Smart Industry concept impresses Platform Industry 4.0
The Platform Industry 4.0, which operates under the leadership of the German Federal Ministries of Economic Affairs and Research and aims to secure the competitiveness of German business by systematically supporting the digital shift, has placed euromicron’s subsidiary ELABO on its interactive online map of Germany for application examples of Industry 4.0. The map, which is published on the platform’s website (www.plattform-i40.de), was officially presented by Sigmar Gabriel, the German Minister of Economic Affairs, at the National IT Summit in Berlin. It shows 200 locations where the idea of networked production and value added processes is already being put into practice and so are regarded as prime examples of the digital economy.
At its headquarters in Crailsheim, Baden-Württemberg, ELABO has established a model factory that shows how typical subprocesses in industrial production – research and development, production and quality assurance, repair and maintenance – can be networked with each other on the basis of central data management software. Backed by network and security infrastructure solutions from euromicron’s system house company euromicron Deutschland, ELABO now offers these Industry 4.0 solutions nationwide. ELABO’s Smart Industry concept has been specifically developed for series production of small parts and illustrates that the advantages of Industry 4.0 can be leveraged not only by large companies, but also by small and medium-sized enterprises.
Photo 1: Bettina Meyer, Executive Board Spokeswoman of euromicron AG
At the presentation of the Industry 4.0 Map of Germany, Sigmar Gabriel emphasized the importance of addressing SMEs: “It’s clear that above all we have to get small and medium-sized companies on board and support them so that they are also given coordinated access to the new technologies,” stressed the Minister of Economic Affairs. Bettina Meyer, Executive Board Spokeswoman of euromicron AG, regards that as confirmation of the company’s strategy: “The minister’s statement spells out that – with our SME-oriented Smart Industry concept – we have struck a key point in practical implementation of Industry 4.0,” said Meyer. “Our solution enables small and medium-sized enterprises to gradually network their internal processes and reap the associated competitive advantages in terms of greater agility, quality of production and adherence to deadlines, while cutting production costs. Being put on the Industry 4.0 Map of Germany in the shape of our subsidiary ELABO is both an accolade and an incentive for us. We feel it gives us great encouragement to continue our work and look forward to making a contribution to the digital shift in Germany,” added Meyer.
Photo 2: Assembly and test stations at the ELABO Smart Factory in Crailsheim
Anyone interested can find more detailed information on ELABO’s Smart Industry approach at www.elabo.de. You can also register for a tour of the model factory there.