Manufacturing’s technology boom

Technology has had a huge impact on all aspects of our lives — and manufacturing is no exception. Manufacturing is one sector that has hugely benefitted from the growth of technology. Whether it’s improved machinery with greater capabilities or smart ERP software that streamlines in-house processes, adopting the latest tech has been key to the continued success of the sector.

Now that the dust has settled and technology is firmly embedded into factories, we can fully appreciate the benefits manufacturing’s technological boom has brought — as well as the associated negatives. In this article, Datawright, an award-winning provider of manufacturing software, discusses how technology has changed the face of traditional manufacturing.

Leaner manufacturing

In an industry where time is money, it’s unsurprising that so many manufacturers have fully embraced technology within the factory. Nowadays, we’re using smart technology such as automated controls and sensors that capture real-time information to streamline processes.

For example, in the past, there might have been 10 key stages to manufacturing a particular part and a 10-day lead-time. With lean manufacturing caused by a realisation of technology, this process now includes fewer, more efficient stages, resulting in a quicker lead time for production and greater profitability potential for manufacturers.

Datawright’s collaboration with Arlington Automotive, a car parts manufacturer, is one working example of this. Reacting to the need for real-time data from the manufacturer’s presses, Datawright used Wi-Fi automation devices connected to a micro-switch in each press to capture real-time performance data. Through capturing this data, shifts could be optimised — increasing productivity by 16%.

Employee safety

It’s not just the factory floor that has benefited from the availability of manufacturing technology. Traditional manufacturing relied heavily on employees to control and operate machines. Not only did this open processes up to human error, it could also be a laborious and sometimes dangerous task.

Technology is working to improve safety in the workplace through the introduction of automated design methods. Now, virtual testing has simplified the product planning process, allowing ergonomics and physical requirements to be checked before production begins and eliminating safety risks for employees.

Opening up the market

Before the technological boom, global manufacturing was dominated by the industry’s big players, leaving smaller manufacturers in their wake. As technology has developed and became more widely available, we have seen the manufacturing market widen, as factories now have the tools to connect with customers on a global scale and have the technology to meet larger demands.

As machinery becomes more sophisticated, industrial output has increased. After all, one report published in the New York Times claimed that workers were 47% more productive in 2016 than what they were in 1996. Clearly, this is a result of the technological growth within the sector.

Through increasing the volume of parts manufactured and in more cost-effective ways, it has had a positive impact for end consumers through lowering prices. For example, manufacturing advances have significantly reduced the costs of electronics, which had a higher initial purchase cost.

However, this could be problematic for those manufacturers who have buried their heads in the hope that the technological revolution happens within their industry. If you’re still using dated manufacturing methods, you eliminate yourself from the market as you will be unable to compete in terms of price.

A driving force in educational change

Manufacturing was formerly a sector that relied heavily on human input and, while this still remains true to a degree, the development of technology has altered the skillset required by this type of workforce. As we move away from physical assembly carried out by workers, the industry is crying out for highly skilled workers with a focus on STEM.

The change in required skills has seen many manufacturers call for school curriculums to change in order to plug this gap and better support the sector. Such an alteration would lead to a greater range of skills for school-leavers and reduced training requirements for manufacturers.

Is there a downside?

The numerous benefits technology has brought to manufacturing have clearly had a positive impact on the industry — but what about the flipside? Is the growth of automation and smarter technology posing a risk to jobs? While you could say yes, we would argue that jobs themselves will not reduce, but simply change.

The development of smarter machines may reduce the number of employees required on certain factory floors, but we forget that the machines themselves will need building and maintaining, bringing a greater variety of jobs to the manufacturing industry.

Let’s not forget about the difficult position the manufacturing industry is currently in too. With an aging workforce, the increased variety in jobs could be the change the industry needs to welcome a more diverse workforce to the industry.