The role of the software ERP in Industry 4.0
The role of the ERP in Industry 4.0 is crucial. This because in the Industry 4.0 environment only the perfect interaction of company areas such as: technical department, development, production , can guarantee the company success. The role of the ERP system in this environment is to coordinate and manage the information that come from the different areas in order to optimize the processes and ensure their continuity.
Radical changes with Innovation 4.0
In a recent survey carried out by the Observatories of the Politecnico di Milano on a sample of nearly 200 companies, large companies and SMB , 80% of the managers interviewed considers Industry 4.0 to be a revolution that will bring radical changes.
The areas on which 4.0 applications will have the greatest impact are the “Smart Factory (production, logistics, maintenance, quality,security), the Smart Lifecycle (development and management of the product life cycle, supplier management) and Smart Supply Chain (planning of physical and financial flows) “.
Customer needs and production efficiency
The adoption of an ERP system that processes the information from the various applications becomes a priority to create the conditions for a constant increase in productivity thanks to the development of new business models related to ‘mass customization’.
This for years has been the paradigm on which to address corporate decision: creating goods and services that meet the individual needs of customers, but at the same time preserving the efficiency of medium and large-scale production.
Process monitoring with Digital Transformation
The Monitoring of the production chain of a good or a service is one of the main functions of a company ERP management system.
We are talking about what is the ‘monitoring’ of the different phases that allows to have all the guarantees that the processes that are being implemented are optimized in terms of costs and benefits.
In addition, the drive towards the digitization processes of Industry 4.0 implies the continuous introduction of new application solutions that must find a level of control and integration that only ERP software can guarantee. Every new development and implementation must immediately fit into a coordinated information flow in order to obtain the maximum benefits from Digital Transformation.
Responsibility of the various operational levels
There aren’t industrial sectors in which the ERP system does not find application possibilities, from manufacturing to tourism, from distribution to food sector to heavy industry.
In every field, the adoption of an ERP allows the management to focus its attention on strategic aspects thanks to the monitoring, control and correct information sharing but also, , to activate awareness processes of the different operational levels, stimulating commitment and motivation.
Digital Change and new organizational model
The involvement of staff and partners in the Industry 4.0 revolution is still little considered in commpanies: even by those that are investing in innovation. Also the Politecnico Observatory of Industry 4.0 indicates as necessary and essential the fact that inside companies, in order to continue to grow, the HR departments and the employees themselves must be involved in the design and development of solutions. It is clear that only a complete sharing of information with the use ERP software can offer this possibility: drive digital change by adopting a new organizational model.
It is needed an ERP system to enable Innovation 4.0
The conclusion is that companies of any size, of any sector, can no longer avoid the use of an ERP system. The only issue remains in identifying the most suitable solutions for your business. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on suppliers that are able to offer vertical, modular and customized solutions that allow management to focus on the core business and on the new opportunities offered by Innovation 4.0.