August always seems to be such a chaotic month in our household. Between home improvement projects, vacation schedules, and back-to-school plans, it can be difficult to limit our focus and prioritize what’s really needed vs. what would be nice or fun to do. Everything that needs to be taken care of is important to a certain extent (the lawn isn’t going to mow itself!), but what if the weather’s beautiful and the kids want to go to the pool? The sheer volume of options can become overwhelming.

The same can be said about ceramic manufacturers that are considering options for taking advantage of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and launching Industry 4.0 efforts. While buzzwords like IIoT and Industry 4.0 are everywhere these days, very little is actually being done by manufacturers to capitalize on the various available technologies. According to Nutec Bickley’s Alberto Cantú Pérez, companies may just not know where to start. “Industry 4.0 projects have not been as popular as initially expected by many experts,” he writes in this issue. “In many cases, the lack of a clear strategy or roadmap for implementation is responsible for the slow adoption rate.”

What steps can manufacturers follow to take advantage of the IIoT revolution? Since so many options are possible, it’s important to focus on one area (e.g., asset utilization, real-time optimization, smart energy consumption, etc.) that specifically meets the company’s objectives. Turn to “Industry 4.0: A Practical Application in Ceramic Kilns” to learn how IIoT might help your manufacturing operation.

What projects is your company prioritizing this summer? Have you considered any Industry 4.0 efforts? How did you decide what to tackle first? I’d love to hear all about it! Please contact me at (248) 786-1703 or suttons@bnpmedia.com to share your story.