Hybrid computing systems in Industry 4.0

It seems that new computing methodologies are released every other year. In recent years much of the focus has been put on converting legacy systems to cloud solutions. Widespread adoption of cloud technology in all industries has helped to drive the cost of these solutions down. While cloud solutions are helping enterprises and individuals stay up to date with the latest technological and security advancements, they require a tremendous amount of data transmission.

Material waste and a lack of agility in nesting or the nesting of parts are two of the most common problems faced by metal processing companies which slow down the company’s response time for its clients and make the process more expensive. This is due to them not using the appropriate technology in order to fully exploit each piece of sheet metal during the cutting process and/or the fact that this process is completed manually or using slower solutions. Equally, the work of the production engineer mustn’t be knocked as they are experts in the optimization of nesting and machining; the maximization of the margin for each production order received depends on their intervention.

In the age of digitization, a company’s ability to customize their offer is crucial to enable them to become the preferred choice of current and future customers. This is an adaptation which is necessary in every sector, and the metal industry is not exempt: how do you differentiate yourself from the competition? The key is not in the product, nor in the software per se, but in the processes and in the way that the various pieces of software are adapted to them.