Aerospace & defence decision-makers get on board with Industry 4.0 

Extracted from a recent IFS webinar, the data provides key industry insight into how organisations plan to gain competitive advantage using new technology initiatives, such as three-dimensional (3D) printing, virtual reality and digital twinning.

In a recent webinar, IFS asked more than 140 aerospace and defence (A&D) decision-makers about their views on Industry 4.0 adoption and readiness in the A&D manufacturing sector. 88% of respondents said they were researching or actively involved in Industry 4.0 projects while only 12% have not made Industry 4.0 an enterprise-wide priority, choosing instead to look to invest in specific, focused technology.

Of the 88% of positive respondents, only 20% of the participants said they are actively looking to leverage Industry 4.0 technology, identifying it as an enterprise-wide priority. The majority, 68%, are still researching how these technology advances can help achieve their digital transformation goals.

IFS principal business architect for aerospace and defence James Elliot said: “Early adopters are making significant investments in breakthrough technologies, such as 3D printing, virtual reality and digital twinning, and are beginning to gain competitive advantage.

“A&D manufacturers should not wait too long before making investment. The emergence of Industry 4.0 technologies implemented on a flexible enterprise software platform will be essential in future-proofing the industry in 2020 and beyond, offering previously inaccessible financial, operational and security benefits for A&D manufacturers.”