The most exciting trends in manufacturing today are about leveraging new technology as a result of Industry 4.0 advancements. However, simply outfitting your factory with new technology may not get you the intended results. A truly smart factory will include machines and computers that communicate with each other and amplify the benefits of each individual technology upgrade. Interconnected systems and devices require fast and reliable connectivity, so manufacturers are increasingly turning toward private wireless networks to meet their demands. In fact, in the Gartner® 2024 CIO Agenda that asks "which technologies are most likely to be implemented by 2026," 70% of senior IT leaders said 5G was likely to be implemented by 2026.1 The resulting era is expected to drive large volumes of data and the continued adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).
Manufacturing companies are turning to innovative new technologies to help drive them toward a more efficient future. Here are five major technology trends in manufacturing businesses that are happening right now.
Sensors can provide information about every step of the manufacturing process. When they are linked to each other and to manufacturing execution system software, they can go a step further and provide powerful insights. Today, IIoT goes beyond simply reporting on the current status of a machine. Advanced AI, such as machine learning and deep learning, can use information pulled from sensors to provide recommendations that help human supervisors with quality control and decision-making. Predictive maintenance and fault detection can save time and money by catching weaknesses before they become problems.
The industry is known for economies of scale, but the latest trends in manufacturing technology are more focused on customization and minimizing waste. Additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing allow manufacturers to build precisely what customers need–even in small quantities. While 3D printers add material (hence the name additive manufacturing), Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines link to digital plans such as computer-aided designs and automate manufacturing operations for greater precision and control. Of course, you will need a robust network to take advantage of on-demand manufacturing. When adequately supported, on-demand manufacturing platforms help connect manufacturers to customers and allow them to accept and manage orders anytime, anywhere.
As generative AI and machine learning technologies improve, factory operations are reaping the benefits, becoming more streamlined and more intelligent. Previous generations of industrial robots were helpful for heavy lifting in a manufacturing setting, but their use was limited as they were often caged for safety reasons. Today's more mobile autonomous robots, like automated guided vehicles, can move freely around factory floors—leveraging AI to optimize routing and avoid obstacles.
Paper drawings led to 2D computer drawings, which in turn became 3D interactive simulations with layers of detailed information. Digital twins are virtual replicas of physical assets that can help designers experiment and iterate with early prototypes. Combined with machine learning algorithms, these digital models can simulate different scenarios and predict a new outcome if, for example, the designer swaps out a component or material. This innovative capability requires computational power and large data transfer capacity.
All of these trends in manufacturing come together to form the industrial metaverse, a concept that blends the physical factory with the precision, analysis and automation of the latest digital tools. Take augmented reality (AR) as an example. A worker could wear an AR headset while working on a physical building project. The headset could overlay extra information, such as measurements, materials and other aspects of the plans.
Manufacturing technology trends create opportunities; the World Economic Forum indicated recently that the global industrial metaverse market is projected to reach $100 billion by 2030.2
New capabilities require more robust and widespread connectivity than past technologies. Many devices need to connect both to each other and to edge computing resources. To embrace the trends in manufacturing technology and keep pace with competitors in the modern age, you need more bandwidth, high-speed, low-latency connectivity and low l, scalable storage, edge computing and robust cybersecurity. Private 5G networks can help enable Industry 4.0 technology because they are more agile than wired networks while moving data faster and more reliably than with Wi-Fi.
Learn more here about how to connect your factory assets to help unlock the potential of smart manufacturing.
The author of this content is a paid contributor for Verizon.
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