4. Smart factories

REF610C11HCHR Smart factories are also known as digital factories or smart factories. Smart factories use highly automated and adaptive equipment and machines to increase productivity and flexibility, track products and inventory through sensors, and understand maintenance needs in real time through cloud-enabled machines.

Adidas is a forward-looking manufacturing enterprise. To build a factory of the future, Adidas has equipped its “high-speed factory” with 3D printers, robotic arms, laser-cutting robots and iot tools, enabling the factory to quickly create various models and quickly mass produce them. Adidas uses automation technology and robots to assist employees in quickly printing product templates to meet changes in consumer demand by reducing delivery times.

5. Industry 4.0 and digital economy

We are in the midst of the fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0). The third Industrial Revolution brought us digital technologies, while Industry 4.0 will bring super-automation, the Internet of Things, smart factories and big data. These technological advances have enabled the digital economy to achieve a qualitative leap forward.

According to TechTarget, “The Fourth Industrial Revolution is built on the foundation of the digital REF610C11HCHR revolution, and current technologies will continue to deepen the connection between the physical and online worlds.” Technology is evolving rapidly, and manufacturing companies need to constantly adapt their business models, improve their operations, and accomplish tasks faster and better than ever before.

The digital economy has given birth to a number of companies, products and services that are highly dependent on modern digital technologies, such as Netflix, Spotify, Airbnb, Uber and Lyft. And with the development of technology, the playing field is changing. For example, Netflix is at the forefront of digitalization through the provision of streaming media services, and Blockbuster, which once occupied the leading position in the US film rental market, is losing in the digital battle and has lost its “altar”. How many people remember Blockbuster in an age when almost everyone has a Netflix account?

In addition, the field of medical device manufacturing has also made great progress. Blood glucose meters used to be battery-powered, non-networked testing devices. Most of these devices are now fully connected to the digital world. Manufacturing companies can gain better insights, users can track their own health, and healthcare organizations can better meet the needs of patients.

6. Sustainable development

Manufacturing companies want to be able to deliver products quickly and at scale around the world, and this inevitably puts pressure on our environment. According to the World Economic Forum, manufacturing in the United States accounts for 23 percent of the country’s direct carbon emissions, while manufacturing in Europe emits 880 million tons of carbon dioxide annually.

This is because manufacturing companies have historically adopted a linear “acquisition-make-waste” model that relies on fossil fuels, overproduction, and excessive waste. But more and more manufacturing companies are moving to a circular economy.

The circular economy uses technologies such as AI and machine learning to automate processes, streamline operations and increase efficiency. Each manufacturing stage follows a recycle-refurbish-Remanufacturing model to reduce waste and reduce costs, thereby reducing the company’s carbon REF610C11HCHR footprint in the production process. Digital processes can provide manufacturing companies with real-time insights to help them make fast decisions and continue to move towards their sustainability goals.

7. Super automated

Super Automation, one of Gartner’s key strategic technology trends for 2022, refers to “a disciplined and business-driven approach to quickly identify, review, and automate as many business and IT processes as possible.”

Super automation needs to be achieved by coordinating the use of technologies such as AI, sensors, machine learning, robotic process automation (RPA), low-code development platforms, and business process management (BPM) tools.

The manufacturing industry operates in a somewhat insular environment, with many organizations still relying on time-consuming manual processes. Super automation can take over human tasks and make operational processes more transparent. Manufacturing companies can turn over repetitive but critical workflows to automation technology REF610C11HCHR so that employees can focus on more complex tasks, such as driving innovation.

How can manufacturing companies accelerate digital transformation

No business can become hyper-connected and digital first overnight. Digital transformation is an important initiative for any business, especially manufacturing companies with human processes, legacy systems, and silenced business and data. Low code development and multiple experience platforms can quickly drive the transformation process.