From cars to computers, coffee machines to children’s toys, nearly everything we use comes from manufacturers. Manufacturing methods have evolved from human-centred work to machine assembly lines and today’s automated factories – and innovation has not stopped. Forbes recently reported that technology will keep reshaping manufacturing along ten major trends.
Connectivity, data and simulation
Industrial IoT: connected devices collect data in factories and industrial settings, then use it to improve manufacturing processes. Sensor data from factory machines helps manufacturers understand machine performance, optimise maintenance, cut downtime and even predict failures before they happen.
5G and edge computing: 5G lets manufacturers connect IIoT technology easily and process data at the edge via smart machines and sensors. Private on-site 5G networks can provide ultra-fast data transmission.
Predictive maintenance: sensor data plus AI detects faults in machinery and parts, so maintenance can happen before breakdowns. It works on old equipment too – Siemens applies it to legacy motors and gearboxes, analysing sensor data to spot anomalies and repair machines before they fail.
Digital twins: a digital copy of a physical object simulates real-world behaviour, for virtual modelling of designs, production processes or a whole factory. Up to 70% of manufacturers may use digital twins for simulation and evaluation in 2022. Boeing’s then-CEO said in 2018 that digital twins would be the biggest driver of productivity gains in the coming decade; using them raised the company’s first-pass yield by 40%.
Automation on the factory floor
Extended reality and the metaverse: AR, VR and other immersive technologies will matter more in product design, production planning, assembly-line support and immersive training. As more people enter the metaverse, manufacturers gain new opportunities.
Automated factories: AI-enabled machines now handle more tasks once done by humans, bringing higher productivity (machines do not tire), greater precision and lower cost. More fully automated plants that need no humans on site are likely ahead.
Robots and human-robot collaboration: not all robots replace workers – many assist them. Robot exoskeletons help line workers lift heavy parts, and collaborative robots are purpose-built to work alongside people. Nissan, for example, deploys robotic arms and collaborative robots in its Japanese plants for equipment maintenance and engine-intake installation.
3D printing: as it becomes cheaper, more scalable and more efficient, manufacturers will print more products. It uses less material and creates less waste than traditional methods, and enables a new era of personalised products without worrying about economies of scale. Airbus has used 3D printing for over 15 years, producing jigs and fixtures on demand locally.
Smarter products and new rails
Web 3.0 and blockchain: next-generation internet paradigms plus distributed technologies such as blockchain and NFTs will let manufacturers monitor supply chains better and automate many transactions. More products will ship with NFT digital certificates.
Smarter and more sustainable: from vacuum cleaners to toilets, everything seems to have a smart version, and the trend is not slowing – so manufacturers will keep exploring the smart products customers expect. Customers also increasingly favour sustainable, reusable and recyclable products, so the throwaway culture is expected to fade – another factor manufacturers must weigh.
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