Artificial Intelligence and Smart Production in Factories
We are on the brink of a fourth industrial revolution which will change the way we use and consume everything from cars to shoes.
(4-minute Read)
Modern consumers are pickier than ever. We all want customised, personalised and unique products and prefer local, smaller producers over large-scale manufacturers as well as requiring them to be cheaper than their mass-produced counterparts. Therefore, factories power plants and manufacturing centres across the globe must turn to Process Automation, Machine Learning, Computer Vision and other fields of AI to meet rising consumer demands, ultimately transforming the way in which we make, move and market anything.
The first three industrial revolutions made mechanisation, mass production and automation what is now considered as mainstream amongst today’s production methods. Now, more than half a century after the first robots worked on production methods still being used today, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are shaking things up again.
So, what is Artificial Intelligence currently capable of?
Artificial intelligence is just now finding its niche in manufacturing with production line managers discovering that applications consisting of AI algorithms are able to make complex decisions on an instant real-time basis – something no human employee could possibly be capable of. With AI’s future becoming ubiquitous, the future of Artificial Intelligence in manufacturing is already becoming a staple within emerging markets through their unrivalled sensory abilities, capabilities; not just on the factory floor, but also predicting what will be needed and when.
AI is essential for survival. Innovative manufacturers already use various types of artificial intelligence to tackle many of their challenges. The next few points will assess the ways in which the ‘industrial revolution 4.0’ is shaping trends in smart factories such as data exchange, predictive maintenance and adaptive manufacturing. So what really are the key benefits AI offers to manufacturing organisations?
Informed Decisions
With the right foundations in place, manufacturers will be able to monetise AI, making informed decisions at each stage in the production process in real-time.
Demand-Driven Production
Lost revenues (either in the form of stagnant inventory or lost sales) can derive from overestimating or underestimating consumer demand. Real-time demand visibility can be achieved by connecting consumer apps and IoT with industrial IoT – developing a proactive rather than reactive environment. With the rise in the popularity of products such as Google Home, Amazon Echo and the Apple HomePod, consumer trends and behavioural data can inform downstream supply chain and manufacturing activities
Optimisation
Sensors are able to spot defects amongst products on the production line as well as throughout the production process. This data is then uploaded simultaneously to the cloud so that it can be verified, immediately removing the defective part and order a replacement. These faster feedback loops allow manufacturers to overcome obstacles such as low yield.
Productivity
As AI’s use cases are constantly evolving and expanding, Artificial Intelligence will become pivotal in all areas of an organisation from fraud prevention to predictive ordering and opportunity assessment; all of which bring time productivity and cost benefits which can be passed onto the customer.
Powerful Insights & Cost Saving
With the ability to have real-time problem-solving, manufacturers could potentially solve millions of pounds in recalls, repairs and lost business. These intelligent insights have the potential to produce powerful information and have the ability to turn them into tangible outcomes.
Future Trends and Developments
With AI gradually being implemented into more and more organisations and steadily being considered as ‘mainstream,’ a sense of trust and dependability will surface, bringing a level of intelligence that becomes mission critical to industries.
Manufacturers are building their own technology foundations through the use of this technology due to its proven cost-effective implementation and guaranteed efficiency. The advancement to de-centralised Artificial Intelligence – where AI solutions can ‘speak’ at every level of the supply chain from customers through to vendors, data sharing and decision-making. This in effect will be performed immediately and instantaneously whereas it would have taken teams of people days and weeks to replicate.
With emerging technologies (Blockchain, Augmented Reality and AI) coming to the fore, inevitably, the convergence of these trends will happen promptly, meaning that manufacturers should look to embrace the direction of the manufacturing process and invest in these smart technologies in order to gain a competitive advantage whilst taking a cost-effective approach – disruptors stand to gain the most from these new and exciting technologies.
Key Takeaway for Manufacturers in any field
With data being the core ingredient for AI, big data, machine learning and computer vision working in tandem with complementary technologies such as 3D printing and IoT, will enable the modular manufacturing required to meet rising consumer needs.
Order-driven production not only enables dynamic supply chains, but it also reduces any manufacturing waste. Manufacturers are able to leverage real-time digital platforms connecting consumer and industrial data to configure the assembly of products on an ad hoc basis. With the ability and flexibility of having production lines quickly reconfigured, they will be cost-effectively and be able to create new, unique products, in which both the consumers and the manufacturers benefit.
For more information on how ARTIMUS can help implement Artificial Intelligence solutions into your manufacturing plant or production line, please contact us on 02920 099 610 or via email at Info@artimusconsulting.com
About ARTIMUS
ARTIMUS is a Bespoke Solutions company based in the South West region of the UK. They Specialise in Artificial intelligence solutions and pride themselves on being able to provide the best, highest quality development and project management services that you can find on the market. Their mission statement is to “Focus on innovation: we want to create unique, outstanding technologies that will help us get one step closer to the simplest future possible. We are fully committed to bringing in artificial intelligence and multi-use solutions that work for companies all over the globe.”
