Manufacturing Technology

What is Manufacturing Technology?

Manufacturing technology is the application of advanced scientific, industrial, and engineering tools and processes to improve operational efficiencies and quality. They include automation, simulation, and data analytics. For example, digital manufacturing simulation software leverages digital twins to analyze product manufacturability, providing insights into design and production feasibility as well as cost.

Manufacturing technology should foster greater transparency and collaboration across all product development teams to enhance value and decision-making, lower costs, ensure sustainability, and get to market faster.

Five Examples of Manufacturing Technology 

There is no one-size-fits-all in terms of manufacturing technology. The appropriate manufacturing technology should align with an organization’s objectives, capabilities, needs, and resources. Here are more examples of manufacturing technology:

• Computer-Aided Design (CAD): CAD software allows engineers and designers to create detailed 2D and 3D models of products. CADs serve as the basis for manufacturing processes.
• Digital Manufacturing Simulation: The process of digitizing the manufacturing workflow, from design to production, using simulation software. As a result, businesses can virtually simulate the entire product lifecycle within a digital factory. Companies gain valuable insights into a product’s manufacturability, cost, and sustainability.
• Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing): This sustainable technology creates parts or shapes by adding materials layer by layer via 3D printers. It uses 3D CAD software to convert designs into physical products. Typically, it reduces material waste, lowers carbon emissions, and accelerates production.
• Lean Manufacturing: Lean manufacturing focuses on improving production time, minimizing waste, and maximizing value. It is achieved through continuous improvement, value stream mapping, and greater efficiency.
• Smart Manufacturing: Similar to lean manufacturing, smart manufacturing aims to enhance efficiency, quality, responsiveness, and agility in manufacturing operations. Examples include digital technologies, real-time data analytics, and automation and robotics.

Benefits of Manufacturing Technology

Aside from improving operational efficiencies and attaining a competitive advantage, manufacturing technology offers other benefits, including:

• Optimal product development: AI-powered design and sourcing insights like aPriori identify manufacturability issues and cost outliers early in product development. Manufacturers can remediate problems, fine-tune the product early in the process, and ensure quality.
• More efficient material usage and manufacturing processes: Manufacturing technology streamlines processes via automation, enabling faster production capacity and reducing material waste and cycle times.
• Mitigate labor shortages, inflation, supply chain disruptions, and more: It can lessen or circumvent many of these issues. For instance, it can compensate for labor shortages with automation and robotics. AI-powered insights can lower costs and work around supply chain disruptions as well as reduce quoting times.

What to Consider When Implementing Manufacturing Technology 

When implementing manufacturing technology, there are several important factors to consider.

• Have you aligned your technology adoption/implementation with your business objectives and strategy? What do you want to gain from implementing manufacturing technology? Lower costs? Greater operational efficiencies? Faster time to market? The technology you choose should support those goals.
• How will you evaluate potential technologies? Consider compatibility, scalability, ease of integration, and user adoption. Additionally, assess how you will measure the impact of the technology on your organization (processes, people, etc.)
• What formula will you use to analyze ROI? As with any investment, you want to determine the cost vs benefits. Some things to consider include the total cost of ownership, productivity gains, and less material and energy waste in comparison to your investment.
• Have you enacted a change management plan? Adoption is key when it comes to new technologies. How will you prepare employees and ensure adoption? Communicating the technology’s value for employees, answering concerns clearly, and implementing an effective training program are key.
• What will you do to ensure your organization’s data security and privacy? Protection of sensitive data (including proprietary) is essential. Make sure the technology is encrypted, and your IT person has access to monitor and manage it (including maintenance, upgrades, and technical support).

Remember that successful manufacturing technology implementation involves a holistic approach, as outlined in the considerations above. Moreover, technology evolves at lightning speed and should be revisited and evaluated regularly to meet customer needs, new innovations, and industry developments.