Bridging the Gap to Smart Manufacturing

The manufacturing industry has undergone a profound shift, led by a global transformation driven by 4.0 technologies.

The current manufacturing trends are dominated by robotics, automation, digital twins, IoT, and other ground-breaking tech. Additionally, enterprises are increasingly investing in building smart factories shaped by the convergence of automation, AI, and IoT.

However, 38% of enterprises moving towards Industry 4.0 are discovering talent and skills gaps, while a similar percentage experience roadblocks when integrating new technology with legacy systems 1.

The journey of modern and adaptive manufacturing is incremental and requires a strong alignment of technology, skills, and expertise. To put it simply, manufacturers need all the help and support to build the factories of the future.

Business Process Services in Modern Manufacturing

Manufacturing technologies such as automation, robotics, AI, and big data must be integrated into workflows, operations, supply chains, and customer-facing processes. The role of business process services is to create a cushion between these technologies and physical, day-to-day operations. This serves as a center of excellence, embodying deep expertise and advanced technology to build connected systems in which machines, data, and humans can communicate and operate seamlessly in real time.

Domain experts bridge smart factory gaps during the transformation that manufacturers are unable to fill alone:

• Skilled workforces equipped with IoT integration skills, data literacy, and AI/ML proficiency
• Big data analytics to address the problem of under-utilized data across supply chain touchpoints
• Governance and change management frameworks to increase agility and scale technology adoption
• Sustainability and compliance management mechanics
• Unified reporting and analytics sans disruptions usually caused by fragmented, legacy systems

The manufacturing space is ever evolving; organizations that understand the human side of Industry 4.0 transformation will be able to respond to market shifts and disruptions.

Scaling Adaptive Manufacturing Beyond Technology

These capabilities enable adaptive factories. But adaptive manufacturing goes beyond deploying advanced technologies. It helps build smart factories that can handle supply chain disruptions, shifting customer demands, and market fluctuations with real-time agility. However, AI and automation alone are not enough. Many enterprises face significant IT/OT misalignment and interoperability issues, like fragmented data, system silos, security risks, and technical debt.

To address this, organizations need a more structured approach. By combining business process services with business process management, enterprises can scale Industry 4.0 initiatives in a controlled, incremental manner.

Building Resilient and Future-ready Manufacturing

We believe that smart manufacturing entails tightly linking technology adoption, functional drivers, and change enablement. From building resilient supply chains to ensuring reliable aftermarket care, we are committed to playing a transformative role in helping manufacturers stay agile and adaptive.

About the Author: Mahima Agarwal-SVP, Region Head - Sales, BPS America, Tech Mahindra

Mahima is a Global Sales Leader & Americas Head for Tech Mahindra BPS Americas strategic verticals. She has spearheaded numerous complex digital transformations and secured multimillion-dollar deals across various industries. She is a pivotal, versatile leader adept at blending futuristic vision with deep technical roots to deliver an outsize impact for clients and propel business strategies.