Advancements in technology are quickly changing the landscape of virtually every industry, especially that of manufacturing. Modern advances are enabling factory operators to streamline production processes, innovate at a faster pace than ever before, and deliver higher quality products to meet changing demands. Now, anyone can go to companies like Gembah with a simple product idea and have their product in full-scale manufacturing in no time. Because of the versatility of these technologies, there are a number of areas within manufacturing where the tech is being harnessed.
One example is additive manufacturing – more commonly known as 3-D printing – has a variety of applications in the world of manufacturing. As it becomes increasingly affordable, factory managers are using it in their production cycles to produce high quality components, while keeping costs down. The ability of 3-D printing’s customization is one-of-a-kind.
Other technological advances include robots that perform assembly and material handling as well as dangerous or repetitive tasks; remote performance monitoring sensors that can track manufacturing cycles and sense possible maintenance issues; and computerized maintenance managements systems, which help reduce the need for on-site personnel. The accompanying resource describes some of the innovative ways that the manufacturing industry is relying on these advances.