measuring the potential benefits this needs to be considered holistically across the business including both direct and indirect benefits.
The report finds that one of the key obstacles to the successful adoption of Industry 4.0 is the lack of a well-defined implementation roadmap and outlines four key areas that should be addressed when developing your roadmap.
Click here to read the full report: