The Ethernet POWERLINK Standardisation Group, in conjunction with B&R Industrial Automation, ABB Robotics, Utthunga, and Tata Technologies, held the 'Smart Industry Conference 2021'. The sixth iteration of this pivotal event aimed at aiding Indian manufacturing firms in their Industry 4.0 journey was conducted as a virtual conference on 19 August 2021, drawing over a hundred participants.
With Frost & Sullivan acting as the knowledge partner, the conference was designed to inspire Indian manufacturers to look beyond current innovations and embrace the next level of Industry 4.0. The agenda included discussions on technology, innovation, and open communication standards, setting the stage for transformative growth in the manufacturing sector.
Key topics through keynote speeches, presentations, and a panel discussion focused on smart industry implementation, touching on challenges and solutions related to digital transformation. Rahul Sharma, Director of Industrial Practice at Frost & Sullivan, delivered a keynote on "Trends and technologies shaping the Indian manufacturing ecosystem", which addressed the readiness of manufacturers and consumers in embracing digital technologies.
Sharma emphasised the importance of sustainability in manufacturing transformations, highlighting four critical dimensions: People, Partnership, Process, and Planet. He noted that organisations must integrate digital strategies with sustainability efforts to mature effectively in a competitive environment.
The conference also hosted well-received panel discussions centred on developing a connected ecosystem and digital strategies to enhance competitiveness in the business landscape. Participants included Vinay Rajagopal from Red Hat, Guruprasad S from ABB, and Jhankar Dutta from B&R India. They discussed how advanced automation and Industrial IoT are creating opportunities for factories to innovate and improve profitability.
A spotlight was placed on cybersecurity, as safeguarding against cyberattacks is vital to minimise business risks. The discussions also highlighted the necessity of adopting a data-driven, digital culture to achieve operational excellence.
Technical presentations explored topics such as connected factories and practical solutions for manufacturing digitalisation. Sessions included "Democratising manufacturing via OPC UA" by Smitha Rao from Utthunga Technologies and "Connected manufacturing and its significance in a digital world" by Niraj Tyagi from Tata Technologies. The presentations delved into automation, digitalisation, machine-to-machine communications, and big data analytics.
The conference concluded with Ranjithkumar from B&R highlighting advancements in real-time industrial communication, signifying a new phase for smart factories. The event provided a valuable platform for Indian manufacturers to gain insights into future technology trends and helped pave a roadmap towards becoming globally competitive.
The Ethernet POWERLINK Standardisation Group, in collaboration with B&R Industrial Automation, ABB Robotics, Utthunga, and Tata Technologies, held a virtual conference titled 'Smart Industry Conference 2021'.
Sixth edition
The sixth edition of the flagship conference was designed to benefit the Indian manufacturing companies that are shaping Industry 4.0. Frost & Sullivan was the knowledge partner of the conference.
The one-day virtual conference was held on August 19, 2021, and was attended by more than one hundred delegates.
Core agenda of the conference
The core agenda of the conference was to look beyond the cutting edge to inspire Indian manufacturers
Attendees from across the manufacturing ecosystem witnessed various topics covering technology, innovation, and open communication standards.
The core agenda of the conference was to look beyond the cutting edge to inspire Indian manufacturers and construct the next level of Industry 4.0.
Smart industry implementation
Through its keynote address, three presentations, and one panel discussion, the conference provided a platform for the challenges and solutions of smart industry implementation. The conference focused on the journey of digital transformation towards smart, connected devices with security, analytics, and cloud solutions.
Rahul Sharma, Director of Industrial Practice at Frost & Sullivan, delivered the keynote on "Trends and technologies shaping the Indian manufacturing ecosystem," which focused on the preparedness of Indian manufacturers and the readiness of consumers to adopt the various digital mediums.
Sustainability perspective
He also spoke on the sustainability perspective for manufacturing transformation in India, noting that sustainability should be the most significant theme of any organisation.
According to Sharma, sustainability needs to be seen on four dimensions; People, Partnership, Process, and Planet, and the mark of a sustainably matured organisation successfully interweaving digital transformation strategy with sustainability.
Staying competitive in business and economic environment
The event's panel discussions focused on the connected ecosystem and digital strategies
Well-received by the delegates, the event's panel discussions focused on the connected ecosystem and digital strategies and the way forward for the Indian manufacturing industry to become competitive in the new business environment.
The panel discussion topic was addressed by panelists Vinay Rajagopal, ISV, IoT & Embedded Technology Lead, Red Hat; Guruprasad S, Associate Vice President, ABB; and Jhankar Dutta, Managing Director, B&R India.
Opportunities for factories
The panelists discussed that the businesses' new realities have made stakeholders revisit their operations, supply chain, and customer engagement strategies. Advanced automation, robotics, and the latest Industrial IoT technologies are unfolding new opportunities for factories to become more innovative and profitable.
The discussion helped identify easy ways to optimise processes, improve productivity, and make shopfloors smart. Identifying low-hanging fruits and harnessing them at the right time will be crucial to achieving industry goals.
Digital culture
The panelists agreed that the connection between machines, processes, and people is essential to building a digital culture supported by a data-driven model.
But with the looming threat of cyberattacks and data breaches, prioritisation of cybersecurity is crucial to preventing profound business impacts. Well-defined strategies, targeted preparation, and alignment with industry standards are the needs of the hour.
Achieving operational excellence
The presentations covered the topics of connected factories, implementation possibilities, and solutions
The conference also hosted several technical presentations, including "Democratising manufacturing via OPC UA" by Smitha Rao, Cofounder and OPC Expert, Utthunga Technologies, and Connected manufacturing and its significance in a digital world" by Niraj Tyagi, HEAD COE MES Enterprise Solutions, Tata Technologies, amongst others.
The presentations covered the topics of connected factories, implementation possibilities, and solutions, stressing the critical aspects of automation, digitalisation, m2m communications, interoperability, big data analytics, and new business models.
Real-time industrial communication
The conference concluded with a presentation titled "New era in real-time industrial communication for smart factories" by Ranjithkumar, B&R, heralding the next phase of unified real-time communication invading the shopfloor to prepare for the digital future.
The conference served as an ideal platform for understanding the latest technology trends and helped draw a roadmap for Indian manufacturers to become globally competitive. With an exciting lineup of topics and knowledge exchange, delegates received helpful guidance on the practical application of these state-of-the-art technologies in all the key sectors.
