Five Key Manufacturing Trends

Full adoption of Industry 4.0 equipment and practices is a significant commitment to money, but new innovations will eventually find their way through more and more facilities, pushing others to comply to stay competitive.

Fremont, CA: When we look at the developments in production, significant technological shifts at their heart are a matter of convenience. The final manufacturing products are not going to change dramatically, but how they are manufactured will continue to change and develop and will gradually become unrecognizable compared to the practices used 20 or 30 years ago. Here are five crucial trends to keep an eye on:

Wearable Tech

After moving to handhelds, wearable devices would be the next step in on-demand data and information. Smartwatches, headphones with heads-up displays, and other wearables can provide vital data quicker and more discreetly than ever before.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is a growing problem for every sector, and manufacturing is no exception. As connected devices and machines become the standard, there is an increased vulnerability to cyber intrusions. Manufacturers must be aware of these risks as they adapt their facilities to current and future processes.

Aid from Robots

Robots in manufacturing environments are nothing new – however, as they become smarter, safer, and more mobile, the industry will see their use increase. Stock, assembly, and machining are becoming more effective as robots can do more and make the most of their human co-workers.

Industry 4.0 Gains Importance

Industry 4.0 encompasses many areas but is commonly known to include big data and automation to build process efficiencies. The full adoption of Industry 4.0 equipment and practices is a major commitment to money, but these innovations will eventually find their way through more and more facilities, pushing others to comply to stay competitive.

Higher Focus on Customer Service

Although customer service has always been a critical focus for successful manufacturers, the continued convergence of technology with manufacturing will be even more relevant. As the data collection and tracking tools of Industry 4.0 become more popular, customers will have greater visibility of production status through dashboards and other tools. With this increased exposure will come a push for ever-improving results and.