Digitalization in Mechanical Engineering

A high level of industrial automation of repetitive tasks allows companies to efficiently produce products at large scale. Digitalization is the subsequent step of industrial automation and aims to further reduce costs and waiting times. Digitalization also aims to automate individual decision making. Key to both goals is to transform business processes from the analog to the digital world and then to analyze and thus to take advantage of digitized information. In this chapter, we provide an intuitive introduction to digitalization in mechanical engineering. We then present various business opportunities and discuss the related challenges. Next, we propose how mechanical engineering companies need to align their mindset with the digital transformation. Last, we present some of our works on digitalization in mechanical engineering and share a number of best practices. As an outcome, you will be able to employ digitalization in order to create real value in your business. That increase of efficiency will allow you to remain competitive in an environment that keeps becoming more and more competitive.