You know that we have already had three industrial revolutions so far before Industry 4.0.
Only in the 18th century did we evolve from labor-driven humans and animals to labor by water and steam. It took 100 more years to replace water and streams with oil, gas, and electric power.
One thing that was common among all three revolutions was improvement in efficiency.
But what made Industry 4.0 different is it didn’t only bring improvements to efficiency but required entire changes to how manufacturing and supply chain management companies operate.
So, this is a complex process and needs experts’ help to implement it in your organization, and you need Industry 4.0 solution providers.
Here’s a catch. How to choose the best Industry 4.0 solution providers in India? Continue reading this article to gain further insight into the topic.
What Are Industry 4.0 Solution Providers, and Why Should You Collaborate with Them?
Industry 4.0, or the Fourth Industrial Revolution, denotes a major shift in the manufacturing and industrial sectors. Since this is an ever-shifting tide of technology, you need cutting-edge tools and strategies to embrace this digital revolution.
This is where IoT and Industry 4.0 solution providers come into the picture.
These solution providers are organizations that offer the required technologies, products, and services to help your business implement 4.0 concepts and strategies.
So, collaborating with Industry 4.0 solution providers is essential for organizations aiming to thrive in the modern industrial landscape.
Here’s a list of what Industry 4.0 solution providers offer
Hardware and software solutions:
They are armed with a range of hardware components and devices, and software solutions such as data analytics platforms, AI algorithms, etc.
Connectivity and communications:
These providers must forge a connection between the physical and digital worlds. So, they establish connectivity between machines, systems, and devices through technologies and enable smooth communication and data exchange in real-time.
Technological solutions:
Automation and robotics are areas where solution providers specialize in robotic automation solutions that can perform tasks including assembly, material handling, and quality control.
In data analytics and AI, they use AI and machine learning algorithms to analyze volumes of data generated in industrial settings. By analyzing the data, they can get better insights and tailor the 4.0 solutions for your organization.
Cybersecurity must be highly essential. The more connectivity Industry 4.0 involves, the more security challenges pop up. So, these solution providers offer cybersecurity solutions to safeguard industrial systems and data from cyberattacks.
Consulting and integration services:
Sometimes, you may wonder whether or not to embrace Industry 4.0 solutions. If yes, what solution suits you best?
You can get consultations from any Industry 4.0 solution provider to confirm the same.
Besides this, if you want to implement digital transformation strategies, they can also assist in integrating new technologies into existing manufacturing processes.
Training and support:
If you have embraced the Industry 4.0 solution, but your employees need extra training to handle the system, they can help you. These providers offer training programs and continued support to help organizations use their solutions effectively and keep up with growing technology.
In addition, they can offer customization and tailoring, supply chain optimization, and energy efficiency solutions. So, these providers are essential partners for organizations seeking to navigate the complexities of Industry 4.0 implementation.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Industry 4.0 Solution Providers
A manufacturer embracing a digital transformation journey must be extra careful while choosing its Industry 4.0 solution provider. Because it’s a major shift that requires the integration of new technologies and products/services. Only the right provider will fulfill your organization’s needs and goals.
Here are the questions and factors you must consider while choosing the Industry 4.0 solution providers in India:
1. Define your organization’s goals:
Prepare a digital roadmap to help plan decisions and implications across your business.
Decide what kind of business need you are looking for. It can be a complete digitalization, a new challenge to address, and grab new opportunities and grow your business.
It is significant to evaluate if your organization is prepared to implement digital technologies and other implications for your business strategy. Also, decide if it’s about addressing a local need or an enterprise-level need.
How much can you spend? Defining your budget is important to avoid slipping into overspending. Also, what metrics do you use to define success or calculate your ROI and the timeframe for realizing benefits? List it out.
What’s the deadline for the acquisition or implementation of the solution?
2. Assess the Industry 4.0 provider’s suitability:
What do they offer?
Make sure they possess the necessary expertise to recommend solutions that align with your business needs and goals.
Remember that there is no one-fit solution for all. So, check if the solution provider will fit your business constraints.
Will the industry solution 4.0 fit your current production floor? Calculate the requirements in terms of physical space, power, shop air, equipment rigging, sensors, etc.
If, in case, the solution suggested doesn’t suit your current setup, can you adapt easily?
3. What’s their location?
Check if the IoT and Industry 4.0 Solutions supplier is based in India.
If your company is based in India, let’s say Tamil Nadu, then the solution provider is expected to be in the same country/location, especially if you work with government entities.
Check if the vendor’s geographic distance from you inhibits your efficiency and profitability.
4. What are the provider’s culture and values?
Are they compatible and understand your business goals for the project? Watch how they come up with sensible and reliable advice on potential solutions.
Also, check if the proposed solutions are innovative, flexible, and driven by problem-solving. For instance, they must determine which of the Industry 4.0 technologies will benefit your business the most. Whether it’s IoT, cloud computing, augmented reality/virtual reality(AR/VR) or digital twins.
Are they clearing your doubts? Do you sense any hiccups? Will you be able to develop a business relationship with this service provider?
Get answers to these questions.
5. Do a quick background check.
Research and find out their history, clientele, stories, or case studies, and their alignment with the latest Industry 4.0 Solutions and trends. And don’t overlook competitors.
6. Evaluate the supplier’s capabilities.
Check if the IoT and Industry 4.0 solution provider team is equipped with enough members and resources to execute the work.
Can they handle emergency situations? And most importantly, does the provider have the appropriate geographical presence for executing the project?
7. Research the provider’s operations.
As already said, the provider must have the resources, such as operating systems, hardware, and software, required to implement Industry 4.0 solutions. If possible, ask them for a quick demo.
In terms of processes, check if they are formally certified or at least have robust processes and procedures in place. Ask how they would track the progress of the implementation and proper functioning of the Industry 4.0 solutions.
8. Data security
This is an important aspect that needs extra verification.
What is the provider’s commitment to data security and compliance with industry regulations? Where will they store the data?
Try assessing the cybersecurity measures they take to protect your systems and data.
9. Maintenance
Inquire about the Industry 4.0 provider’s ongoing support and maintenance services. A responsive support team is crucial to addressing issues promptly. Besides this, ensure they have clear channels for reporting and resolving issues.
10. Double-check their policies.
A clear and mutually acceptable agreement about intellectual property and deliverable ownership is crucial. Also, confirm if there would be a non-disclosure agreement regarding your interests.
Next, access their data policy. Besides knowing where the data is stored, know if the data belongs to you and how long it will be stored.
Lastly, thoroughly understand how they approach maintenance and troubleshooting and what their warranty policy is.
11. Compare the pricing model.
Don’t you compare the product prices on Amazon and Flipkart? Likewise, do a quick comparison of Industry 4.0 solution providers in India. But how do you do the price comparison? Consider the balance you see between cost, time, and quality.
Prepare for the Practicalities of Digital Transformation.
Incorporating Industry 4.0 is not only about machines but also about how we embrace and handle them. So, it needs a hybrid approach. So, how you and your employees interact with and operate with these solutions is important.
So, this points out the importance of having skilled people leverage these tools.
But here comes the skills gap challenge.
Even if you hire the right Industry 4.0 solution providers, finding the right talent with diverse skill sets is challenging.
Because Industry 4.0 technologies evolve quickly, it is hard for workers to keep up with the latest tools and techniques.
Also, this industry demands people with different skill sets, including data analytics, programming, cybersecurity, and the list goes on.
Either find the talent you need or re-skill your employees to enable them to use new technologies.
There are some practical ways to bridge the gaps:
Invest in the training and development of your employees.
Encourage cross-training among employees to prepare them to handle various tasks.
A culture of continuous learning must be encouraged.
Industry 4.0 is here to stay, and the role of a skilled workforce can’t be overstated. So, encourage your employees to upskill to be better positioned and thrive in this industrial era.
Conclusion
Industry 4.0, or the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is evolving, and it represents the next wave of technology that drives efficiency across operations. Also, it helps in cost efficiency, democratizes data, documentation, and traceability, improves operational agility, retains customers, and is inclusive of other such benefits.
So, we can’t deny that it’s becoming important in the manufacturing and industrial sectors. However, many organizations miss out on choosing an Industry 4.0 solution provider.
We hope you have a better idea of how to hire Industry 4.0 solution providers in India. Follow our guidelines and remain competitive and innovative in a rapidly evolving industrial landscape.
