The first industrial revolution reshaped our world in ways that were unimaginable at the time. It ushered in a new era of production, using mechanization to increase efficiency and output. The second industrial revolution built on the first, with the introduction of electricity and mass production. This led to even more advances in manufacturing and increased global trade. The third industrial revolution, or the digital revolution, was characterized by the introduction of computers, the internet, and automation.
Now we are on the brink of the fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0. This new era is being driven by the rise of interconnected devices, or the Internet of Things (IoT), and data-driven technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The impact of Industry 4.0 is already being felt in many industries, including manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare.
For Industry 4.0 to be successful it requires a part, manufacturing, and supply chain ecosystem that also integrates innovative technologies. This means that companies must invest in new technologies – like FullConfidence, powered by Stratizant – to better connect their operations, enabling data-driven decisions, improving cash flow, and optimizing processes.
The Ecosystem of Industry 4.0
The Industry 4.0 ecosystem includes four main components:
Parts: This includes raw materials, components, and products.
Manufacturing: The process of transforming raw materials into parts and components, and assembling them into products.
Supply Chain: The network of suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers that transport goods from parts suppliers to end customers.
Technology: The enabling technology that connects the parts, manufacturing, and supply chain ecosystem and allows for data-driven decision making.
One of the most important potential impacts of Industry 4.0 is its capacity to transform supply chains. The traditional linear supply chain is being replaced by a more dynamic and agile network. This is made possible by the rise of IoT and its associated innovative software, which allows for real-time tracking and prediction of inventory, assets, and suppliers. The result is a more efficient and responsive supply chain that can quickly adapt to changes in demand, thereby minimizing the risks of disruption.
Supply chains stuck in the past are already feeling the pain of disruption. The recent shortage of baby formula across the US is a prime example. Disruptions to the supply chain led to widespread shortages of baby formula, leaving many parents scrambling to find alternative sources. As we become more reliant on global trade, the consequences of supply chain disruptions will only become more severe.
From aluminum and semiconductors to hygiene products, the list of goods that are vulnerable to disruptions is long and growing. The pandemic has only highlighted the need for more resilient supply chains, but even as the world's network of supply chains recovers from pandemic-related challenges, a myriad of expected and unexpected factors will continue to put them under strain. The war in Ukraine, driver shortages, inflation, climate change, and the rise of protectionism are just some of the challenges that supply chains are facing.
At Stratizant, we’re using products like FullConfidence, our predictive software, to help manufacturers and other companies to better manage their supply chain networks. Andrew Caldwell, Stratizant's new Director of Sales, put it well when he said, "supply chains are a critical part of our world. One small disruption to a supply chain can have a ripple effect, ultimately impacting each one of us in significant ways."
How Industry 4.0 Can Boost Supply Chain Resiliency
These challenges are not going away anytime soon, and companies must invest in new technologies and strategies to navigate them. Industry 4.0 presents a unique opportunity to do just that. By harnessing the power of data and connectivity, manufacturers can build more agile and responsive supply chains that can withstand the challenges of the future.
Machine learning, in particular, is a powerful tool that can be used to predict changes in demand and optimize production. By analyzing historical data, ML algorithms can identify patterns and trends that are difficult for people to discern. This information can then be used to generate predictions about future demand, and optimize production to meet that demand. Moreover, when there are abrupt or unprecedented changes – like the dramatic spike in demand for and cost of food products and toilet paper in the beginning of the pandemic – ML is able to identify the change sooner and better predict the extent to which it will be exacerbated, minimizing the severity of the inventory shortage and its associated price inflation for manufacturers and consumers alike. In combination with the cloud, which enables more flexible and scalable computing, ML can help companies to build more agile and responsive supply chain networks.
These technologies are enabling companies to track inventory and assets in real-time, and make data-driven decisions that can help them avoid a surplus or shortage of inventory caused by abrupt changes to demand and disruptions.
Not only is it important to adapt to changing demand to effectively manage inventory, but it's also critical to understand how reliable suppliers are at providing parts. In the traditional linear supply chain, parts are sourced from a single supplier. This can lead to disruptions if the supplier is unable to meet demand. On the other hand, parts can be sourced from many suppliers in an Industry 4.0 ecosystem. When one supplier becomes unreliable, the impacts of the shortage are minimized because they are not the only parts supplier. This allows for a more adaptable and resilient supply chain that can quickly respond to changes in demand.
Even when sourcing parts from multiple suppliers, however, delays and disruptions can be costly. This is where innovation and technology can help improve manufacturers’ performance. Stratizant developed FullConfidence, an ML-powered platform, that continuously monitors supplier performance in order to predict part delivery and manage supplier reliability. The software derives insights from factors like past performance and environmental changes, so manufacturers can pivot before the impacts of disruptions are felt.
Innovation that connects manufacturers with other stakeholders in the ecosystem allows for greater responsiveness and communication, connecting manufacturers with their suppliers and customers, thereby increasing the dynamism of the ecosystem in order to enhance efficiency and mitigate the risks of unexpected disruptions.
Industry 4.0 holds great promise for supply chain resiliency. By investing in innovative technologies like FullConfidence, manufacturers can build supply chain networks that are better equipped to withstand the challenges of the future.