Cloud: The Future of Intelligent Manufacturing

Intelligent manufacturing is a comprehensive manufacturing concept that uses modern information and manufacturing technology to optimize production and product exchanges. It’s a revolutionary manufacturing model based on intelligent science and technology that improves the design, production, management, and integration of a specific product’s entire life cycle.

Smart sensors, adaptive decision-making models, innovative materials, intelligent gadgets, and data analytics can help with the full product life cycle. The efficiency of production, the quality of the products, and the level of service will all be improved.  And in the 4th Industrial Revolution, cloud computing will be critical in enabling the manufacturing industry to transform into Intelligent manufacturing.

The ‘4th Industrial Revolution,’ in which advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain are blurring the barriers between the physical and digital worlds, has made cloud computing a vital driver. Cloud computing is accelerating transformation and innovation across many industries around the globe. This is also true in the manufacturing sector. According to a report by Market Research Future, the cloud manufacturing market is predicted to reach USD 111.90 billion by 2024.

Some advantages of cloud

Scalability, flexibility, and development efficiency are just a few benefits of using cloud services rather than traditional on-premise computing capabilities. The other advantages include:

Flexibility and scalability

One of the most significant benefits of using virtual infrastructure maintained by a service provider is the increased flexibility. On-demand cloud services can be created, configured, and terminated at the touch of a button.

Some cloud services even allow auto-scaling, which means the underlying computing resources automatically adjust to changing utilization rates. This adaptability is advantageous for applications with erratic load, short-lived applications such as prototypes or proofs-of-concept, and frequently changing infrastructure.

Profit margins grow due to lower overhead

According to AWS, the variable expenses of the cloud enable organizations to pay only for the resources they utilize.  As a result, they can decrease or eliminate the costs associated with running a data center. Businesses can increase their profit margins by avoiding the hefty costs of running their own data centers.

Flexibility in pricing

Costs are also flexible with cloud services. Many services offer consumption-based billing, which means clients are only charged for the services they actually use. On the other hand, static infrastructure configured for the maximum expected workload would need to be purchased and maintained in an on-premises scenario. This inflexibility can be overcome via the cloud.

Better product development and logistics

When integrated with cloud computing, IIoT facilities have access to real-time product usage data as well as consumer feedback. Quality issues can be handled on the production floor, resulting in less waste and lower mitigation costs. Machine learning applied to cloud data can give businesses actionable insights for future product development phases, resulting in higher revenue and customer happiness.

Conclusion

When it comes to technical transformation, cloud-native is the way to go, as it offers a significant competitive advantage.  This is why cloud manufacturing is the way of the future and why migrating networks to the cloud should be at the top of every manufacturer’s to-do list.

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Cloud Technology: A strong foundation for future-ready manufacturing enterprises

Today’s manufacturing industry is under pressure to meet rising demands for quicker delivery and increased throughput. Manufacturers can use cloud technology to address these demands. All levels of the manufacturing industry will use this technology in the future to stay more securely connected to consumers and the supply chain.

Manufacturing efficiency already relies on connectivity. Manufacturers must adhere to technology standards used throughout the supply chain to stay connected and address issues quickly.

According to Gartner, cloud services spending is expected to climb 23.1 percent to $332.3 billion in 2021, up from $270 billion in 2020. Cloud-based technology is no longer a disruptor in the manufacturing scene; instead, it is the way of the future.

Manufacturing has entered a new era known as Industry 4.0, characterized by digital change. Industry 4.0 technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and Industrial IoT connectivity, rely on cloud computing for data storage and information processing.

Modern manufacturing with cloud computing

By digitizing practically every aspect of current manufacturing operations, information technology is revolutionizing the global manufacturing economy, a phenomenon termed Smart Manufacturing or Industry 4.0.

Cloud computing, along with other core technologies including next-generation wireless, improved sensors, high-performance computing, and computer-aided design, engineering, and manufacturing software, is critical to the smart manufacturing revolution.

Cloud computing technologies will impact virtually every facet of modern manufacturing organizations. Cloud computing will impact how businesses run their operations at the corporate level, from enterprise resource planning (ERP) and financial management to data analytics and workforce training.

Manufacturers’ integration with industrial supply chains will also rely heavily on the cloud. Cloud computing will change everything about manufactured products, from how they are researched,created, and produced to how they are fabricated and manufactured to how customers utilize them in the field.

In addition, cloud computing will be critical in allowing and democratizing new manufacturing production systems like 3D printing (also known as additive manufacturing), generative design, and the Industrial Internet of Things. In reality, digital services like cloud computing now account for at least 25% of all inputs used to create finished manufacturing goods.

Building future-ready manufacturing enterprises

In the new virtual paradigm, cloud software, platforms, and infrastructure have helped businesses enhance resilience in key business sectors, enable online collaborative working environments, and drive consumer interaction. According to PwC, cloud migration is a top priority for 59% of manufacturing COOs looking to improve their performance in the post-COVID marketplace. Manufacturers looking to the future are investing in cloud ERP software and applying it to empower their employees and customers.

Companies have also begun to reinvent their business strategies in response to changing customer demands. Servitization and Business to Business to Consumer (B2B2C) strategies include enhancing agility, increasing revenues, and assisting in developing long-term customer connections. The first step in this process is to move enterprise applications to the cloud. According to a Infosys report, 54% of those surveyed wanted to use the cloud as the foundation for digital transformation.

Conclusion

Cloud computing has infiltrated practically every aspect of modern production, resulting in a shift in how products are developed, manufactured, and used.

Cloud computing has numerous advantages for both large and small manufacturers, including reducing innovation cycles, accelerating time to market, facilitating collaboration, supporting supply chain integration, enabling new business models, improving operational efficiency, lowering costs, and improving employee and customer satisfaction. Therefore, cloud computing has become a critical underlying platform technology for enabling smart manufacturing and equipping the industry for the future.

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Key Focus Areas For Manufacturers in 2022

The manufacturing sector’s technological developments are critical to the global economy’s progress. Manufacturing innovations that improve the productivity and long-term viability of entire production processes are the newest manufacturing trends. On the other hand, manufacturing companies are looking to retain productivity with a smaller workforce in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak. As a result, startups are working on smart sensors, immersive technological devices, and wearables that eliminate the need for workers to be physically present.

Industry 4.0 technologies are changing how the manufacturing industry works, making them more agile and resilient than ever before. While it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of change, it’s also important to step back and consider the big picture. In 2022, the manufacturing industry is projected to see specific changes that, if properly utilized, can stimulate innovation and help organizations stay competitive. This blog will cover several key areas for manufacturers to focus on, in-order to shape 2022 and beyond.

Industrial automation

Although automation is not new, it has become more accessible, simple, and cost-effective since the development of robotic technology. It has also reduced and eliminated possible risks to human life, making the manufacturing process safer. Intelligent automation is a critical technology that will change the manufacturing industry because it simplifies numerous material handling, assembly, and painting processes.

According to the Industrial Automation Report 2021-2028, the global industrial automation market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.2%, from USD 191.74 billion in 2021 to USD 355.44 billion in 2028.

Additive manufacturing (3D printing)

Manufacturing will be transformed in the future years by additive manufacturing. Design freedom, higher-performing goods, enhanced plant productivity, sustainable procedures, and a shorter time to market are all advantages that come at little or no extra cost.

Aerospace and defence are at the forefront of additive manufacturing, closely followed by automotive production.

Xact Metal is a 3D metal printing startup based in the United States. The printers’ high-speed digital galvanometer system allows faster metal additive manufacturing printing. The solution 3D prints components in various metals and comes with software that makes machine setup, control, and monitoring a breeze.

Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence that can mimic human cognitive abilities. On the other hand, machine learning (ML) refers to computer learning or improving performance by analysing and understanding data. Machine learning technologies are utilized in real-time in AI to allow factory machines to fulfill their tasks. Simultaneously, machine learning can be used in data science to evaluate the obtained data to uncover patterns and create future predictions, enabling you to build a smart manufacturing industry.

AI aids in the improvement of product quality and leads to market adoption. While AI, machine learning, and data science may sound similar, each has a distinct role and effect in the market.

Zeominds is a new AI-based product and service provider established in India. The software analyses machine data from IoT sensors in real-time. It detects signs of failure and deterioration in performance, lowering maintenance costs and enhancing machine productivity in industries.

Supply Chain Nearshoring

In 2020 and 2021, the global supply chain faced considerable challenges. The manufacturing industry will continue to face problems due to supply chain challenges. To address various supply chain difficulties, manufacturers frequently turn to local vendors.

While this may raise product prices, it can also be viewed as an opportunity to improve agility, flexibility, and quality, all of which lead to higher customer satisfaction. As a result of the globalization to localization strategy, on-shoring is expected to continue in 2022. This tendency will hasten the adoption of distributed or local manufacturing, a customer-centric strategy for meeting rising customer demands.

Learn more at Manufacturing IT Summit

Event Organised by Exito Media Concepts