Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution, digital manufacturing, the next advancement in manufacturing, has several names but refers to the same idea — integrating advanced digital technologies into the manufacturing process. After being valued at 52.17 billion dollars in 2023, the global Industry 4.0 market is forecasted to grow with a staggering CAGR of 28.4%, reaching 182 billion USD in 2028. 

But the question for many is why the interest in digital manufacturing? How will it change standard manufacturing processes and what benefits will it bring? 

In this article, we glean the answers by looking at a specific case study — the Woodworking industry, for which we helped our valued partner, HOMAG, create a whole suite of digital solutions meant to simplify manufacturing, increase production, and reduce waste.  

Increasing efficiency and labour productivity  

Efficiency has always been a priority in the Manufacturing industry. Either by raising production speed, lowering energy consumption, or limiting resource wastage, businesses are always interested in achieving more results with fewer costs. The challenge lies in identifying improvement areas and ways to increase efficiency. 

By integrating advanced technology, such as Artificial Intelligence, IoT sensors, and specialised analytics software, organisations can find new ways to optimise their work. New digital solutions not only lead to novel approaches to day-to-day activities but also optimise tried-and-tested processes by lowering errors and increasing productivity. 

Take, for example, HOMAG’s Cutting Production Set, a collection of four applications that integrate seamlessly to work as a cutting assistant for woodworkers. By leveraging this technology, carpenters and joiners can: 

• Identify optimal cutting patterns based on relevant parameters, such as material waste, production time, or simplest handling; 

• Cut more precisely and efficiently, with real-time overview and feedback from the digital assistant; 

• Label all components automatically, saving time and ensuring efficient storage for later assembly; 

• Easily reuse offcuts for future projects by registering them in the software and having them ready for the next project, lowering both costs and waste. 

Simpler inventory management 

Another technology-enabled advantage for the Manufacturing industry is better visibility and data gathering, enabling businesses to keep track of all their various materials. Digital solutions that can keep a real-time overview of the organisation's resources are invaluable in forecasting production, managing inventory, and allocating workers.  

HOMAG’s solution on this topic is the Edgeband Management Set, which gathers all edge information into a single interface, offers a real-time view of stocks and provides automated labels for each piece. 

By keeping track of edgebands with this software, woodworkers always have a clear overview of their stocks, the properties of each material, and can even quickly find them in storage. By selecting the needed edgeband in the app or scanning its corresponding code, the material is highlighted on the rack via a set of LED lights. 

Enhanced reporting and decision-making 

As production processes become more complex, involving scores of different materials, delicate machinery, and globe-spanning supply chains, keeping up with demand can become difficult. Fortunately, technology supports employees with relevant information and guidance to make informed decisions and do their jobs efficiently and safely. 

An example of these benefits applied in the Woodworking industry is HOMAG’s Sorting Production Set, a sorting assistant that manages projects, their needed materials, and the status of each component. 

With this software, woodworkers have a complete overview of the workshop, from zoomed-out view of all jobs to the individual component that goes into each piece of furniture. This level of visibility enables workers to focus where they are needed, whether on assembling products to complete a job, or crafting unfinished components. 

Industry 4.0 is about being connected 

While we took a step-by-step approach to look at the benefits of digitalisation, we left what we consider the most important selling point for the end — interconnectivity. 

A smart factory is not defined by a series of isolated applications which operate with their own data silos. The driving force behind Industry 4.0 is connecting the whole manufacturing process, enabling data sharing across the organisation and reinventing processes from start to end. 

In essence, each digital solution has its benefits, but together, they are more than the sum of their parts.  

Going back to HOMAG, all the software mentioned above is designed to work on a wide range of computers and woodworking machinery. Each app can be used from the same device, enabling businesses to choose and implement the solutions that work for them without changing existing infrastructure. Workers can use the same computer to manage their work, track the manufacturing process and receive support from the first step to shipping the finished product.  

Here's a real-life example of HOMAG’s solutions making a positive impact on woodworkers: