May - 20208 MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY INSIGHTSIN MY OPINIONWith the automotive and tire industry in a state of constant redevelopment, leading OEMs and tier level suppliers now rely more than ever on their automation and information system vendors to help them adapt to and address continually changing market dynamics.One of the most significant paradigms is the shift towards electric vehicles ­ something that is impacting every single step of the automotive value chain. Indeed, by 2040, it's estimated that half of all new vehicles sold worldwide will be electric.As a major supplier to the automotive, off-highway, and agricultural markets, the tire industry is particularly susceptible to the effects of these market dynamics. However, as a result of potential solutions to these pressures, and with the help of information-driven automation suppliers, such as Rockwell Automation, the tire industry is in the perfect position to become the poster child for digital transformations across the broader automotive spectrum; primarily through the useful collation, analysis, deployment and leveraging of real-time manufacturing and process data.To meet the demands of this crowded and continuously changing market, tire manufacturers require flexible and scalable operations to help them withstand inevitable changes to production lines; and the creation of fully digitalised processes is--without a shadow of a doubt--the most effective pathway.Indeed, connected, information-driven operations that meet the needs of Industry 4.0 will help suppliers bring products to market faster, with less risk, reduced costs, higher efficiency, and reduced downtime."Whether it is a new greenfield site or an existing plant, tire manufacturers have to realise the value that data will have in their future operational agility and profitability," explains Dominique Scheider, Automotive & Tire Industry Manager, EMEA at Rockwell Automation. "They need to exploit data and networks to bring people, machines and processes closer together and then leverage the results of these relationships to make optimum use of all their assets."No one wants to invest billions immediately," Scheider continues, "but they do need to look at digitalisation, not only holistically, but also historically, to create an approach that covers a machine, cell, line or plant's entire life cycle ­ from initial design to end of life. The prominent players in the industry have recognised not only the need to take this whole lifecycle approach and, but, just as importantly, the companies that will help them along this long journey.Tire Industry Faces Massive Challenges that Only Digitalisation Can AddressBy Dominique Scheider, Automotive & Tire Industry Manager, EMEA at Rockwell
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