From Robotics to Big Data, What the Future Holds for Manufacturing
One of my favorite quotes by science fiction writer William Gibson is, “The future is here, it’s just unevenly distributed.” When looking across new developments in manufacturing technologies, this sentiment seems to hold truth, particularly when we consider the industry’s rate of adoption or the scope of a technology’s relevance to manufacturing companies. In spite of these elements, I predict that one thing is certain: these five areas will continue to grow, driving the evolution of the manufacturing industry:
• Advanced Analytics/Big Data
• E-Commerce
• Merging manufacturing technologies
• Robotics and automation
• Continuous bioprocessing
Advanced Analytics/Big Data
Over the past decade, multiple industries have increasingly incorporated Big Data into their business practices, leveraging the concept to improve decision-making and transform their business. When thinking about the applicability of Big Data in manufacturing, three areas start to converge: customer data, Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) and manufacturing visibility, which I’ll address in turn. Read More…
