Ever since the industrial revolution, innovation is a critical component of economic success and progress. In that manner, manufacturing innovation propels the industry forward by increasing productivity, efficiency, and quality.
In fact, the world of manufacturing has changed dramatically in the past few decades. The most noticeable changes have been brought on by technological advances. In almost every area of manufacturing technology, the change has been rapid and significant.
Manufacturers can acquire a competitive advantage, meet client requests, and address industry difficulties through inventing and employing sophisticated processes. With this in mind, manufacturers must foster innovation, change their outdated work methods, and embrace risk-taking.
Let’s look at some of the top industrial process improvements that have occurred over the years.
Injection Molding And Other Modern-Day Manufacturing Methods
One key area where technology has brought about a change in manufacturing is in the methods or techniques utilized to produce end products, with the most noteworthy being plastic injection molding. In fact, anyone familiar with the plastic injection molding process will agree that it has evolved significantly, with many processes now being automated and controlled by computers. Molds that used to take months to build can now be designed and built-in days or weeks and part designs that were previously impossible to build can now be made easily.
The very plastic injection mould can come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and complexity. Some are relatively simple and inexpensive but most are complex and expensive enough that they should be carefully considered before ordering them. There are many benefits to manufacturing automation, especially when it comes to precision and speed. Here are some examples of how manufacturers can benefit from automation in plastic injection molding:
Cheaper Costs
Injection molding machines can be programmed to produce thousands of products at a much cheaper cost than manual labor, allowing for better profit margins for manufacturers.
Improved Efficiency
Automated plastic injection molding machines are designed to work at much faster speeds, producing greater production numbers than manual labor would allow for. Automation helps manufacturers save time and money on production cycles as well as lessening waste and defects. This allows for higher production rates, allowing businesses to keep up with increasing demands from consumers.
Cloud Computing
Are you prepared to say farewell to data silos? Cloud computing is a critical tool for modern manufacturers to achieve transparent communication between personnel, stakeholders, and machines. Manufacturers can share, interact, and manage their industrial data with cloud computing since it is nimble, integrative, flexible, and secure.
Cloud computing, whether in a public or private cloud, can be scaled up or down considerably more quickly than human or capital infrastructure.
Connectivity
In recent months, 5G connectivity has been a hot issue; the extent and significance of the transition from 4G to 5G have been unprecedented and substantial.
By adopting 5G, Manufacturers will gain improved end-to-end data traceability, connectivity, high dependability, low latency, increased productivity, and the ability to implement other new technologies.
Smart Sensoring
Smart sensors can help you increase productivity, and manufacturers can now benefit from connectivity and data collection thanks to the introduction of smart sensors. Manufacturers may turn factory machines into smart devices that are connected to intelligent networks throughout the value chain by using these sensors.
Manufacturers can use smart sensors to control, monitor, and improve operations; detect equipment failure and trigger maintenance processes; automatically log data, and boost the speed of data flow with real-time data.
Virtual And Augmented Reality (AR)
Morton Heilig, a cinematographer, was the first to bring augmented reality (AR) from science fiction to reality in 1957. The first fully functional AR system, however, was not developed until 1992 at the USAF Armstrong Research Lab.
Manufacturers are now incorporating augmented reality into their operations to bring goods to life in design, simplify complexities, and increase efficiency, training, and visual workflow.
Smart MES
Smart manufacturing execution systems (MES) go beyond typical MES operations to support lean manufacturing capabilities by leveraging Industrial IoT insights and analytics. Smart MES combines numerous technologies into a single hivemind to acquire a large amount of data for tracking and documenting the manufacturing of raw materials to final goods.
Manufacturers can achieve a single source of truth across the organization by connecting Smart MES with an ERP system. Through machine learning, data integration, and predictive analytics, Smart MES supports manufacturers in transforming their business and operations.
Final Thoughts
The manufacturing industry is always evolving. New methods bubble up from technological advances in design or supply chain changes that lead to lower costs for certain components. As we’ve explored manufacturing throughout history, it’s clear that the industry is constantly influenced by technological progress and innovation.
There are many examples of how technology has helped the world of manufacturing improve and grow, and the future holds even more promise. With a changing economy that demands more innovation and adaptability in manufacturing, companies around the world will continue to harness the power of technology to stay competitive, and hopefully, workers will be better off because of it.
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