Implementation of Industry 4.0 in metallurgical factories

This paper presents the preliminary results of a study on implementing Industry 4.0 in metallurgical factories. It showed that adopting Industry 4.0 technologies generates a productive environment characterized by real-time sensing, with high adaptability, flexibility, self-learning capacity, and fault tolerance. In the context of the Ecuadorian industry, particularly in micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), there is limited integration of industrial technologies, both at the software and hardware levels. Additionally, many factories do not perceive the relevance of implementing solutions based on Industry 4.0 in key areas such as production, quality control, and maintenance. The study presents three case studies of metalworking factories that emerged as small locksmith workshops and analyzes the challenges related to incorporating new know-how in these industries. The findings concluded that Industry 4.0 has transformative potential for the value chain, facilitating the development of innovative products and services.