Smart manufacturing gives companies an edge in staying competitive in the marketplace. Companies using it can increase efficiency and collaboration while simultaneously decreasing downtime by using machines to detect problems and initiate maintenance processes automatically.
This special issue presents case studies of implementation, measurements to assess readiness or maturity for Industry 4.0 implementation in companies and surveys with results from large samples of companies.
Real-time data collection
Business leaders see smart manufacturing as an opportunity to streamline tasks, increase productivity and collaboration, leverage data in real time and stay competitive and scalable in today’s fast-paced business environment.
IoT and connected manufacturing allow businesses to track inventory, quality and optimization opportunities associated with logistics. Standard asset management tasks such as transfers, disposals, reclassifications and adjustments can be managed centrally and real-time for improved efficiency.
Manufacturers can utilize real-time data to predict when equipment or machinery requires repair or maintenance, thereby avoiding downtime and improving product quality. Smart quality measurement systems offer new ways of looking at factory floors while offering insights into production cycle optimizations.
Successful implementation of a smart manufacturing strategy demands strong communication and change management strategies. You should communicate with your team and set goals for each operational area to prepare them for what may come as part of this journey, to ensure a smooth transition for all involved parties.
Real-time data analysis
Data must be evaluated in real time in order to be useful; otherwise it’s just an archive of what has happened or may happen in the future.
Real-time data analytics enables manufacturers to monitor their production systems in real time and anticipate potential problems or service needs before they arise, leading to preventive maintenance and more efficient resource utilization; further minimizing environmental impacts and waste reduction.
Mass customization and flexible manufacturing processes enable companies to respond more quickly and effectively to customer demands, ultimately leading to higher sales, profits and sustainability.
Smart manufacturing adoption depends upon governments promoting key sectors and strengthening innovation systems as well as creating coherence between STI and economic policies. Furthermore, governments must provide access to affordable high-speed Internet connections while investing in digital skills among their workforces or the societal and economic benefits may never materialize.
Real-time collaboration
Smart manufacturing relies on real-time collaboration between humans and machines, which enables individuals to make better decisions and enhance the efficiency of operations. Smart sensors, wireless connectivity and powerful data analytics enable manufacturers to monitor production processes in real time for quality assurance purposes and produce higher-quality products.
Smarter factories also enhance sustainability by reducing waste and improving efficiency. Simulation software can replace physical tests like vehicular crash tests to help reduce material use; and generative design software generates designs that minimize material use without compromising strength or durability.
No matter its potential advantages, smart manufacturing implementation is challenging for businesses. To maximize its benefits and ensure its sustainability, businesses should take small steps with this technology and use solutions which are scalable. Private cellular networks offer reliability and security to support smarter manufacturing practices.
Digital twins
Smart manufacturing technology can assist businesses in providing customers with better results while simultaneously reducing waste, optimizing energy consumption and mitigating environmental impacts. It enables mass customization to meet customer demand while simultaneously streamlining production processes for maximum production efficiency.
Smart factories help companies reduce costs by increasing machine utilization and decreasing downtime, helping companies save money overall. Unfortunately, however, smart factory solutions can be prohibitively expensive to implement, which may preclude smaller and midsize enterprises from adopting such an approach.
Companies can utilize digital twins to address this challenge by creating virtual versions of their processes in a virtual environment, creating a simulation that can be constantly updated using sensor data from sensors or even software analytics. Digital twins can then be used to optimize product performance or conduct maintenance and failure prevention/lifecycle monitoring; additionally they can be combined with augmented reality to give field technicians more detailed information about equipment.
Deepak Wadhwani has over 20 years experience in software/wireless technologies. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies including Intuit, ESRI, Qualcomm, Sprint, Verizon, Vodafone, Nortel, Microsoft and Oracle in over 60 countries. Deepak has worked on Internet marketing projects in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange Country, Denver, Nashville, Kansas City, New York, San Francisco and Huntsville. Deepak has been a founder of technology Startups for one of the first Cityguides, yellow pages online and web based enterprise solutions. He is an internet marketing and technology expert & co-founder for a San Diego Internet marketing company.