The digital transformation path of industrial manufacturing companies: Bonfiglioli Riduttori case study

Abstract

Industry 4.0 refers to all the new emerging digital technologies adopted in the industry and, more specifically, in the factory. “Internet of Things” (IoT) deals with the natural evolution of the Internet: The IoT creates a network of things, each equipped with sensors, that are continuously connected to the web. The technological improvements (the Cloud, the HPC, Big Data and the Internet of Things) will be fundamental enablers to develop new products and new business models: servitization (Condition Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance), performance-based business models, eCommerce. A case study will show the path of an Italian manufacturing company towards the adoption of and Industry 4.0 and digital model. Bonfiglioli Riduttori Spa is leader in the power transmission sector. The company recognized the opportunities of new digital technologies, focusing on: the development of internal capabilities and organizational assets to face the new digital challenges, the development of a Service Strategy, the design of an eCommerce, the development of an IoT infrastructure to perform condition monitoring and predictive maintenance activities to be able to acquire data from machines and intervene in case of failures and downtimes at distance. Especially in some sectors, such as the Wind sector, some technological enablers (IoT) will not be an optional, but an essential requirement to preserve the competitive advantage of the company.