Technology Tuesdays: Smart Manufacturing

Hello Partners!

The new year is well underway, and we started out this year with a discussion about smart buildings. As I have said before, we have covered just about everything “smart,” and I would like to wrap up that topic with one more concept: smart manufacturing.

You may be thinking, manufacturing is already smart because mass production alone realizes so many economies of scale. However, the process of manufacturing, very nearly anything, can be enhanced in a manner that increases its energy efficiency as well.

How does this work? There are a number of different ways!

Smart manufacturing can incorporate any one or all of a multitude of technologies. For example, incorporating computer controls, modeling, automation, and comprehensive data gathering can provide a huge boost in operating efficiencies. Now, that can sound  a bit obvious and often manufacturing processes already utilize much of this type of technology. However, where these processes are heavily technology-driven is where you will get the most bang for your buck, so to speak.

Likely, the biggest component of smart anything is the interconnectedness of the individual working parts. This is no different in manufacturing. Internet-connected machinery allows the operator to monitor the production process. This higher level of monitoring allows the operator to see opportunities to automate and use data analytics to improve the performance of the overall manufacturing process. This can be a powerful tool!

As we delve deeper, we find that there are yet more comprehensive ways to achieve the smart manufacturing model. For instance, system-wide applications which enhance the connectivity of machinery. This technology is called the Industrial Internet of Things or IIoT. An IIoT often involves a system-wide deployment of sensors to collect data on machinery and report back to a centralized database which analyzes the data. This data informs the operator of the operational status and performance of the machinery. Whereas, in the past, before this technology existed, sensors would only be used to inform operators if the machine was broken down or malfunctioning. IIoT is definitely a sizable jump from where we were before.

No matter how great we think we’re doing, there are always improvements to be made and manufacturing is no exception to this rule. I know we are all looking forward to how this technology and these concepts continue to grow and evolve in the coming years.

The savings never stop!

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Sources:
https://www.aceee.org/topic/smart-manufacturing
https://www.smartmanufacturingexperience.com/news/what-is-smart-manufacturing/
https://www.automationworld.com/process/iiot/article/21232436/a-refined-smart-manufacturing-definition-for-2021