The advancement of new digital technologies is driving a Fourth Industrial Revolution, known as Industry 4.0, not only in its application to production processes, but also in the digitalization of products which now offer more features, more reliability, and an unprecedented monitoring capacity. Data collection and its subsequent analysis allow for a detailed knowledge of product use over their entire life cycle, opening the possibility for improvements in design and new services associated with maintenance. Traditional factories are becoming smart and connected, within a development that will transform the industrial production model and new products will offer features that were unthinkable so far in the industrial field.
Due to its capacities and experience, IK4-IKERLAN is a key player in driving the digitization of companies and their products. We work together with our clients to digitalize their products and processes and to improve their efficiency, and to help them offer new services to create greater business opportunities.
DIFFERENTIAL VALUE OF IK4-IKERLAN
1. Leader In Digitalization: 40 Years At The Forefront
At IK4-Ikerlan, we are leaders in industrial digital solutions, on which we have been working for over 40 years, generating and transferring knowledge to companies. Digitalization is a crosscutting phenomenon as regards technology, in which we have been able to respond to the most complex technological challenges posed by our client companies. One example is the embedded electronic solutions or the remote monitoring systems we have developed for our clients in accordance with the highest security requirements in the market (FS Management TÜV Rheinland 968/FSM 138.01/16).
Currently, at IK4-Ikerlan we remain at the forefront of digitalization, focused on meeting the challenges arising every day within the industry, in terms of system connectivity through cyber secure systems (internet of things, IoT), the collection and massive treatment of data (Big Data), and the attainment of their best value (Service 4.0, for example).
2. Technology Integration Ability
The technology integration capacity of IK4-IKERLAN is evidenced mainly through the various industrial projects developed for their clients. Below are two examples of this type of projects.
IKUSI Remote Control: “in this project we have applied Information and Communication technologies to control crane operation via radio control, monitoring their activity and sending this information through the internet to a cloud platform where data is processed. The hardware installed in the remote control devices obtains information while they are functioning and, via remote connection, automatically sends it to a server. Besides, we have implemented a portal with an easy-to-use interface allowing us to consult and exploit all the information available”.
“This new generation of remote controls developed with the help of IKERLAN represents an advancement for our catalogue of products. Besides, thanks to the inclusion of remote services, at IKUSI we can expand our offer with a new portfolio of high added value for our clients.” Borja Pérez, R&D manager at IKUSI.
Fagor Arrasate digital platform: “in this project we have developed a platform that goes from the sensitization of the machine’s critical elements to the remote monitoring of press conditions. As a result, we have obtained our own digital platform to capture heterogeneous data from different sources such as sensors or control PLCs, developed with the most advanced technologies in the field of communications (Internet of things, IoT), Cloud Computing, as well as management and analysis of large volumes of data (Big Data).”
“The development of this new platform with which we intend to remotely monitor the press conditions allows us to take a step forward in terms of quality of service for our clients. Collaboration with IKERLAN moves us forward in the digitalization of our activity, by increasing our know-how to evolve within the Industry 4.0 paradigm”, David Chico, R+D manager at Fagor Arrasate.
3. New Business Opportunities For Our Clients
Digitalization offers companies the possibility not only to improve their processes and give more added value to their products, but it may also help them develop new business models with the support of servitization. Clients such as Orona, CAF, ABC or IKUSI, who previously based their invoicing almost entirely in the sale of their products, are now obtaining increased revenues from the provision of services connected with them.
The bet for leveraging the new digital technologies is a challenge for the Basque industry faced by IK4-IKERLAN with over 156 researchers dedicated to industry 4.0. In this way, we help companies adapt to, or even anticipate, new customer needs through the development of products and their related services.