Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/948150
28 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2018 racy, detail, and timeliness, to the extent that operational decisions can be automated or at least augmented. Work-order allocation, plan- ning and sequencing, material control, etc., can all be enhanced by decision-making logic based on such digitalizations, with managers having a complete and accurate understanding of trends and potential effects from proposed changes, such as a request for greater quanti- ties of a certain product. The real winner, of course, is the manufac- turing operation itself. Industry 4.0 digitaliza- tion based on CFX means that ultimately, the complete factory operation can be digitally modelled. Rather than having critical oper- ational production management decisions taking days with many meetings and phone calls, using the digital factory model, changes and adjustments can be confidently executed in minutes or even seconds, for example, to introduce new products, adjust order or deliv- ery quantities, with the assurance that materi- als will be available, where and when needed, that utilization and efficiency of machines will not suffer, and that no excess finished goods stock need be accumulated. No more excuses in management meetings with the phrase, "if only I had known." The digitalized factory based on CFX becomes a very lean, digital, high-performance manufacturing engine, that can cope with a far higher mix of products yet also provide far higher throughput and effi- ciency. The digital model extends further, to provide automated conformance and compli- ance, a complete digital traceability record, with qualified meaningful data fed to the cloud for enterprise-grade analytics for future busi- ness development. Though we will look back to see that 2018 was the year in which digitalized Industry 4.0 factories with CFX started, the growth that follows in terms of accessible, available and uncomplicated digitalization will be remem- bered over many years. CFX digitalization is available to all sizes and sectors of manufac- turing companies. It will be stable and depend- able, as Industry 4.0 technologies based on CFX evolve into everyone's everyday tools. While "off-roading" may continue to be enjoyable by many, unless you are a farmer, it is probably best kept as a hobby or a sport, rather than something on which your business transportation needs depend. SMT007 Michael Ford is the European marketing director for Aegis Software. Recently, at productronica, Mycronic announced the acquisition of Vi TECHNOLOGY with the intent of combining VIT's inspection technology with Mycronic's jetting capabilities. In an interview with I-Connect007, Olivier Pirou, Managing Director of VIT, discusses more about the merger and how this will help VIT contend in such a competitive environment. Other topics of discussion include the synergy between Mycronic's jet printing technology and VIT's solder paste inspection technology; how Mycronic will strengthen VIT's advantages over the other inspection systems provider; and how their cultures will fit. Click here to read the interview. Olivier Pirou Discusses Mycronic's Acquisition of Vi TECHNOLOGY