When you think about edge computing, what comes to mind? The usual suspects like 5G-enabled smartphones and driverless vehicles might be at the mental forefront, and unique applications for IoT-augmented medicine or virtual reality education opportunities might follow. However, if manufacturing isn’t coming to mind as one of the most promising edge use cases of our day, it might be time to reimagine what developing technologies can truly accomplish for the manufacturing sector.
AI, IoT, and 5G are reimagining an array of industries. These technologies - alongside emerging strategies like robotics, automation, and data analytics - are also shaping the trajectory of manufacturing as we know it. We’re entering the era of the smart factory and Industry 4.0, and we’re only beginning to see the scope of the advantages that await. Still, to harness the benefits of technology-enabled operations, manufacturing organizations may require more than just the technology itself - they’ll require full-scale transformation enablement and likely a strategic partner.
Why IT, the edge, and manufacturing make a great match
Consumer-driven changes are requiring the manufacturing industry to operate in ways it never has before so that it can achieve efficiencies and output results that meet a new level of demand. The goal of creating more products on a shorter timeline and with better results hinges on one thing - digital transformation.
The manufacturing sector can and should leverage emerging and interconnected technologies. One such solution that has continued to gain traction is the use of intelligent sensors. When placed around facilities, these sensors enable teams to glean and use important insights into operational and environmental conditions. Whether it’s a more holistic and complete view into machinery stress levels or real-time updates about production speed, IoT sensors can collect crucial data at a level that can’t feasibly be accomplished manually. In turn, this helps keep both people and environments safe so that operations can continue to run smoothly.
When paired with machine learning algorithms, manufacturing entities can closely monitor and help teams react to workflow changes while also reducing the time and strain it takes to do so. Automation is becoming a truly valuable asset as manufacturing reaches the scale that would typically make these monitoring tasks difficult to accomplish with the same degree of precision
To take it a step further, we’re now seeing this mass of data being reformatted in new and easily digestible ways. For example, the implementation of augmented reality wearables allows floor workers to contextualize data visually. When helpful metrics, instantaneous updates, or even visual mapping can be actively referenced - or even overlayed unobtrusively across the wearer’s field of vision - workers can be more informed for better decision making. All these advantages thrive at the edge, where low levels of latency and high-speed data transfers keep technology nodes connected and functioning seamlessly.
The trajectory of industrial growth and its IT adoption has meant that even in 2019, some of the top use cases for IoT were asset monitoring and predictive maintenance. As a result of innovations like these, the global industrial IoT market is expected to reach a projected value of $110.6 billion in 2025. Predictive maintenance means fewer interruptions and better quality, and the ability to offload monitoring to machines means that workers won’t be overloaded. Instead, they can stay efficient, innovative, and focused on delivering excellent results. When considered holistically, these benefits are looking a lot more like table stakes - which means becoming a digitally-driven edge organization is looking more like a necessity than an option.
What’s the hold up on Industry 4.0?
Technology in the industrial sector has created hesitancy for some, but in reality, new technologies won’t necessarily wholly replace existing personnel. Instead, they’ll more likely enable a collaborative environment that augments engineers’ and other workers’ capabilities. Of course, that’s not to say that workers in this sphere won’t experience a shift in duty or need to familiarize themselves with some new tools or skill sets. This opportunity represents a positive and incredible step forward for the manufacturing industry.
The new learning curve is one consideration, but technological skills across software, hardware, or data infrastructure cannot stand alone in this kind of pursuit. These skills need to be complemented by existing knowledge of the sector and comprehensive experience with digital transformation. Individual use cases don’t begin and end on the production floor - they have to be aligned with expanding and diversifying cloud environments, growing connectivity fabrics, and more. With this in mind, how can manufacturing leaders continue to build a more streamlined, efficient future for the industry?
As we look ahead, we see that finding the right way to digitally transform might be the task that is holding industrial manufacturers back from reaping the full benefits of automation, AI, and other technologies. Subsequently, it’s becoming clear that service providers will be a crucial enabler in this edge manufacturing ecosystem, catalyzing the creation of some truly smart factories.
How evolution will really work
An IT partner that knows the ins and outs of a digital transformation - from the use cases that industries like manufacturing are (or should be) exploring to how those use cases should be built and managed on cloud architectures - is key. The modern technological landscape is the best way to build intrinsic, future-proofed value in business, but it can be a challenging task to accomplish alone. Recognizing this is the first step to building a next-gen framework.
Service providers come with built-in skill sets, as well as a deep understanding of the many disparate parts of IT and how they come together to create a tailored solution for desired outcomes. When it comes time to design, deliver, scale, and refine a system that truly enables a competitive advantage, more manufacturing businesses are realizing that the first stop should be sourcing a trusted hybrid IT solutions provider that can guide them. With this approach, hurdles to IoT, 5G, and other edge-centric advantages are brought down, and manufacturing can step into true Industry 4.0 with the cloud, edge data centers, on-site technology deployments, and more.
