How to gain a competitive advantage with research and development

Discover a project that promotes advanced innovation in industrial production, from ideation to major developments. Focused on R&D, it aims to gain a competitive advantage in new digital technologies, increasing corporate market share

The Challenge

The optimization of the activity of companies

We often hear about PLM (Product Lifecycle Management), which is the management of a product at all its stages, which with the advent of Industry 4.0 sees the need to apply monitoring of its lifecycle even when it has left the manufacturing plants. To further improve it, it can be digitized. PLM, then, becomes Digital Product Lifecycle Management.

This type of process allows companies to optimize their operations as early as the departments and employees involved in production, basically together with other enabling technologies (or KETs – Key Enabling Technologies), which are those technologies capable of improving and innovating processes while increasing the commercial value of products in every industry.

The Proposal

Industrial upgrading: toward industry 4.0

Giuseppe Monda, Netgroup’s Delivery Expert, explains about the project aimed at improving industrial organization and production processes from an innovative and experimental perspective

The project, funded in part by MISE, aims to expand and enhance the production capacity of a local industrial plant. Focusing on improving the processes and organization of production and assembly lines, as well as optimizing logistics flows, the project aims to create a modern industrial site in line with the principles of Industry 4.0. This major industrial initiative has unveiled a three-year plan for production investment and research and development.

Our approach was guided by comparing current requirements with those needed to implement automated and digital processes. This involves connecting and intelligently monitoring machinery and robots through IoT technologies, providing CPPS capabilities. Next, we defined key criteria for maximizing industrial efficiency to gain a competitive advantage. Specifically, we established productivity indicators to assess time, cost, and quality benefits, thus creating a control cabinet to effectively guide the project and ensure long-lasting results.

Specifically, the main R&D activities were:

CONTINUOUS EVOLUTION OF INDUSTRIAL MODELS

The imperative need to ensure the safety of air carriers and, consequently, of travelers moving far and wide across the planet, over the years has led to a continuous evolution of industrial models for engineering and large-scale production of civil aircraft

CONTINUOUS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT

One of the largest players in the high-tech aviation manufacturing landscape has constantly searched the IT/Logistic IT market for solutions that can ensure “continuous improvement” of its processes

QUALITY CONTROL WITH HIGH TECHNOLOGY IMPACT PROCEDURES.

The traceability of materials, the fundamental quality control, organized through inspection procedures with high technological impact, and more generally the entire production workflow, represent the necessary prerequisite, we could say the real main core of its activities; consequently, they also constitute the main necessity to be met to ensure the timely achievement of all business objectives

Netgroup is one of the partners in the Research and Development program, within which we are working on four main themes:

IoT sensing: tool life cycle management using IoT sensing;
Traceability: tracking assembly parts and kits with radio frequency tracking solutions;
Analysis: defect analysis using image analysis with AI algorithms;
Training: maintenance and training with AR support.

The Benefits

The operational and economic benefits

rationalization of production processes

timely control of materials

security technology support

inspections with a/r

Multimedia library for technical materials

Locating operators in the field using wearable devices

The Results

Guide to industrial innovation

In summary, these projects and approaches highlight the ongoing commitment to innovation and optimization in the industrial sphere, in line with the challenges and opportunities of Industry 4.0.

Digitization, along with research and development, remain crucial to maintaining a competitive advantage and promoting business growth. We are excited to see how these trends will continue to shape the future of the industry and contribute to the development of increasingly efficient and cutting-edge solutions.

How to gain a competitive advantage with research and development