Innovation in manufacturing is one of the prime deliverables that the Accely’s SAP Cloud Platform aims to provide to its end users. An innovative manufacturing process is nothing but processes done intelligently to create products that intuitively respond to the user’s expectations. The 4.0 manufacturing technology is venturing beyond what has been achieved.

Before 4.0, industries looked for automation, speed, and error-free quality in their processes. However, with changing times, user expectations have become the crux of the matter and are taking the processes’ innovation to incredible proactivity and intuition levels.

Industry 4.0 Manufacturing Technology by SAP Cloud Platform

And why should it not be? While previous improvements focused only on how to excel in what is visible, the coming generation of processes needs to deliver what the user needs or expects. Things are also driven predominantly by research tools empowered with AI, VR modeling, machine learning, and other advanced tools.

Thus, with such a promising resource pool in service, the SAP cloud can bring a better atmosphere to the manufacturing bases. Accordingly, SAP Solution for process engineering and innovation takes a 360-degree view of things and works on bringing changes in the following ways:

More Intelligence in Working on Products

SAP Clouds, with its resource pool, can offer ease of customizability in the product’s characteristics. The 3D models or VR models allow the designers to take a more application-based or user-based approach while developing product prototypes. In tune with the requirement of desired product features, the processes need redesigning.

SAP cloud deployments promote process restructuring and drive it in the direction of becoming more intelligent. The data is accessible and easily distributable through handy gadgets connected through smart devices, provides the correct production input, and encourages better collaboration and seamless processes.

Some of the tools from SAP that are integrated into its Analytics Cloud are:

• SAP Intelligent Product Design: User experience focused on designing, better-coordinated processes, self-correcting features, etc. are some of the product variables these have delivered.
• SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing: Product engineering and process planning made more focused in terms of meeting user preference, energy efficiency, and maximizing the use of resources with a focus on minimal waste.
• SAP Internet of Things: On-site device maintenance triggered by energy overload or excess functioning or functioning of one part of the process in response to others’ output are some of the deliverables of SAP Internet of Things.

Intelligently Run and Managed Manufacturing Bases

4.0 manufacturing technology is more about optimization and better ROI deriving from resource buying and other cost factors. The factories can run better by using predictive modeling of demand, prescriptive processing methods, and correct identification and assessment of ERP loopholes.

Manufacturing can be contributing better to the production target-achieving endeavors when networking and designing are done collaboratively. SAP analytics solutions integrate the following solutions to come close to the aim of making 4.0 manufacturing technology a reality:

• SAP Extended Warehouse Management: Intelligence provided by this tool helps set the production targets
• SAP Digital Manufacturing Cloud: All information and virtual machines collaboration achieved to give way to quality in the manufacturing process
• SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing: Keeping manufacturing units functional, understanding demand and supply curve, raw material storage information and its usage pattern analysis, etc. help achieve process transformation

Besides these, Accely’s S/4HANA for operations also contributes to taking the manufacturing industry higher up in the innovation aspect.

Enabling Assets to be More Intelligent in Design and Function

Assets can deliver the desired values when they are ‘available’ in a real sense to the users. The downtimes can destroy the very purpose of owning an asset. SAP cloud-based analytics offers data like maintenance needs, operational input requirements, asset performance evaluation reports, etc. Thus, manufacturing technology can attain better results and deliver innovation while giving better cost control and management. Some of the SAP cloud solutions working towards design intelligence are:

• SAP Asset Strategy and Performance Management: Better strategies to manage demand and supply chain, and providing information like the idle time or overtime done by machines, operational requirements, and threshold limits, etc. serve constructively towards achieving advanced manufacturing technology
• SAP Asset Intelligence Network: The industries involved in manufacturing do not operate through a single manufacturing base. The asset intelligence network developed by SAP keeps the managers of all bases in the loop. A better location choice, proximity to the warehouse, and employment of multiple machines are some of the inputs that this cloud solution provides to help attain better asset intelligence.
• SAP Internet of Things: The Internet of Things creation is undoubtedly moving the manufacturing industry by the sheer increase in automation it offers. The systems can become more coordinated in functioning, the downtimes significantly reduced, and maintenance and upgrades are done in a timelier manner to keep the assets in shape and operation.

Better Informed and More Equipped People

Updating the manufacturing process is unimaginable without qualified people capable of understanding and deploying the process systems. Apart from qualification, adherence to the company’s policies and alignment with the company’s goals are important characteristics of employees. No matter how intelligent the processes or machines become, these will always need a human mind to start or continue operations.

Only based on the commands and instructions fed, do the machines deliver the expected outcomes. Thus, the health of the employees’ minds and bodies is essential to make 4.0 manufacturing technology a success. The SAP solutions that are doing the needful to manage employee performance are:

• SAP Environment, Health, and Safety Management: This module keeps the employee statistics record and helps find and employ the factors that can keep employees in action.
• SAP Work Manager: It helps give a clearer picture of the work ecosystem to the entities to build the policies and make critical decisions.
• SAP 3D Visual Enterprise: Managers need the data of people, assets, and product pools, and attain production quality and process optimization.

Conclusion

SAP cloud platforms have carved the road ahead, leading to 4.0 manufacturing technology. The need is to find the correct perspective and policies to ensure that the tools are implemented to drive better outcomes.

Author Bio: Scott Derosa is an SAP professional with 15+ years of experience in providing consulting for SAP solutions to his clients. With a knack for technology, he loves to write on the latest SAP developments and share his knowledge with the readers.