Making processes smarter
As some current rankings (IMD 2017, WEF 2016) have suggested, German industry still has room for improvement when it comes to driving the digital transformation. “Smart factory”, “smart operations”, “smart products” and “smart service” – in fact anything to do with “smart” – are just a few of the Industry 4.0 buzzwords. In order to create smart or elegant solutions in the Industry 4.0 landscape, you have to utilize data and network it. And ideally, you shouldn’t stop on your doorstep. If you want to achieve the desired benefit, you must turn big data into smart data. Stefan Jähnichen of the FZI Research Center for Information Technology (in German), who is Head of Accompanying Research in the Center’s “Smart Data” program, reduces smart data to a simple formula:
“Smart data = big data + benefits + semantics + data quality + security + data protection = useful, high-quality and secure data”
(Source: Smart Data Newsletter, Issue 1, August 2015 in German)
This is essential to gain optimal advantage from the huge databases which are the norm today in all sectors of the economy, public administration and society. However, to enable data to be networked and utilized across traditional boundaries, common security and privacy policies must be formulated.
Privacy and security
Unfortunately, security and privacy are among the biggest hurdles any data driven project has to overcome. They are often the sticking point at which willingness to take risks ends and the use of big data falls down. The smarter a plant becomes, the bigger the impact on the legal framework. Present-day law is largely based on human controlled behavior; the conditions for machine controlled communication have yet to be fully developed. At the same time, new business models are emerging which require not only personal data but also non-personal data to be protected. There are many questions to which an adequate answer is still lacking.
Or do you disagree on this? Where do you believe action is most urgently needed?
The government is driving the debate
Security and privacy should not be insurmountable hurdles. That’s why the German federal government is pursuing these issues in the context of Industry 4.0 in its Digital Agenda.
“By launching the Digital Agenda, we have made important progress in terms of the digital transformation of the German economy. Companies that do not take digitalization seriously will not survive on the market. For this reason, we have a wide range of information for industry, for instance centers of excellence throughout Germany for small and medium-sized enterprises and the “Mittelstand Digital” financial assistance scheme. Germany has become a lead provider of technology in the sphere of Industry 4.0. The Industry 4.0 Platform, with over 300 players, is now one of the largest and most successful networks in the world for supporting the digital transformation of goods producing companies and also advancing the issue internationally.” (Brigitte Zypries, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs)
Map of Industry 4.0
[ot-caption title=”Map of Industry 4.0 (Quelle: http://www.plattform-i40.de)” url=”https://www.yokogawa.com/eu/blog/chemical-pharma/app/uploads/2017/06/LandkarteIndustrie4.0.jpg”]
This map of Industry 4.0 shows the locations where Industry 4.0 is already in practical use in Germany – each pin indicting one use case. Further information can be found by clicking on the respective pin. Use the filters to help you refine your search.
By the way, Rota Yokogawa was one of the first companies on this map with its on-time shipping control.
Pay a visit to this website for more information on the Industry 4.0 Platform.
The digital transformation is also taken into account in the 9th Revision of the Act against Restraints of Competition (GWB) (in German), the new Federal Data Protection Act (in German) and the IT Security Act. The debate is still ongoing. Under the Industry 4.0 Platform, for instance, task forces have been set up to examine the security of networked systems and assess the legal framework. The BDI (German Industry Association) is likewise contributing actively to the political debate (in German). Together with Noerr LLP, the independent law firm, it has conducted a survey among the legal departments of German companies on the central legal issues affecting German industry and taken the findings as a starting point for future strategy options. The areas in which action is considered to be most urgently needed are data law (data protection, data and IT security, rights to data), contract and liability law and IP law. The majority of businesses favor a pan-European system of rules, reflecting the global nature of digitalization and networking.
Smart data: we’re there to help
Although many legal questions have yet to be resolved, IT security (in German) is a hot topic for us. Do you have any questions or particular areas for action? Yokogawa can support you in multiple ways. Why not start by taking a look at the map of Industry 4.0? It could give you some new ideas for making your systems a little bit smarter.
Do you have any questions? Feel free to contact us!
