Industry 4.0 is dubbed the fourth industrial revolution, but it is really an industrial ‘evolution’ in pace with the demands of the digital age. Nowadays, automation leaders can expect optimized machine capacity utilization, rapid production times and a lower number of rejects. Thanks to measurement technology, they are able to react promptly to changes in the market and produce small product series at low cost.

This development is increasingly having an effect on small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). It opens up opportunities to be present and act quickly and flexibly in a volatile environment. With many government agencies and trade associations actively pushing for SMEs to look into the usage of technology to increase efficiency, enhance productivity and grow sales, the automation industry is being handed an entirely new client base with different expectations and needs.

Incorporating the new technologies of Industry 4.0: the Industrial internet of things (IIoT), cloud computing, e-commerce, Big Data, and information security, into a business involves risk. While larger companies have the wherewithal to transfer their business to this market, SMEs do not have deep pockets so are reluctant. Lack of knowledge, lack of skills and the lack of external technical support keep them away.

For a SME, ensuring operational efficiency and systems integration can make maintaining devices; downloading, uploading, installing, upgrading and programming systems seem like a daunting task, and it could put them off even moving towards automation. SMEs are just concerned with getting their product to market. For the large part, they don’t have the time and money to invest in dedicated staff to maintain the production line. It is up to the automation provider to make it as simple as possible for them.

Offering customers easy, self-service access to products with state-of-the-art electronic software delivery capabilities is a Holy Grail of convenience and cost reduction that will ensure revenue recognition right across the supply chain.

With getPlus even SMEs can have the opportunity to avail of user-friendly automation. Global customers are provided with consistently fast, reliable and self-service access to products. Fulfillment costs are eliminated, delivery is automatic, and production lines are protected against cyber attack.

An on-site worker can download all relevant software from their automation provider in one bundle. The inbuilt intelligent distribution function instantly provides clients with the exact software solution and up-to-date modules they need from the automation provider’s library of products. The files are transferred with state-of-the-art security, and delivery is guaranteed.

The transfer manager and sophisticated tool for the efficient distribution of digital goods is available on all platforms and across all operating systems. It performs like no other technology on the market, having been developed by experts in data security and solutions for delivery and transfer management.

It is the smallest, fastest and most user-friendly transfer manager available and it allows providers the capability to securely distribute any kind of digital content to clients. No maintenance, upgrades or retention are required and getPlus works across all proxies and firewalls.