VDWF and Industry 4.0 – Already involved? Take the self-test!

Working Group

Introduction of the self-test at the VDWF General Assembly at the end of April at Deckerform in Aichach.

VDWF Self-Test

VDWF Self-Test

The VDWF Working Group "Tooling 4.0" has developed a self-assessment test that helps companies in the industry to determine their current position regarding the "Fourth Industrial Revolution" — it only takes 15 minutes.

From toolmakers for toolmakers. Under this motto, the VDWF set out to shed light on the subject when it initiated the "Tooling 4.0" working group in 2016. "Back then, no event was held without the addition 4.0," recalls VDWF Managing Director Ralf Dürrwächter. But what the project would concretely mean for a 20-person tool manufacturing company in three or five years, no one could really answer. "We wanted to make all these great 4.0 ideas as tangible as possible so that they also find an open ear on the factory floor of many SMEs in the industry," explains Dürrwächter the background of the initiative from back then.

If in doubt, found a working group

Regularly, and each time visiting a different company, today around a dozen industry players come together in the working group to present the development status and goals of their respective 4.0 approaches. Dürrwächter: "From the very first meeting, it was clear that '4.0' does not only mean 'software and robots,' but primarily that the human being is at the center. The participants became aware that they are already living quite a bit of 4.0 in their daily work — they just call it differently." As a result of the past two years, the working group has painted a picture that aims to help find the "4.0" self-understanding within the industry. The "Tool and Mold Making 4.0" should have a clear vision and strategy, employ responsible employees, and collect data throughout the value chain for continuous improvement. And everyone should understand, as Dürrwächter emphasizes: using this data and managing knowledge and experiential values increases the company's value. Because 4.0 companies work efficiently, standardize, achieve short throughput times with high flexibility, and maximize the productivity of their valuable equipment.

Positioning with a click of the mouse

So much for the theory and approaches. But do companies venture into "4.0" as uncharted territory? The first step a company must take is to be transparent about its current position. Self-assessment regarding where the company stands or where action is needed is the fundamental beginning for implementing a successful growth process.

Therefore, participants of the "Tooling 4.0" working group identified 17 areas of action, ranging from "Strategy" and "Further Education" to "Quality Assurance" and "Communication," assigning different weights to each category. An online self-test now offers interested parties the opportunity to conveniently check boxes from their office or home and classify themselves into one of the four developed stages of evolution or engage with the guided concrete recommendations for action. "You can see what the next stages would be and how important each category is in terms of weighting. That’s what makes 4.0 tangible — digital transformation becomes really fun!" says Dürrwächter convincingly. After the survey period ends, VDWF will provide all participants with the overall evaluation.