Manufacturing
How digital manufacturing service revolutionizes the production industry?
As digital technologies are reshaping industries around the globe, digital manufacturing has emerged as a game-changer in today’s production and manufacturing landscape. As digital transformation takes hold, IoT in manufacturing has given rise to Industry 4.0, driving efficiency, innovation, and healthy competition as businesses rethink how they produce, manage, and maintain goods. As a result, the global Industry 4.0 market is set to grow from $160.74 billion in 2024 to $884.84 billion in 2034 at a CAGR of 18.6%.
Digital manufacturing service support can help manufacturers keep pace with this rapidly evolving landscape. Infosys BPM provides this support to manufacturers as they scale up. With a diverse workforce and local market and supply channel knowledge, Infosys BPM digital manufacturing service support helps them implement and optimize these digital solutions for enhanced efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and competitive advantage.
Digital transformation in the manufacturing industry
Digital transformation in the manufacturing industry has paved the way for digital manufacturing, where companies leverage advanced technologies to improve the overall manufacturing process. Industry 4.0 technologies play a significant role in digital manufacturing, seamlessly blending data exchange, IoT, and automation into production environments. The underlying concept here is to connect machines, systems, and humans to foster real-time monitoring, communication, and decision-making.
Three main types of digital manufacturing include product lifecycle, smart factories, and value chain management. Corresponding to different parts of the manufacturing process, from product design to customer satisfaction, they not only foster manufacturing innovation but also allow manufacturers to respond quickly to changing market dynamics and customer demands. This results in a more agile, efficient, and responsive manufacturing ecosystem.
However, as these technologies evolve, manufacturers may find it difficult to keep pace with the latest advancements. This is where digital manufacturing service support steps in, providing manufacturers with the expertise, tools, and infrastructure necessary to optimize and sustain these digital initiatives. As a result, manufacturers can leverage IoT in manufacturing to drive performance improvements and cost savings.
Benefits of digital manufacturing
The value generated by digital manufacturing is undeniable. From fostering manufacturing innovation for enhanced productivity to resource optimization, the key advantages include:
- Increasing accuracy, efficiency, and productivity by reducing human error and enabling real-time adjustments
- Accelerating innovation and shortening turnaround times through faster product development cycles
- Reducing costs by optimizing processes and minimizing waste
- Enhancing flexibility and decision-making with real-time data insights and trend visualization
- Improving safety by reducing human presence in hazardous environments
Examples of automation and IoT in manufacturing
Technologies like big data, cloud computing, RPA, and AI are driving digital transformation in manufacturing and revolutionizing how the production industry operates. Some of the most common practical examples of IoT and automation in production include:
Product design
Digital manufacturing overcomes many inefficiencies in traditional product design process with technologies like 3D printing, virtual prototyping, and simulation tools. These streamline the design process to enable faster design iterations and product testing before bringing them to the market. This not only reduces the development costs but also shortens the overall product development lifecycle.
Predictive and preventive maintenance
IoT in manufacturing relies on sensors in machinery to collect data on performance and identify potential issues before they can lead to costly breakdowns and production shutdowns. This allows manufacturers to be proactive when scheduling preventative maintenance to minimize downtime and extend equipment lifespan.
Decision support systems
Advanced data analytics and AI-driven decision support systems empower manufacturers to optimise operations through real-time insights and recommendations. They also minimize human intervention during the process, using these insights to support automation in production for quick adjustments throughout the manufacturing process.
Supply chain, logistics, and inventory management
IoT sensors and big data analytics also facilitate real-time tracking of shipments and inventory levels. This allows companies to improve their delivery times while optimizing stock levels and reducing waste across product lifecycle.
Quality control
Automation in production helps manufacturers maintain consistency and monitor quality standards in real time. This reduces the likelihood of costly recalls or rework.
Training and development
Digital manufacturing has also revolutionized how companies approach employee training and development. Technologies like virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) and simulation tools can help train employees in virtual environments, reducing the risk of costly mistakes on the production floor – while giving them hands-on experience – and enhancing overall competence.
As these applications of digital transformation in manufacturing are shaping the production industry, the future landscape of digital manufacturing will involve increased integration of digital technologies and tools across different facets of the manufacturing process. This will lead to more flexibility, agility, efficiency, and sustainability within manufacturing systems.
As manufacturers continue to adopt these tools, they are increasingly relying on digital manufacturing service support to stay future-ready and increase competitiveness in today’s fast-paced markets. These solutions can help manufacturers optimize costs through value engineering and process transformation, driving manufacturing innovation and automation in production for scalable, future-ready manufacturing operations.
