The industrial automation sector is experiencing a number of industrial automation trends that are shaping the future of the industrial manufacturing industry. One of the most significant trends is the move towards Industry 4.0, which is a more digitized and connected approach to manufacturing.
This means that manufacturers are increasingly using data and analytics to improve their operations. Another major trend is the rise of robotics and artificial intelligence in manufacturing. These technologies are helping manufacturers to improve efficiency and productivity.
The industrial automation industry is constantly evolving. To stay ahead of the curve, it’s important to be aware of the latest trends. Here are 10 of the most important trends in industrial automation that you need to know about.
1. The IoT Gets Physical
Innovations in the internet of things (IoT) are making it possible for factories to operate more efficiently and safely. The IoT is a network of physical objects and systems that are equipped with unique identifiers, sensors, and software that allows them to connect to the internet.
As a result, they can send and receive data over the internet. Using the IoT, manufacturers can become more aware of their operations, allowing them to improve efficiency, reduce costs and increase productivity.
Singapore, South Korea, and Japan have the lowest unemployment rates in the APAC area, with the top three nations having the most robots per 10,000 employees in the manufacturing business.
The industrial automation and controls industry will likely be transformed by these developments because traditional control systems are set up to talk with computer-based systems while new technologies will allow them to interact with physical objects. For example, a sensor will monitor the temperature in an oven and transmit that data to an internet-connected computer, which will then determine whether a technician needs to be dispatched.
The trend of the IoT connecting physical objects and systems is also referred to as IIoT (industrial internet of things). A smart factory is one that uses the IIoT to improve operational efficiency through monitoring, measuring and control.
A real-world example of a smart factory would be a manufacturing facility where sensors on equipment are able to identify malfunctions before they occur. This allows them to automatically schedule maintenance without human involvement.
2. 3D Printing To The Rescue
3D printing is revolutionizing the world of manufacturing, and automation is no exception. Traditionally, industrial parts were made in standard sizes and materials. This works well for identical parts that have standard dimensions, but it doesn’t work for everything else. For example, a small part on a large machine may need to be replaced too frequently due to wear and tear.
The biggest benefit of 3D printing is that it allows manufacturers to create custom parts using different materials and dimensions, as needed. This has the potential to both reduce costs and increase efficiency by decreasing inventory while improving flexibility in manufacturing operations. Instead of ordering standardized parts in bulk, you can order them as needed.
3. More Cybersecurity Concerns
If you didn’t already know, cybersecurity is an enormous concern for manufacturers. Hackers are making headlines for stealing data and causing malfunctions in everything from automobiles to smart devices.
There are numerous ways that hackers can infiltrate industrial automation systems including phishing attacks and remote exploits. And while they continue to advance their methods of intrusion, manufacturers must implement new security measures to protect themselves against these threats. For example, they may need to incorporate additional authentication mechanisms such as one-time passwords or biometric authentication (fingerprint scans).
4. AI To The Rescue
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the next frontier for industrial automation systems. It’s already being used in a variety of industrial systems to improve performance, accuracy and efficiency. The benefits include substantially reduced labor costs and improved processes that can increase the number of products produced.
There are several different AI solutions available depending on the use case, but they have similar features including predictive analytics, negotiation and planning. Predictive analytics uses AI to predict what will happen in the future based on historical data, as well as predict how a system will perform under various conditions.
Negotiation and planning are both means of integrating human interaction with machine learning to further automate production processes. For example, a planning system understands the differences between human-generated jobs and machine-generated jobs by looking for mistakes in the output.
5. Driverless Vehicles On The Rise
Driverless vehicles are already making their rounds at major business centers such as Silicon Valley and Seattle. These self-driving cars can transform the transportation industry by eliminating millions of annual vehicle crashes and dramatically reducing traffic congestion, decreasing time wasted in traffic, saving drivers money on gas and parking fees, while improving road safety by removing a significant source of distraction.
Self-driving cars can also be used to reduce wear and tear on vehicles that require constant repair due to accidents involving human drivers.
These vehicles are in the research and development phase, and they will likely be available to the public later this decade. However, some manufacturers still aren’t ready to implement them.
This is because even though driving a car is a relatively simple task that can be automated, they would need to develop new software that can interpret all of the data coming from sensors on the vehicle’s exterior as well as any signals it receives from other vehicles.
6. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Takes Center Stage
Robotic process automation (RPA) is a relatively new trend in industrial automation systems that allows companies to leverage technology for much faster processes with fewer errors. It will be interesting to see how this trend progresses in the coming years as it evolves from simple automation systems to advanced RPA.
One of the benefits of advanced systems is the ability to perform complex tasks without the need for human intervention. For example, a manufacturing facility can have a workflow that starts with reviewing orders, customer service and sales data, then triggers production upgrades and finally follows up with shipping, clearing and inventory management. This allows it to dramatically decrease response times while still ensuring high customer satisfaction.
7. Big Data Becomes Big Business
Big data is something that’s been around for years but has recently become bigger than ever before as more businesses start collecting data on a daily basis. For example, most people already have a smart thermostat in their homes.
It collects data on the temperature and humidity inside and outside the home, as well as in different rooms. This allows it to save energy, turn off your air conditioner when you’re not at home and turn up the interior heat when you wake up in the morning.
Some companies are even collecting data that wasn’t possible before such as monitoring electric meters on homes to determine how much energy is being consumed by each appliance inside your home. The working theory is that if we can collect more information about how people use energy, we can reduce our carbon footprint while saving money at the same time.
Automated Manufacturing Industry
Automated manufacturing is an industrial production process that uses automatic equipment to perform certain tasks in the production process. This type of manufacturing is often used in assembly line production. Building intelligent factories is a term often used to describe the use of automation and information technology to improve the efficiency and quality of manufacturing.
The worldwide industrial automation market is expected to increase at a CAGR of 9.8% between 2022 and 2029, from USD 205.86 billion to USD 395.09 billion.
As factories and other manufacturing facilities move towards more automated production, cloud technology robots are playing an increasingly important role. Machine learning is being used to develop predictive maintenance systems that can identify potential problems before they cause downtime. This is part of a wider industrial revolution that is transforming how goods are produced.
Benefits Of Industrial Automation
So what are the benefits of industrial automation systems? They range from major operational efficiency gains to reducing labor costs and improving time management. Here are some of the more prominent benefits:
1. Improved Operational Efficiency
Automation can improve the productivity of workers, making it easier for companies to accommodate unexpected surges in demand. For example, if a crane is needed for a machine repair or replacement, there is no need to wait for another one to be repaired or replaced and return it to service. Extra equipment can be preserved and moved closer to where they’re needed. The result is increased efficiency and lower running costs.
2. Improved Quality Control
Automation can help reduce the number of defects in a finished product by eliminating human error. For example, if the material to be used for an export order does not have a production date on it, there is no need for quality control personnel to inspect it manually; every single shipment can be tracked using automation. This reduces the number of finished products that are rejected due to some errors and improves overall productivity.
3. Reduced Labor Costs
Automation reduces the number of workers needed to complete a job and allows them to focus on higher value tasks. For example, if a worker needs to be able to handle manufacturing orders that are out of sequence, automation can help ensure that they’re completed in the correct order with no mistakes. This reduces labor costs significantly and allows companies to compete more effectively for larger orders.
4. Increased Time Management
Automation allows companies to operate more efficiently by giving maintenance engineers access to information about every machine in real time with just a few clicks of their mouse.
With this kind of access, companies can improve the way they manage their maintenance schedules. For example, if a machine stops working, engineers can get just enough information to determine where they need to go and what they need to repair. This prevents them from wasting time going to areas that don’t need their attention.
5. Ability To Minimize Errors
Automation can help companies minimize mistakes in manufacturing by allowing companies with multiple plants, factories or facilities synchronize tasks and control production in real-time.
It allows companies to perform preventive maintenance at the right time and keep defective products from reaching customers. This improves the overall quality of their products while reducing labor costs as well.
The COVID epidemic has had a severe influence on the industrial automation sector, which is set to develop at a CAGR of 10% in the following years.
6. Improved Customer Satisfaction
Automation can help companies reduce labor costs while improving customer satisfaction by allowing them to quickly determine the source of an issue. For instance, if a sensor malfunction or is broken, technicians can monitor the data coming from it and determine the exact location of where it went wrong. This allows them to repair or replace it immediately and provide top quality service to their customers.
7. Reduced Production Costs
Automation can reduce production costs by up to 50% when compared with manual processes. This allows companies to compete for larger, more lucrative orders and improve their overall efficiency. This leads to improved customer satisfaction as well which results in increased profits.
8. Improved Productivity Of Employees
Automation can help companies improve the productivity of their employees by allowing them to focus on tasks that require higher-level thinking. For instance, if a company is producing a lot of parts that need assembly and they require engineers that can handle more sophisticated levels of work, automation can help reduce the time needed to train new employees and allow them to focus on more complex tasks. This improves the way they utilize both human and machine resources and ultimately boosts productivity.
Risks Of Industrial Automation
Robotics and automation technologies have enhanced labour productivity by roughly 0.35% each year, which is comparable to the impact of the steam engine from 1850 to 1910.
The industrial internet is a manufacturing process that uses artificial intelligence and virtual reality to create products. This process is used by the manufacturing sector to create products faster and more efficiently. The industrial internet is changing the way the manufacturing sector operates, and it is expected to have a major impact on the economy in the future.
1. Less Worker Control
Automation can take the power away from workers by eliminating jobs, replacing them with machines, computers or software robots. In recent times, this has allowed many lower-skilled laborers to have a greater level of control over their work.
However, in some cases it can cause job loss and make it harder for workers to find new jobs that they can truly enjoy. As this is more common than ever before, we will likely see a shift towards humans becoming the “operating system” of the machines that they operate.
This could open up new opportunities for training and education in high-skill fields, but there are also potential downsides if robots are unable to mimic human behavior and provide services that humans demand and like.
2. Less Maintenance
While automation can be very effective for maintenance, there are also risks involved. For example, if a machine has numerous sensors that need to be maintained and repaired regularly, it can become difficult to complete the task without human oversight.
This is especially true when a machine needs to be upgraded or replaced and is not just a minor repair. When this occurs, people are often required to replace the sensor or other parts multiple times.
Every time this happens, there’s added cost and risk that something could go wrong during installation. If a worker is attempting to perform maintenance on the machine without access to the manual, they could misdiagnose problems or end up damaging something that is not broken.
3. Training Challenges
In addition to a shortage of qualified workers, automation can create new training challenges for businesses. For instance, if a company needs to teach and train their employees on the latest technology, they may not have the budget or capacity to provide the necessary training.
If they need to keep the machines working while they’re training their workers, it can also create a conflict between productivity and safety. In some cases, companies are required by law to notify workers of potential hazards or provide them with training for new technologies that might expose them to danger.
If this isn’t done, companies could be held liable for any injuries that occur during routine maintenance on machines with these kinds of sensors or control systems.
4. System Reliability Issues
Automation can reduce the reliability of the machines by replacing humans with machines. For example, if a machine is placed in an area where it receives a lot of water or other forms of moisture, it runs a higher risk of getting damaged.
If it malfunctions and causes injury to workers or customers, some lawyers may attempt to claim that the system became unreliable due to impact damage. Since these claims are based on personal injury law, they can be very difficult to defend against.
5. Failure Rates Increase Over Time
As more machines are added and kept in service for longer periods of time, there is a greater chance that they will develop issues over time.The cost of this can be very high, especially if the machines require a lot of maintenance and repair. In some cases, it might not be possible to find qualified workers to perform the repairs and expensive replacement parts are necessary.
Order accuracy levels of more than 99.99% are possible using Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS).
Some of these risks are inherent in any type of automation while others relate specifically to industrial automation. Regardless, companies will need to address them if they want to reap the many benefits that they can provide for their company or organization.
As such, it is important that management and employees are educated about the risks and how they reduce them over time with proper maintenance and training.
Final Note
Before the epidemic, ecommerce sales in the United States were predicted to hit $160 billion in Q1 2020. During the second quarter of the epidemic, that figure increased to $211 billion.
Industrial automation takes place in factories, warehouses, transportation hubs and many other large operation or production facilities. It can be used to replace traditional manual labor with machines that perform the same tasks at a lower cost and without the need for human oversight.
However, there are several different types of industrial automation that should be considered before implementing any such system to ensure it is viewed as the right fit for your company. Each type of automation has different benefits and risks that should be evaluated before finalizing a decision about which kind of system you will use for your business.
Last Updated on October 9, 2023 by himani
