The Ethernet POWERLINK Standardization Group joined forces with B&R Industrial Automation, ABB Robotics, Utthunga, and Tata Technologies to host the 'Smart Industry Conference 2021,' a virtual event aimed at advancing the digital transformation of Indian manufacturing. Held on August 19, 2021, the sixth annual conference attracted over 100 delegates, highlighted the adoption of smart, connected devices fortified with security features.
This one-day conference provided an overview of emerging technologies and open communication standards crucial for the Indian manufacturing sector's leap towards Industry 4.0. Central to the discussions were the challenges and solutions for smart industry implementation. Through a keynote speech, multiple presentations, and a panel discussion, attendees gained insight into integrating security, analytics, and cloud technologies within smart devices.
Rahul Sharma, Director of Industrial Practice at Frost & Sullivan, delivered the keynote address on "Trends and technologies shaping the Indian manufacturing ecosystem." He emphasized the readiness of Indian manufacturers to embrace digital mediums, including sustainability efforts across four critical areas: People, Partnership, Process, and Planet. Sharma underscored that sustainability should be woven into any organization's digital transformation strategy.
The panel discussion, featuring Vinay Rajagopal from Red Hat, Guruprasad S from ABB, and Jhankar Dutta of B&R India, explored strategies to enhance competitiveness within the evolving business landscape. Debate topics included reshaping operations, supply chains, and customer engagement through advanced automation, robotics, and Industrial IoT technologies. The panelists underscored the importance of a data-driven culture and the need for cybersecurity to safeguard business infrastructure against potential threats.
Technical presentations addressed practical aspects like connected factories, implementation opportunities, and potential solutions. Smitha Rao from Utthunga Technologies discussed democratizing manufacturing through OPC UA, while Niraj Tyagi of Tata Technologies highlighted the significance of digital connectivity. The conference concluded with Ranjithkumar from B&R discussing real-time communication solutions aimed at elevating shopfloor efficiency in smart factories.
The 'Smart Industry Conference 2021' offered participants a comprehensive understanding of technology trends essential for Indian manufacturers aiming to achieve global competitiveness. The event successfully equipped delegates with actionable insights into the practical applications of advanced technologies across pivotal sectors.
The Ethernet POWERLINK Standardization Group, in collaboration with B&R Industrial Automation, ABB Robotics, Utthunga, and Tata Technologies, held a virtual conference titled 'Smart Industry Conference 2021'.
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.
Solutions of smart industry implementation
The conference focused on the journey of digital change towards smart, connected devices with security
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.
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.
Digital transformation strategy
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.
He also spoke on the sustainability perspective for manufacturing transformation in India, noting that sustainability should be the most significant theme of any organization. According to Sharma, sustainability needs to be seen on four dimensions; People, Partnership, Process, and Planet and the mark of a sustainably matured organization successfully interweaving digital transformation strategy with sustainability.
Staying competitive in the business and economic environment
The way forward for the Indian manufacturing drive to become competitive in the new firm environment
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.
Latest Industrial IoT technologies
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 optimize 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. 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 "Democratizing 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, digitalization, m2m communications, interoperability, big data analytics, and new business models. 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.
Latest technology trends
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.
