Leaders in several industries are considering how to maximise their use of finite investment budgets. Making decisions is never simple, and factors like economic uncertainty, labour shortages, and quickly evolving trends in automation and AI only contribute to making them more difficult. Does automation offer a solution? What function should intelligent manufacturing provide, and how might instruments like factory simulation software be useful?
Although the epidemic and associated supply chain concerns appear to be mostly resolved, issues still exist. Costs for energy and materials are still rising, and while recruitment is still challenging in many industries, an ageing labour population is getting close to retirement. The solution is industrial automation, but are there other manufacturing trends to follow and implement?
The purpose of this article is to explain how technology can help solve these problems for directors, managers, and other leaders in sectors like manufacturing and logistics. Separate parts cover:
- The State of Robotics and Automation in 2023
- Economic Uncertainty
- Advances in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Advances in Smart Manufacturing
- Impact of Robotics and Automation on Employment and the Job Market
- The Future of Robotics and Automation: Opportunities and Challenges
- How Robotics and Automation Will Shape the Future
The State of Robotics and Automation in 2023
Robotics is one method of automating a process or operation. Flexibility is a key benefit of robots versus specialised or “hard” automation. Rapid and free task switching is possible for the robot. Hard automation, on the other hand, can make it expensive and challenging to execute even a tiny change in the product or process.
Since the first industrial robot began operations in 1961, people have primarily thought of robots as machines for handling materials or manipulating tools. However, the concept has now been broadened to include both business process robotics and physical robots.
Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) have joined the four-, five-, and six-axis machines that are found in industries all over the world in the field of physical automation. These AMRs move goods and kits between storage, kitting, and packing as they move throughout warehouses and distribution centres.
Robotic process automation (RPA) is referred to as process robotics. This technology automates tedious administrative and paperwork procedures.
Automation and robotics are currently leading the fourth industrial revolution, also known as Industry 4.0. Data-driven decision-making is made possible by smart sensors, communication technology, analytics tools, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. The European Union (EU) is also promoting the concept of “Industry 5.0,” which envisions linked, intelligent manufacturing that places people at the centre rather than on the periphery.
Business owners, managers, engineers, and technicians are now looking to this data for insights regarding where to spend investment capital because the picture for 2023 and beyond is uncertain.
Economic Uncertainty Defining 2023
Investment in automation is a bet on the future, but when demand and growth are uncertain in the future, as they are at the moment, industry executives are less certain about where to put their money. This perspective is given depth and colour by two recent papers, one from the research and business advice experts Forrester and the other from a poll commissioned by Visual Components.
In their “Predictions 2023: Automation and Robotics” research, Forrester warns that there may be “a modest deceleration of automation progress in 2023 due to uncertain economic conditions.” This is anticipated to boost attention to initiatives focused on enhancing resilience and increasing efficiency, resulting in:
- Greater use of data generated by smart manufacturing and machine learning technologies
- The efforts of Centers of Automation Excellence being directed more to efforts that support the entire business rather than subsections
- A shift of budgets towards projects addressing business continuity-type issues (such as skills shortages)
- The continued growth of the physical robot population
The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) observed a significant increase in the number of robots globally in their Industrial Robots 2022 study, which supports the last argument. Additionally, according to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), North America will experience a significant increase in demand for industrial robots in 2022.
Finding out how manufacturing companies are reacting to the drive towards Industry 5.0 was the main goal of the study conducted for Visual Components. Major conclusions included:
- People-related costs are rising
- Shortages of technology skills should not be overlooked
- Economic uncertainty is holding back sustainability efforts
Advances in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Two of the most prominent advancements in robotics and automation right now are the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Although they are similar, the terms are not the same.
AI describes computer programmes that are trained, as opposed to programming, to carry out a certain task. In addition to potentially saving time and considerably extending capabilities, this spares the programmer from having to predict every conceivable set of circumstances.
AI comprises ML. The engineering department at Columbia University describes machine learning (ML) as “a pathway to artificial intelligence” on their website, “Artificial Intelligence (AI) vs. Machine Learning,” adding that ML “…uses algorithms to automatically learn insights and recognise patterns from data, applying that learning to make increasingly better decisions.”
Robotics and automation offer a growing number of applications for AI and ML. They are used to enhance factory productivity, facilitate decision-making, enhance safety, and boost material yields.
Examples include:
- Automating the detection of defects in images of parts or materials
- Guiding robots performing loading, unloading and assembly tasks
- Improving the ability of AMRs to navigate cluttered and busy surroundings
Advances in Smart Manufacturing
Industry 4.0 is about businesses digitising operations to improve productivity, raise standards, and cut costs. An EU effort called Industry 5.0 wants to remind manufacturers that people will continue to be essential to manufacturing for the foreseeable future.
Without it, current advancements in automation will cause human workers to have less control over their occupations. The risk is that if sensors and analytics are used more frequently, everything will be monitored, effectively turning human manufacturing workers into little more than automata.
Forrester suggests that manufacturers use an “Automation Triangle” that combines the adaptability, creativity, and resilience of human workers with the capabilities of hardware and software automation.
According to this theory, hardware automation handles repetitive operations, and software automation handles repeated data processing and analytical processes. People may now supervise automation and deal with issues like sustainability because of this.
The strategy has several advantages for human workers. Uncertainty and stress are significantly decreased if they are liberated from the unpredictable nature of contemporary production processes. They have much more autonomy over their job and more possibilities to use their creative skills. An engaged and motivated workforce is advantageous for employers.
Impact of Robotics and Automation on Employment and the Job Market
Because of a number of factors, factories won’t turn into the “lights-out” operations that were formerly thought to be the inevitable result of industrial automation trends. We now recognise that not every task lends itself to, benefits from, or can be automated. Additionally, despite the development of AI, creativity, adaptability, and resilience still play a crucial role in society. Additionally, manufacturers won’t adopt a “automation at all costs” strategy due to financial restraints. However, when it makes economical sense, automation will increase.
The range of talents required in upcoming manufacturing facilities will be impacted by this. These can be categorised as follows:
- Integration costs
- Technical challenges
- Skills shortages
- Security concerns
Integration Costs
The quickest possible time must be allowed for industrial automation to be operational. Manufacturing simulation, robot simulation software, and digital twins are three ways for doing this. These facilitate the identification of optimal strategies by allowing the evaluation of more choices when used independently or, preferably, in combination. A digital twin also makes virtual commissioning possible, which can find integration issues early on when there is still time and money to fix them.
Manufacturers will want workers who possess the necessary expertise to use these instruments from a workforce standpoint. Alternatively, they will need to enter into agreements with collaborators who can make use of them and take care of integration problems on their behalf.
Technical Challenges
Selecting the appropriate solutions is one of the main obstacles facing manufacturers as they deploy smart manufacturing technology. Correctly characterising the opportunity or problem and choosing the appropriate form for the automation are the two difficulties at hand. Manufacturing simulation is a potent tool for examining options and figuring out which one provides the best answer. Process modelling, for instance, can be used to simulate how resources like AMRs operate.
Skills Shortages
Many manufacturers struggle to attract new employees because of their ageing staff. Robotics and automation provide solutions in a variety of ways.
Robots are capable of carrying out repetitive operations like welding, one trade that experiences a high incidence of retirement.
RPA and AI can do analytical and repetitive jobs, probably more consistently than human workers can.
Younger, highly educated technical people will be strongly attracted to the high-technology environment created by the use of cutting-edge tools like AI and robot simulation software.
Security Concerns
Business executives are fully aware of the necessity to protect their data, and as manufacturing becomes more digital, this requirement will only increase. Operational Technology (OT) networks will continue to be developed separately by IT functions, although the rising need for technical experts may slow down their progress.
Additional dangers are brought forth by cloud computing; even if knowledge is high, safety precautions are still required. Applications, where AI must quickly decide or react, are one exception. In order to reduce latency, more computing will be done at the edge than in the cloud under these situations.
The Future of Robotics and Automation: Opportunities and Challenges
It is obvious that automation and robotics technology promote growth. Manufacturers must, however, be prepared and able to change in a continuously evolving environment. The main problems to be solved are:
- Investing in R&D
- Upgrading infrastructure
- Providing training and education
- Implementing strong security measures
R&D Investment
Businesses should look for novel methods to profit from advances in AI and smart manufacturing. To reduce the amount of risk assumed, this will be done in a planned and precise manner. These initiatives will be supported by tools like factory simulation and digital twins, which allow experimentation in a virtual rather than real environment.
Infrastructure Upgrades
The ever-expanding role of data is evident from current automation developments if anything. Digital production depends on data, therefore factory systems and networks must be set up for the volumes and speeds necessary. The introduction of real digital twins is one example that best exemplifies this tendency. To keep the physical and the virtual in sync, they need high-speed bidirectional data communication.
Providing Training and Education
The already substantial skills gap will only get worse. Manufacturers should look at chances to develop their own skills internally unless they are willing to pay higher rates or delay implementation. Be aware that this holds true for both established vocations like welding and burgeoning industrial automation skills. The majority of instructional resources may be found online for little to no cost, including courses that teach the fundamentals of robot programming.
Implementing Strong Security Measures
Manufacturers implementing Industry 4.0 technology would be wise to take cybersecurity seriously, especially if they plan to use cloud services for analytics and data storage. Hiring or training individuals with the necessary knowledge and abilities will be necessary for this; failing to do so will likely result in an attack.
How Robotics and Automation will shape the Future
Manufacturers everywhere are forced to spend money on cutting-edge technologies like automation and robots. But now, more than ever, this entails utilising AI and ML to examine data, spot patterns and trends, and enable actual automation hardware.
Success will depend on implementing technology where it can be most useful, which calls for carefully examining opportunities and alternatives. Manufacturing simulation is a potent instrument for assisting this endeavour, as was previously mentioned. It will be crucial to incorporate people into the system of hardware and software automation rather than relegating them to the role of machine minders.
This expansion of Industry 4.0 thinking may be new to some readers; others will already be questioning the role of human workers in the factory of the future.
Credits: Visual Components
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