Singapore launches industry help tool for smart factories

Its Smart Industry Readiness Index will gear companies up for Industry 4.0.

Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) launched a tool called Smart Industry Readiness Index that industrial companies can use towards developing their Industry 4.0 systems.

According to a press release, the index will serve as guidelines for Industry 4.0 concepts, facility evaluation, and creation of a transformation roadmap. The index focuses on upgrading toward automation of production.

The index was launched with certification and training company TÜV SÜD.

The index was piloted with both small medium enterprises (SMEs) and multinational corporations (MNCs) in Singapore.

The Index comprises three layers. At the top are the 3 fundamental building blocks of Industry 4.0: Process, Technology and Organization.

Underpinning these building blocks are 8 pillars of focus. These pillars then map onto 16 dimensions of assessment, which represent the key components that any organisation must consider.

For each of the 16 dimensions, the index provides an assessment matrix which companies can use to evaluate their current processes, systems, and structures within one to two days. The assessment matrix also doubles as a step-by-step improvement guide, as each dimension provides intermediate steps needed for companies to progress.