Technology In Manufacturing - Good Stuff!
The term Technology for many brings to mind things like mobile phones, tablets, laptops, apps, wifi, and cloud computing. These are certainly some very useful and often impressive pieces of technology.
Thing is ... there is Technology and then there is ... Technology! So which one are we talking about here? That's right ... Technology! Individuals that have worked in or around manufacturing likely hear the word and think of the above mentioned tech ... plus so much more!
Having grown up around manufacturing and later visiting many manufacturing plants while in sales, I feel fortunate to be informed about the impressive technology used in the manufacturing industry. In addition to describing the technology as impressive I would also add that much of it is fascinating!
For the sake of accuracy, not all manufacturing uses advanced technology. It depends on the processes needed to produce product(s) for a given business. Some businesses may not require much technology to produce product(s). Others may rely on older technology for years and years. However, numerous manufacturing plants are very technologically advanced!
The decision to purchase technology to fill a manufacturing need is a business decision. As would be expected, concepts like payback periods and opportunity cost often factor into such decisions.
Another consideration when it comes to making technology purchase decisions in manufacturing is flexibility. How flexible is the technology? For example, if a machine is being considered ... manufacturing professionals would of course consider how effective the machine will be at time of purchase. In addition though, manufacturing professionals would likely consider how effective the machine will be if the product design changes in the future.
So you may ask, what do you mean if the product design changes in the future? Well, take a step back for a moment and consider we are living in a fast moving and constantly changing world. You have probably somewhere along the line heard some variation of the phrase "the only constant is change". I personally wouldn't say this is true of everything but it is a powerful saying that illustrates that change is very common.
In the business scene, change is not just trendy ... it's pretty much built-in. From a business perspective companies need to always be improving products in order to remain competitive. Because manufacturing produces products sold (or to be sold) by the business, manufacturing needs to exhibit some level of agility to respond to changes in the marketplace.
Often after thinking through the above considerations and more, manufacturing pros opt to purchase and implement technology solutions in manufacturing environments. This is why I appreciate the level of impressive technology that is widely used throughout the manufacturing industry.
I have been developing software for many organizations for quite a while. Some of the clients have been manufacturing companies and others have been service-oriented organizations. During this time, some technologies used in manufacturing have been improved and others have been introduced. Pressing on and Forging ahead (please forgive the puns), manufacturing has continued adopting technologies in order to be as effective and efficient as possible.
Today, some of the categories of technology used in manufacturing include CNC Milling Machines, CNC Lathes, Laser Cutting Machines, Injection Molding Machines, Packaging Equipment, Automation, Robotics, Precision Measuring Systems, Sophisticated Software, Internet of Things (IoT), Edge Computing, and so many more!
As mentioned previously, manufacturing also uses devices similar to the consumer-facing technologies that we all use on a daily basis. I am talking about items like tablets and laptop computers. However, the devices used in manufacturing are often not the device models you use to surf the web from your cozy recliner while sippin' on a glass of fresh-made lemonade! These types of devices when used in manufacturing are sometimes ruggedized. Ruggedizing electronic devices helps them to withstand the elements that are found in many manufacturing environments. Think manufacturing shop-floor. Think ... where the action happens!
All of the above mentioned categories of technology used in manufacturing represent only a portion of the whole ... definitely not the whole kit and caboodle! Within the categories there are numerous tools, machines, instruments, and software products that help manufacturing professionals implement effective and efficient processes!
If you have worked in manufacturing for a period of time you will likely relate to what I have described above. If you have little or no experience in manufacturing, this information is probably new to you.
Think of it this way. If a fantastic new phone that flips or folds with finesse is a like Awesome in a Package, the technology in manufacturing is like truckloads of Awesome Variety-Packs!
Again, as I mentioned before ... not all manufacturing uses advanced technology. However, a multitude of plants use very advanced and impressive technology on a regular basis! If you appreciate technology as I do you might also refer to the tech used in manufacturing as Good Stuff!
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