The industry has so much to gain from advanced automation technologies
Published on : Friday 07-01-2022
Jhankar Dutta, Managing Director, B&R Industrial Automation.
How do you propose to improve your competitive advantage in the year ahead, particularly by using automation?
The biggest challenge the manufacturers are facing is the rise in the cost of raw material, energy, and transportation, which is generating constant pressure on profitability enhancement and making the business sustainable. Manufacturers continuously look to invest in automation solutions that help them increase their productivity and efficiency. Industrial automation solutions enhance production, improve reliability and quality by integrating innovative technologies, and also optimise costs associated with the production process, thus improving return on investment (RoI). Automation takes the mechanisation of machines one step further by replacing manual work with computer programing and automation devices, thus achieving the machine's superior performance.
What is the business and industry outlook for the year 2022?
There is no doubt about the transformative effects of technological advancements on businesses. New and advanced technologies are accepted by organisations to increase competitiveness, optimise time to market, which influences business success. The way the manufacturing industry is growing is drastic and the adoption of creating smart factories of the future will pave the path for a successful and sustainable business. This will enable both OEMs and EUs to look for and adapt technology solutions like adaptive machines, which help develop smart factories; these machines comprise smart transportation systems and Integrated robots, which allow the industry to faster their production cycle, optimising the space requirement. The machine vision system acts as an eye to detect even a minute difference and gives information to decide for subsequent actions. A digital twin system serves as a virtual representation of a real-time machine or process. On top of this Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), which describes how objects of the facilities use the internet to connect and communicate with each other, also plays a vital role in creating smart factories. These advancements have improved manufacturing systems and efficiencies and are well-received in the sector.
Which technologies will dominate in 2022?
In this era of enormous possibilities, new and advanced technologies will indeed have domination to make in the manufacturing sector. Trending technologies like Smart Manufacturing, Integrated automation solutions, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), secure remote maintenance, and digital twins will boost the morale of the manufacturing industry. These technologies will create a better and advanced production environment for the machine manufacturers and the end-users. The manufacturing sector will benefit from the continuous adoption of advanced technologies in higher production, better performance, and superior quality. Many might fear the implications of these developments on job opportunities. Still, I firmly believe the industry has so much to gain from advanced automation technologies, in fact, they will increase the number of manufacturing jobs available. Ultimately, it provides a win-win scenario, and I look forward to seeing what happens in 2022.