“We’ve skilled 20 years of evolution in two years.” That’s how Rockwell Automation’s CEO, Blake Moret describes the findings of the corporate’s eighth Annual State of Good Manufacturing Report. The survey interviewed 1353 international producers on their use and plans for sensible know-how.
The report gives key developments from the findings, like:
- Nearly 2 instances as many respondents say they lack the know-how to outpace the competitors, in comparison with final yr’s survey
- 97% of contributors reported that they’re utilizing or plan to make use of sensible manufacturing know-how over the subsequent 1-2 years
- Greater than two-thirds of producers consider know-how could be very useful, or extraordinarily useful, in addressing workforce challenges
- Greater than 50% extra producers are utilizing machine studying/synthetic intelligence in comparison with final yr
Workforce Points
Expert labor – and labor of any type – continues to be elusive throughout the globe. As producers search alternatives for worthwhile development, they’re discovering that uncertainty in workforce availability is impacting high quality. These points additionally impression producers’ capacity to fulfill their prospects’ wants. Producers are addressing this impression through the use of know-how to extract information from their operations and assemble actionable insights.
Turning to Expertise for Options
Expertise helps producers with agility and aggressive differentiation. The message coming from this report is that producers see know-how as a possibility to enhance high quality, agility, and innovation. Expertise additionally helps to draw the subsequent era of expertise. Producers count on to scale back danger via know-how. They use it to construct resiliency and drive future success.
With increased and better ranges of automation, producers proceed to lift the bar for know-how. The report reveals that producers see the time for motion as now:
- 75% of organizations can have some elements of sensible manufacturing in adoption by the tip of 2022
- 60% of all corporations at the moment are utilizing both a totally built-in answer or have some elements of sensible manufacturing in adoption
- 79% of organizations are prioritizing software program that may automate processes
The unprecedented tempo of know-how adoption is creating aggressive strain throughout the business. “To ease the problem of discovering the correct answer, producers ought to concentrate on choosing know-how that does greater than present entry to information however gives insights and analytics that align with firm worth drivers and resolve particular ache factors in your group,” Jerry Foster, co-founder and CTO at Plex, a Rockwell Automation firm, instructed Design Information. “Respondents acknowledged entry to those insights is important to keep up a aggressive edge.
Sustainability Issues
Sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) have turn out to be integral to manufacturing. The survey discovered that over 95% of respondents famous some stage of sustainability and/or ESG coverage during the last two years, whether or not formal or casual. Laws at the moment are making use of strain throughout the worth chain for all corporations to handle sustainability and ESG of their operations. The report exhibits that producers see sensible manufacturing know-how as an answer to assist with sustainability and ESG.
Synthetic Intelligence Awakens
Over 50% extra producers are utilizing machine studying and synthetic intelligence in comparison with final yr. Rockwell researchers count on this quantity will proceed to rise as producers see the impression that accessible machine studying/synthetic intelligence can have on their enterprise. Improved high quality, productiveness, and employees who use information insights for decision-making are a number of the advantages.
But a 3rd of producers are hampered by “know-how paralysis” – the lack to resolve between options. “Though extra producers are adopting sensible manufacturing applied sciences, they report that they nonetheless battle to make use of this information to make impactful choices,” stated Foster. “What’s extra, for a lot of respondents, the vary of obtainable programs and platforms is resulting in a know-how paralysis and they’re unable to resolve between options.”
Rockwell researchers are very optimistic concerning the prospects of know-how in manufacturing. An awesome majority of contributors report plans to make use of sensible manufacturing know-how. “Whereas the panorama isn’t predictable, historical past exhibits that adversity ignites innovation and creates alternative. Producers with the correct imaginative and prescient, technique, bias for motion, and companions will seize this second to outpace their opponents and forge a shiny future,” stated the report’s authors in a press release.
