Digital transformation really isn’t about digital transformation: It’s about business transformation—and using technology and data to help make this change happen.
Digital transformation combines traditional manufacturing processes with new technology and applications like IIoT, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, and human-machine collaboration to address operational issues such as inefficiency, downtime, and safety.
There’s no silver bullet or single formula that leads to the right transformation strategy for every plant. For example: A manufacturer with multiple locations may see immediate benefits from cloud infrastructure while a manufacturer with a single location may see more impactful returns by keeping data on-premises and comparing orders to real-time supply chain data.
Each environment requires a unique combination of applications, such as the cloud, big data, mobile technology, analytics, and IIoT, to meet its goals. None of these technologies or applications alone will provide a “digital transformation.” They must all come together to change operational and product processes for the better.
