The manufacturing industry is currently experiencing a high degree of dynamism. In practical terms, this means that markets are changing at breakneck speed and customer requirements are increasing. At the same time, they have to find solutions to problems such as high energy costs, a shortage of skilled workers and inefficient processes. This raises the question of which strategies companies should choose today in order to remain competitive tomorrow.

A survey of 256 decision-makers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland conducted by Visual Components provides a current picture of the mood. The results clearly show that companies consider a high degree of automation to be a decisive factor for future competitiveness. However, when it comes to operational implementation on the store floor, reality is lagging far behind. Around two thirds of those surveyed do not yet have correspondingly automated processes. Investment costs (56%), a lack of personnel (37%) and integration into existing infrastructures (36%) were cited as the biggest hurdles.

However, another finding from the study is particularly striking. Just under half of those surveyed stated that virtual commissioning is not currently a relevant topic for them. This is a remarkably high figure that should be discussed. It testifies to an understanding of projects in which commissioning is still thought of as a late, primarily physical phase. As a step that only gains in importance once facilities, systems and processes already exist. This understanding has grown historically and has worked for a long time. With the current framework conditions, however, this approach is increasingly becoming a risk. Production projects have become more complex, resources more expensive and time frames tighter. Errors that are detected too late cannot be corrected without significant additional costs or delays. However, it is precisely these factors that determine on-time deliveries and cost-effectiveness - and therefore competitiveness.

Manufacturing companies should therefore not see virtual commissioning as the next tool or another trend, but as a fundamental change of perspective. The approach shifts knowledge forwards. Processes, interfaces and resource requirements can be checked before they are cast in physical systems. This not only changes the time at which problems become visible, but also the quality of the decisions that are made on the basis of the knowledge gained.

The advantages of this early transparency are time savings, higher quality and lower costs. It is therefore a matter of more predictable project processes, fewer errors, minimization of wasted resources and the prevention of downtime during ongoing operations. In today's competitive environment, foregoing these benefits in the long term is not a sustainable strategy.

The author: Matthias Wilhelm, Country Manager DACH at Visual Components.