Digitalization
Welding value with digitalization
30 June 2015
Did you know, that a large oil rig may involve more than 100 000 welds? Or that building an oil rig employs dozens of contractors in the most demanding working conditions?
Anssi Rantasalo
What about safety and quality in this type of working environment? How can the owner located on the other side of the world be sure that his project is executed as well as possible? The answer lies in digitalization.
Stop guessing and start knowing
Digits. Data. Sensors. Connectivity. Knowledge. Welding actually is in the midst of business digitalization already now. Industry 4.0 initiative launched by the German government visions future factories with only interconnected machinery and equipment. The whole operation will be managed by an artificial intelligence application. Role of humans is cut to minimum. The only thing postponing this development seems to be the human being.
At the same time, a need for integrated production is a universal trend. Open source platforms are strengthening their position as the right solution for the truly connected businesses. Gartner Inc.’s 2015 Gartner Cool Vendors research stated, that the rise of "things" will become a part of all technology-based business. Or as Michele Cantara, research vice president at Gartner put it: "Much of the IoT movement is about transformation. And let our preoccupations with "things" distract us too much, we must recognize that no new phenomenon will advance far without support from business processes.”
Adding value with digitalization by shortening the welding process
Need for more lean, transparent, uncomplicated, standardized and universal processes are not only an internal business matter. Neither are they an industry specific issue, not anymore. Customers have the power. Customers demand more intuitive interfaces and superior experience 24/7 and 365 days a year. What can be automated, should be automated. What can be personalized, should be personalized. The answer is digitalization. Also in welding.
McKinsey claims that by digitizing information-intensive processes, costs can be cut by up to 90 percent and turnaround times improved by several orders of magnitude.
Kemppi has the same type of indications with its welding management software WeldEye. It enables full traceability of welding activities before, during and after welding – around the world – and is universal, fully compatible solution that removes certain process phases totally. It's all about sharing new value to the welding industry!
Anssi Rantasalo
Business consultant, IoT nerd, sports fan. Former CEO of Kemppi with over 20 years of experience in the welding industry.
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