Digital Transformation & Collaboration is the Way Forward

#DigitalTransformation #MedTech #3Dprinting

Many experts are claiming that life post pandemic will not be the same. The industries have witnessed numerous changes and have adopted several new ways to survive. Dr. Guruprasad Rao, Director, Imaginarium India shares with Pro MFGmedia the way forward to create a strong presence on the global platform.

Innovation soared in the pandemic era, and some of the sectors received an overwhelming response. Amidst the chaos, new segments such as MedTech and HealthTech stemmed in the industry, which resolved numerous issues. MedTech focuses on devices whereas, HealthTech focuses on human wellness. The pandemic created massive chaos, but it would not be wrong to address that there was order even in chaos.

As the supply chain system broke down, communities and industries across the nation collaborated to resolve the challenges. For a world that was grappling with supply-chain challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, the agility of the small-time designers and local producers enabled them to serve the needs of essential products. They quickly replicated and produced critical products to meet the local requirements in an extremely challenging period. The priority was to equip the frontline warriors with the required essentials to combat COVID - 19.

The Government of India has been running the operations at the forefront by developing numerous strategies and allocating funds to SME and MSME through various funds such as Birac grant, Nidhi Prayas, or The Department of Science, and Technology (DST) funding. It would not be wrong to say that the entire country was running the innovation mission. The pandemic acted as a stimulus for bringing out the inherent culture of innovation within Indians. The manufacturing industry rose to the occasion by allowing free creativity to innovate, and develop products that have the capability of solving complex problems. The design thinkers, who were initially not a part of the giant infrastructure, are now one of the most critical elements in the manufacturing sector. The Indian manufacturing sector has realized that innovation is the key to shine on the global platform.

The elements of Industry 4.0 or the Internet of Things (IoT) in the future will help to connect with the factory and operate it remotely. Apart from that, the Internet of Medical Things will help in remote monitoring of patients, which will be the foundation for telemedicine. The internet of medical things is the need of the hour and will play a vital role in the future. This equipment will require embodiment design to derive the desired output. Providing the hardware with agility is the key to the success of such concepts. Technologies such as 3D printing will be an excellent boost for time to market and time to the customer.

It is essential to comprehend the significance of agile manufacturing as it emphasizes the importance of responding to a customer or client’s needs promptly while making changes to adapt to the market. The organizations can now create prototypes in an economic order quantity and still be viable. The industries focus immensely on the Return on Investments (ROI) rather than focusing on value creation. Organizations can demand value creation by creating unique and out-of-the-box solutions. It is essential to adopt change in the thinking process which can be obtained from designs and technologies.

Although due to the pandemic, India adopted digitalization as a new normal, it is essential to comprehend that a huge fraction of Indian society is still far away from internet services. Industries across the sectors should collaborate and invest in the future, which will eventually benefit the country. The flow of information helps in developing innovative ideas and thus, boosts the manufacturing sector. In the current shift, India stands at the crossroads and has an immense opportunity to harness the advantage. Indians need to adopt agility, technology and collaborate to become a self-reliant and manufacturing hub on the global platform.

Atal Innovation Mission approached Imaginarium to create online programs and live programs for children, which was a unique and new concept for the organization. The challenge was to devise programs that will interest children and educate them in the process. With the help of advanced technology and team effort, Imaginarium developed interesting online programs for children.

India Inc. in a similar fashion can together and collaboratively develop the country's future.

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