As the global economy moves towards sustainable development, Industry 4.0 is combining pioneering technologies and industrial processes to create intelligent and clean solutions and achieve decarbonization. India has embarked on an ambitious journey to achieve carbon neutrality by 2070 as it positions itself as a global manufacturing hub. The country needs to quickly adopt modern manufacturing practices and technology trends to realize its manufacturing ambitions. However, most Industry 4.0 trends require huge capital investments and for a developing country like India, it is important that a more constructive re-evaluation and reorganization of the existing technological base is explored first. A tailored version of Industry 4.0 that absolves the criteria underlined for larger economies, combined with a greater focus on R&D can lead to a positive and meaningful impact on the domestic economy.
India’s manufacturing capabilities are quickly achieving scale and the technical knowhow to meet global demand. The domestic manufacturing sector is also adopting digital solutions to augment its capabilities for manufacturing complex products. The sector is leveraging India’s IT strengthens to advance core manufacturing processes, improve material understanding, product designing, machine building and monitoring. For instance, manufacturers are tracking their machine’s performance against heat and friction in real time to reduce failures and increase uptime. Digitalization in bearing industry has helped in reducing human errors and improving operator safety and machine uptime. It has also helped improve time to market and bearing performance and reliability.
Digital solutions applications extend far beyond manufacturing into various sectors of industry. The domestic agricultural sector is adopting digital solutions to address complex challenges like increasing demand for food, climate change, water scarcity, and changing dietary preferences. IoT has ushered in an era of efficiency in the agricultural sector, creating a positive virtuous cycle focused on making food products readily available to consumers and minimizing the impact on environment. IoT in agritech uses robots, drones, remote sensors, and computer imaging combined with continuously progressing machine learning and analytical tools from monitoring crops to packaging of food.
SKF is leveraging Industry 4.0 and allied digital technologies in line with its initiatives to “digitalize the full value chain” and drive operational efficiencies in its manufacturing operations. SKF’s ‘Future Factory’ is bringing in visibility and traceability of materials for better planning and scheduling, generating insights from process data to ensure quality products, thereby reducing scrap. The company has also reduced average downtime by 15%. Predictive and preventive maintenance systems have helped SKF reduce corresponding costs by 20%. With a focus on fully digital operations, SKF is paving the way for digital monitoring, proactive analysis, and action. Using advanced analytics in energy usage, SKF is optimizing its energy consumption and transitioning to sustainable operations. Digitalization has helped the company reduce energy consumption by 6% as per real-time energy usage monitoring system. SKF is also using 3D printed chutes to reduce noise pollution levels by 10%.
As the domestic IT/ITeS industry advances its capabilities in technologies like additive manufacturing, AI/ML, data analytics, 3D printing, and augmented reality, India can leapfrog the automation wave and create pioneering products for the world.
THE WAY FORWARD
Post covid countries have started strengthening their local manufacturing capabilities to ring-fence their economies against global headwinds. India too has announced plans to reduce its dependence on exports and develop products locally. The country is also positioning itself as a global manufacturing hub. To achieve its ambitions, India needs a robust policy framework, a large talent pool, and a strong focus on R&D. It also needs to focus on sustainable growth and wean away from polluting sources of energy. It needs to develop clean manufacturing processes and products with minimal environmental impact. The transition to renewable sources of energy, lean manufacturing processes, and future factories are steps in the right direction. The Production LinkedIn Incentive (PLI) scheme announced for different industries is also a major leg up for domestic manufacturers.
SKF is indigenously manufacturing several products and solutions to meet the demand for ‘Made-in-India’ products and solutions. Ranging from railways to construction equipment products like 4rCRB for high-pressure roller press and tapered Roller Bearing for passenger coaches, SKF is leveraging its state-of-the-art manufacturing footprint in India to produce these products. Localization strongly reflects SKF’s customer-centric approach of aligning with the requirements for domestic manufacturing, reliability, and efficiency. It also helps SKF reduce its time-to-market and remain cost competitive. Moving forward, SKF will continue to further localize manufacturing and support the Indian government’s vision to position the country as a global manufacturing hub.