The Future of Manufacturing: Part 3
Manufacturing is a field that has long been powered by creativity and innovation. From the steel-and-steam heritage of traditional production environments to the digital contours of today’s technology leaders, the industry continues to evolve. Today, growing numbers of manufacturers have embraced game-changing technology and embarked on or completed the digital transformation process required to keep pace in an increasingly competitive industry.
In two previous pieces exploring what that industry will look like moving forward and what trends and technologies will shape the future of manufacturing, we discussed the power of AI tools and predictive technology, as well as the challenges of navigating a space where software-based controls and human-tech synergies are changing the way we think about manufacturing processes and environments. In this, the third and final installment in this series, we’ll examine arguably the most exciting topic of all: how connected process control technology (CPC) shapes the way manufacturers will be able to efficiently configure and adapt their operational architecture, their logistics and personnel needs, and even their production environments.
As the infrastructure of CPC tech becomes increasingly modular and scalable, with plug-and-play flexibility, manufacturers will benefit from easier integrations, simpler product customizations, and dramatically reduced development times. They will also be able to implement large-scale expansions or modifications of production space, all with a previously unthinkable level of speed and cost-effectiveness.
Tech Power and Manpower
One of the most exciting aspects of connected process control technology is that once a shop floor is configured correctly, the level of hands-off automation is high enough to practically run the operation. In addition to introducing new efficiencies, this automation also allows manufacturers to optimize manpower and more easily manage hiring and training when more personnel are needed.
With the right system in place, operators can receive the kind of detailed guidance needed to modify existing processes or expand capacity. New trainees can be brought up to speed in a fraction of the time than when using traditional methods, while existing operators can quickly familiarize themselves with procedural changes without extensive retraining.
Integration and Implementation
As companies start embracing new tech and new devices, integration for new parts and processes becomes faster while ROI correspondingly accelerates. Projects that might have previously taken months to get coded and programmed can now be up and running in one day. Similarly, making structural changes to the scale of the facility’s operational infrastructure is comparatively easier to do, relative to traditional manufacturing environments.
In the same way that connected process control technology allows manufacturers to build model stations that are an exact replica of operational environments, it also makes it possible to lay out new configurations for expansion or consolidation before bringing those elements online.
Nimble and Dynamic
The best of the new generation of connected process control solutions are not just powerful, they are dynamic. They are configurable across a virtually unlimited range of “what if?” scenarios. Because of that level of conditional procedural detail, manufacturers can control processes on a granular level, unlocking a whole host of possibilities ranging from limitless customization to elevated quality control, from rapid pivots to new parts and products. These capabilities will empower manufacturers to meet the needs of a fast-changing marketplace while seizing upon time-sensitive opportunities with new operational agility.
The modular, scalable nature of connected process control solutions offers extraordinary new possibilities for an increasingly flexible future. From parts and processes to people and production environments, the future of manufacturing will be connected, configurable, cost-effective—and capable of extraordinary new feats of design production.
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