CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is the tool that enables a company to manage relationships with customers and prospects. In an Industry 4.0 context, CRM becomes the point of connection between market needs and the various business functions, making it possible to develop customised offers, improve customer service and optimise marketing actions.
From a technological point of view, a modern CRM does not only manage customer master data or sales opportunities: it integrates data from multiple channels (email, social media, e-commerce), providing a 360° view of the customer. In this way, the sales team or after-sales service can access up-to-date information in real time, offering timely responses and a consistent experience.
The digitalization of CRM is also expressed through automation and data analysis functionalities, which make it possible to identify purchasing patterns, segment customers, and plan targeted campaigns. The system can interact with other platforms, such as ERP or PLM, allowing to quickly check product availability, manage the customisation of an order or monitor the production of a customised item.
The verticalisation of processes, thanks to CRM, means reducing the distance between those who interface with the market and those who physically produce the good. When a customer sends in a request, it is possible to check the status of the order or a possible complaint in a few clicks, linking this information also to the quality management system.
In summary, CRM provides a true ‘relational dashboard’ that gives centrality to the customer experience and, by extension, supports the company’s reputation. Indeed, in a connected industry logic, customer satisfaction becomes an essential competitive lever that can only be achieved with integrated management tools and collaboration-oriented teams.

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is the beating heart of many companies, as it coordinates all economic and administrative information flows. Within it, orders, invoicing, accounting, product and warehouse master data, production planning and much more are managed. In an Industry 4.0 context, the ERP becomes a fundamental integration node, as it receives and transmits data to CRM, MRP, PLM and any other business software.
One of the main evolutions of ERP in the digital era is modularity: companies can choose the modules best suited to their needs, integrating them via APIs or standard connectors. In this way, duplication of data is avoided and constant alignment of information is guaranteed. Let’s think, for example, of a customer order that, as soon as it is entered into CRM, is automatically transmitted to the ERP for stock verification and the generation of the bill of materials, without any manual steps.
A well-structured ERP provides real-time data on the financial and stock situation, improving the ability to make decisions based on solid KPIs. Moreover, thanks to predictive analysis, it becomes possible to estimate future cash flows, plan investments or analyse the profitability of certain projects.
In the context of RIMSA, the ERP is the pivot that connects the purchasing department, warehouse and production department: when a production order is launched, the ERP notifies the stock of raw materials to be picked and, at the same time, updates future requirements based on sales forecasts. In the event of changes to a component design, the ERP interacts with the PLM and MRP, reflecting the new specifications in real time.
With the adoption of an integrated ERP, control, transparency and speed of execution are thus achieved, reducing errors due to manual procedures or lack of communication between departments, key elements for a company aiming for maximum efficiency.

MRP (Material Requirements Planning) is the system for calculating material and component requirements based on production plans and sales forecasts. It is a crucial tool in the context of Industry 4.0, as it allows strict stock control, avoiding unnecessary surpluses and shortages that block the line.
At the functional level, the MRP reads the production orders and the bill of materials for each article. Cross-referencing this information with stock levels, it automatically determines the quantities of raw materials and semi-finished products to be purchased or produced. In a connected company, this process is fully integrated with the ERP, PLM and production modules, eliminating manual steps and limiting errors.
In addition, an advanced MRP also manages procurement times, minimum batches and safety stocks, helping to optimise purchasing and production strategies. If, for example, a component has a lead time of 4 weeks, the system schedules the order in advance, preventing delays. The verticalisation of processes, when a company decides to internalise certain processes, requires that the MRP is also able to manage the availability of machinery and operators, not only that of materials.
For RIMSA, the MRP assumes a central role in reducing waste and achieving JIT (Just In Time): when an order enters the system, the MRP coordinates the various departments, establishing which components are to be produced in-house and which are to be purchased from suppliers, and in what timeframe. If a drawing changes, the MRP updates the bill of materials and procurement specifications, automatically communicating the changes to the warehouse and purchasing department.
Ultimately, the MRP offers visibility, integrated planning and traceability, which are essential elements for the prudent management of resources and stocks in a highly dynamic industrial context.

PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) is the platform that manages the entire life cycle of a product, from the ideation phase to design, production, distribution and disposal. In an Industry 4.0 context, PLM becomes a sort of “central repository” for all the information and revisions regarding the company’s products.
On a practical level, PLM stores 3D models, bills of materials, technical specifications, test documentation and certifications. Any change to a drawing, a dimension or a material is recorded in real time, generating a new revision that propagates to other integrated systems, such as ERP and MRP. This helps avoid errors typical of analog communication, such as obsolete files or unclear indications.
A modern PLM also includes collaboration and workflow management features, allowing designers, quality managers, production and other functions to collaborate on a single project. For example, the quality department can add tolerances and control plans directly on the 3D model, while designers receive notifications about change requests. In the case of RIMSA, the PLM customization was designed to integrate QA, CAM and MRP data: if a designer modifies a drawing, the software immediately notifies the CAM manager, who updates the machine program. If the machine program does not match the revision of the drawing, the machine tool stops processing, preventing production defects. This level of interconnection and traceability allows for the creation of a true “digital passport” for each product, in which all critical information is stored, from design specifications to final testing, offering a significant competitive advantage in terms of quality and customer service.

The Cloud is today’s enabling infrastructure for Industry 4.0. Instead of maintaining physical servers within the company, the cloud allows remote computing resources to be exploited, ensuring greater scalability, reliability and security. Cloud platforms also make it easier to interconnect between departments and with suppliers, allowing access to data from anywhere and on any device, as long as there is a stable Internet connection.
For a company like RIMSA, the move to the cloud means being able to integrate different systems (CRM, ERP, MRP, PLM, LMS) in a unified environment, without having to worry too much about hardware infrastructure. This approach facilitates software updates, which take place automatically and transparently for end users, and ensures more robust backups and disaster recovery plans than on-premise solutions.
A further advantage of the cloud is its elasticity: the company can increase or reduce computing power or storage space as required, e.g. for seasonal work peaks or extraordinary projects. On the economic side, costs are transformed from initial investment (CAPEX) to operating expenditure (OPEX), offering greater flexibility in financial management.
From a collaborative point of view, the cloud allows staff to quickly share documents, drawings and reports with colleagues, partners or customers, even working simultaneously on the same file. In the case of IoT (Internet of Things) deployments, data generated by sensors and machines are sent in real time to remote servers, where predictive analysis algorithms can process complex patterns.
In summary, the adoption of the cloud is no longer a luxury, but a fundamental building block of any Industry 4.0 strategy, as it makes digitisation more agile, economical and secure.

Process verticalisation, in the context of Industry 4.0, consists of bringing certain production or development steps in-house, so as to reduce dependence on external suppliers and increase control over timing, costs and quality. It is not a matter of ‘closing’ the supply chain, but of structuring it in such a way that the added value remains in the company, and external partners are as digitally integrated as internal departments.
At RIMSA, verticalisation has translated into the internalisation of various processes, from design to painting and testing, integrating machine tools and management software into a single IT platform. This choice makes it possible to shorten the logistics chain, reducing delivery times and making the company less vulnerable to delays or inefficiencies of third parties.
Another advantage of verticalisation is end-to-end traceability: by directly managing each step, one has a global view of the process. For example, when a component has to undergo a special machining step (turning, milling, painting), the company can schedule the production in MRP, have the operation performed on an interconnected CNC machine and record the test results in PLM, without losing information continuity.
This also improves quality, because tests and inspections can be carried out on-site in several stages, integrating them directly into the production process. This strategy does not exclude collaboration with external suppliers, but makes them part of a shared system in which requirements and specifications are closely monitored.
Ultimately, verticalisation in 4.0 maximises efficiency, transparency and the ability to adapt to market demands, fostering a more direct relationship between design, production and the end customer.

One of the most striking examples of Industry 4.0 integration is the seamless communication between design, quality control and production departments. Let’s imagine the scenario in which the RIMSA designer creates a 3D model of a new component. This file, saved in the PLM system, immediately becomes visible to the quality manager, who adds tolerances and control parameters at various stages (material acceptance, pre-processing, final tests), all on the same digital drawing. At this point, the PLM automatically notifies the MRP, which updates the material requirements and processing cycles. If the product requires CNC milling, the CAM manager processes the machine program, ensuring that the revision of the drawing and that of the CAM match. This is where human-machine interaction comes into play: the milling machine draws the program directly from the PLM. If there were a discrepancy between the revised drawing and the CAM program, the machine would block, signaling a version error. Only when the CAM is aligned, production continues.
At the same time, the quality manager can decide which measurements need to be verified online, loading the values ​​and tolerances into the connected measurement systems. In this way, operators no longer transcribe measurements by hand, avoid errors and, above all, always work on updated data. The advantage of this integrated digital chain is clear: drastic reduction of errors, greater speed in implementing revisions and updates, and quality control extended to the entire cycle, not relegated to a final check. This “continuous flow” between design, QA and production departments embodies the idea of ​​a 4.0 ecosystem in which each phase speaks the same “digital language” and in which traceability becomes a fundamental asset for competitiveness and continuous innovation.

In a company that adopts 4.0 principles, each piece or batch is digitally “tracked” throughout all production and testing phases. This creates a true “digital passport”: when you get to the finished product with a specific serial number, you can trace all the components used, the unique serial numbers of the internal parts, the tests performed and the results obtained. In RIMSA, for example, every time a component undergoes a transformation, it is assigned a serial number: if it is subsequently assembled into a more complex product, that serial number will be incorporated into the final serial number, but will always remain consultable backwards. ​
Thanks to this traceability, not only is post-sale maintenance facilitated (by replacing the defective part with an identical one in terms of parameters and performance), but the quality of the product is improved. In fact, any anomalies are quickly identified and limited, reducing the impact on future batches. The digital passport also represents a fundamental element of transparency to present to customers and partners. On the management front, the collection of data in real time allows you to define clear KPIs (Key Performance Indicators): production times, setup times, number of defective pieces, energy consumption, and much more. Monitoring these metrics allows you to intervene promptly, correct any inefficiencies and analyze trends for continuous improvement.
Finally, the Just In Time (JIT) approach benefits greatly from these technologies: the system precisely plans production based on real needs and work cycles, avoiding inventory build-ups and reducing waste. If the MRP signals that it is time to launch production, the departments know exactly which materials to pick and when, while the IT system automatically manages priorities based on actual orders and sales forecasts. In short, digital passport, KPIs and JIT form a virtuous triangle of control, improvement and rapid reactivity to market changes, making the company truly resilient and competitive.