Discussion on Smart Manufacturing Process Innovation Strategies for SMEs and Middle-sized Enterprises at the '3rd SBA Seoul Innovation Forum'
You can achieve 'productivity improvement' by starting with small investments and applying practical solutions.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Business Agency held the 3rd SBA Seoul Innovation Forum on the 25th under the theme of smart manufacturing process innovation strategies for small and medium-sized enterprises.

In the keynote speech, Director Ha Hee-tak of Bosch Korea explained the innovation of processing and assembly manufacturing processes using data. Bosch stated that, in the era of Industry 4.0, it is realizing connectivity, transparency, and flexibility in three stages, adding, “If you start with small investments right now and apply practical smart solutions, you can achieve the effect of ‘productivity improvement.’”


Jeong Dae-young, Division Head at SAP Korea, discussed process changes through digital transformation and the future of the manufacturing industry. Jeong stated, “The manufacturing sector must also change its service models,” adding, “We must not stop at product launches but consider maintenance as well, exploring opportunities to generate additional revenue through service models.”

Cho Yong-ju, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) who supports the establishment of smart factories for small and medium-sized enterprises and operates a testbed, divided future factories into three types: mass production, user-customized, and E-plant factories. What is noteworthy here is the emergence of 'E-plant companies' that provide solutions suitable for each specific factory, rather than the factory itself.

The first thing a company needs to do is identify customer trends based on an understanding of its own factory. "We need to consider how to reflect and implement trends," he said.

At the end of the event, an open discussion was held on the theme of "Innovation Challenges and Response Measures for Smart Manufacturing Processes in Mid-sized and Small Enterprises." Speakers participating included the previous presenters, Park Han-gu, Director of the Korea Industry 4.0 Association, Kim Tae-jin, Head of the Industrial Innovation Research Institute at the Seoul Business Agency, and Nam Su-hyeok, Director of Rockwell Automation Korea, while the audience freely shared their opinions via a KakaoTalk "open chat room."