Industry 4.0 also commonly known as the fourth industrial revolution is definitely transforming the manufacturing sector by integrating IT – technology throughout the product life cycle. As a result, manufacturers are benefiting from increased visibility into the day to day operations, processes and substantial cost savings. Faster production times and excellent customer support are also a part of technology integration in the manufacturing business.
Here are a few ways in which technology supports manufacturing business processes:
IoT is the next big thing
Within an existing infrastructure, the interconnection of unique devices results in better communication between various processes and results in increased efficiency, cost reduction, and more importantly product innovation.
Predictive maintenance
With technology integrated into the manufacturing processes, each equipment is monitored and logs are analyzed as a part of big data analysis. This result is the identification and prediction of device failures. Maintenance can be scheduled and replacements can be pre-booked. This reduces the downtime in any manufacturing process. This ultimately keeps the production on track – no more delays!
ERP systems to streamline processes
ERP systems offer accurate, real-time information and this helps reduce the operational costs and administrative tasks. Managers can proactively manage operations and prevent disruptions.
AR and VR
The relationship between man and machine has been changed forever with AR and VR. AR and VR continue to create mutually beneficial partnerships. Machine learning will help speed up processes and combat the repetition in daily processes that take up human time and energy.
Well, manufacturing processes have definitely seen a change with technology integration. This is not limited to the actual process itself but also moves on to other support functions such as sales and support after the product has been manufactured. Product manufacturers find technology to be a catalyst in the progress.
