New technological developments, connectivity and economic globalisation offer important opportunities and represent major challenges for companies wishing to position themselves on the international market. It is in this context that the concept of Industry 4.0 emerges, which consists of the introduction of digital technology into industry, enabling devices and systems to collaborate with both each other and other participants, thus giving rise to new products, processes and business models.
This fourth industrial revolution, which is driven by the Internet of Things (IoT) or the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), constitutes a key opportunity for improving companies´ competitiveness on a market that is increasingly global, since the incorporation of IoT technology into production processes increases their level of automation and supervision, thereby optimising value-added processes and improving the services offered to customers.
Therefore, the main objective of the Mill-IoT project is to design and develop a connected milling machine environment that, within the framework of Industry 4.0 and IoT technology, will enable the project leaders, Nicolás Correa and GNC Hypatia, to generate a new business model capable of satisfying the needs and expectations of their customers, thus giving them a competitive edge on the international market.
The partners charged with conducting the necessary research are IK4-Ikerlan and the Miranda de Ebro Technology Centre Foundation, two knowledge centres that collaborate actively with a variety of industrial sectors to pave the way to Industry 4.0.
The Mill-IoT (RTC-2016-4851-7) project will be carried out between 2016 and 2018 and is funded by the Spanish Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Competitiveness as part of the COLLABORATION CHALLENGES 2016 initiative, co-funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
