Empowering Machining SMEs through digitalisation: first workshop insights from DigiMach

On January 29th, the first DigiMach workshop took place at Thor Park, Genk, bringing together companies from the machining sector to explore digitalisation challenges and solutions. This event marked a significant milestone for the Interreg-funded DigiMach project, which aims to support 150 SMEs across the Meuse-Rhine region in their digital transformation journey over the next 3 years. 
 

Survey highlights: where do companies stand today? 

At the heart of the workshop was the presentation of the DigiMach Survey, which gave a snapshot of the current digital maturity of the participating companies: 

• 58.95% of the companies assessed were considered to be below average or well below average in their digital maturity in terms of overall digital competence
• Only 7.69% can be considered as being well above average
• Many SMEs struggle with outdated systems, limited connectivity between machines and management software, and a lack of access to knowledge-sharing networks 

These results confirm the urgent need for tailored, accessible solutions to help SMEs digitise at their own pace and according to their real operational challenges. 
 

Brainstorming session: from pillars to practical solutions 

The second half of the workshop focused on gathering input directly from the companies.

In small groups, participants shared their needs and ideas across five key solution pillars of DigiMach: 

1. Process Setup 

SMEs want simplified, real-time calculation tools and dynamic production simulations that help streamline job planning and quoting without extensive engineering expertise. 

2. Process Monitoring 

There’s strong interest in affordable sensor integration and dashboards that can monitor productivity, downtime, and energy usage, tailored for smaller companies. 

3. Quality Control 

Companies see potential in automated visual inspection tools and traceability systems that can be added on without changing existing machinery or software. 

4. Machine Health 

Predictive maintenance was a hot topic, with SMEs asking for plug-and-play systems that provide actionable alerts instead of overwhelming data. 

5. Operator Assistance 

There was enthusiasm for smart work instruction platforms (including AR/VR), especially for training new staff in multilingual environments. 

The input gathered will directly inform the design of shared demonstrators and toolkits within each pillar, ensuring they are practical, modular, and cost-efficient.