Technical innovations are reshaping nearly every industry in the world, and have been for quite some time. As the years go on, greater strides are made that transform everything from production to worker safety. Here are some of the trends that making a positive impact on the future of manufacturing.
Programmable Machinery
Today’s consumer market demands customization, which requires manufacturers to create complex pieces in a faster and more efficient manner. Customers are simply willing to pay more for quality and bespoke parts, which the industry is certainly looking to take advantage of. 5-axis CNC machines, additive manufacturing, and the help of robotics are making this possible.
5-axis machines allow manufacturers to rapidly create the complex shapes consumers are demanding with design software featuring high-quality toolpaths that can keep production lines running overnight. Previous tasks that were manually and physically demanding are now efficiently streamlined by machines, allowing workers to focus on more complex or creative work.
This collaboration of machine and man gives way to printing with multiple parts, and advanced prototyping that was previously too burdensome to be financially feasible.
Improved Tools
Production planning has always been a live, complex exercise with last minute requests that often disrupt an otherwise smooth schedule. This has caused manufacturers to invest in agile tooling and design processes.
Companies are now utilizing simulated digital models in the design process to eliminate bottlenecks and inefficiencies during production. This allows manufacturers and designers to work closely together from start to finish with pre-imagined and perfected designs. You can view more info on how the industry is benefiting from this on manufacturer’s websites.
Devices and Connectivity
Connected devices are slowly becoming the pillar in this new industrial revolution. Increased customer demand is accelerating this integration, with industries that have adopted the technology early already reaping the rewards. From sensors that perfect and monitor production to connected devices that track the performance of finished products, the automotive industry has quickly made use of this technology.
Safety in Design
There are thousands of jobs that require an extreme level of safety for their workers. A century ago this may have been left to intuition and luck, but modern times put a much-needed focus on protecting the hard-working men and women that keep their operations running smoothly.
Machines can create flawless designs with the utmost precision at increased rates that opens up more time for workers to inspect and test their functionality. This ensures that these devices provide a higher level of safety than ever before. Take the ICON-O-Lite aluminum trench boxes for example.
Using new technological advances, these lightweight shoring boxes show improved strength in its bars, as well as simple transport and thinner yet stronger walls. Advanced prototyping allows for the creation of a hardened steel gravity locking pin that not only ensures the box will withstand high amounts of pressure, but also allows for changeable size to suit the work that needs done.
Just the Beginnings
These advances are merely the tip of the iceberg. To harness the full power of incorporating these technological additions, manufacturers and designers will have to work together to test brand new possibilities in the industry. These collaborations will usher in a new era that rethinks the factory, launching manufacturing into the future.
These tools and technologies are already out there, just waiting to be fully utilized. Stay tuned for the new and reinvented factory of the future.
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