Data-driven automation

Data-driven automation, keyed to the flow of digital data throughout an enterprise, is triggering a new industrial awakening. It began with dramatic demonstrations in Japan and elsewhere of the benefits to be reaped from manufacturing “smarter.” It is now evident that these manufacturing improvements are just a first step. Equal or greater benefits can be gained by handling data “smarter.” This calls for eliminating paper flow and transforming the enterprise's “knowledge” into digital data that can be stored in data banks accessible to all with a need to know.