18/02/19
Released in October 2017, the Made Smarter Review highlighted the need for a national programme to accelerate the adoption of industrial digitalisation technologies (IDTs) through focused support for small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK.
This capability mapping project supports the National Adoption Programme by seeking to identify key regional resources and organisations operating and providing services in the five IDT areas:
Artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics
Additive manufacturing
Robotics and automation
Virtual reality and augmented reality
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and connectivity
Organisations are invited to submit an application for inclusion in the map by completing the Expression of Interest (EOI) form here.
There are several benefits and opportunities for your organisation in submitting your information including:
Greater industrial and public awareness of your organisational capabilities.
Inclusion in a map of regional strengths that could be shared widely on a national scale potentially resulting in commercial income and new industrial links.
An opportunity to highlight case studies of in-house capability and expertise.
During the adoption programme, possible signposting to your organisation’s capabilities.
Increased engagement between industry and universities and research and technology organisations through focused projects, placements and workshops.
The Expression of Interest form requests organisational contact details, active industrial digitalisation technologies in your facility, potential dates and times for on-site visits and your GDPR consent. The capabilities of each organisation will be recorded and verified through site visits by one of the project partners, either the High Value Manufacturing Catapult (HVMC) or the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN).
The database of organisations and their capabilities will be used by the Made Smarter Commission and Innovate UK to help signpost small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to regional support and help facilitate mentoring, focused projects, placements and workshops.
The Made Smarter Review was commissioned by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to assess the current level of industrial digitalisation and to recommend means of unlocking the full potential of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (I4.0).
The review, led by Juergen Maier, CEO of Siemens UK, made three key recommendations: leadership, innovation and adoption of industrial digitalisation technologies (IDTs). The adoption programme aims to ease the diffusion or uptake of IDTs by industry, with a particular focus on small to medium-sized enterprises. To achieve this, a highly visible, effective and dynamic industrial ecosystem must be created. Mapping existing activity is the first step on the journey.
Inherent to the adoption programme is the identification of regional support services, provided by universities, institutions and research technology organisations (RTOs). Private companies with appropriate demonstration facilities may also be added to the database, providing that they are open access (allowing access by suitable applicants by appointment).
The activities will include part funded projects, placements and workshops which will build strong relationships. Each of the IDTs are further categorised in a full Technology Taxonomy that will signpost SMEs directly to focused capabilities of each organisation in their region.
The project team, guided by Innovate UK, have specified the following regions in which Regional Champions will be assigned to visit organisations and verify their capabilities:
East of England
South West
East Midlands
West Midlands
North East
Yorkshire and the Humber
London and the South East
Wales
Northern Ireland
Scotland
The North West was mapped in an earlier study.
The deadline for submission is Friday 15 March 2019. Get involved today by submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) form here! For any questions or queries regarding the mapping activity, please email nationalmappingqueries@gmail.com.
Originally posted 15 February 2019 on the Innovate UK KTN website.