PLM-MES integration to support industry 4.0

In order to effectively deal with the Industry 4.0 paradigm, companies need accurate strategies to manage data collected on both the real world and its virtual counterpart. Proper information systems need to be implemented; Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) play a key role in this task. A primary issue is the mutual integration of such systems, with the aim of reducing time and cost for data management, as well as risks of errors and data redundancy. The present paper aims to present the results of a survey submitted to a set of Italian companies to measure their digital maturity and their proneness in implementing further information systems and in enabling their integration.