Production volumes are increasing every day. Manufacturing companies are exposed to economic, political, and geopolitical issues and other problems. Thus, if manufacturers want to remain competitive and produce high-quality products, then they cannot do without modern technologies.
Today, many manufacturing companies are already using automation to speed up the production of goods and relieve the burden of specialists. However, in addition to this, other problems need to be addressed.
One of these technologies, which contributes to the improvement of production in many ways, is artificial intelligence. Those who can correctly implement AI in the manufacturing industry will see only positive aspects from this.
However, many manufacturers have not yet taken advantage of this advanced technology. This significantly affects their success and competitiveness.
We will talk about how artificial intelligence facilitates the production process.
How AI Helps the Manufacturing Industry
Downtime Avoidance
The equipment installed in factories plays a critical role in the work of companies. Specialists try to maintain their equipment promptly, but they can never fully predict when a particular piece of equipment will fail because they do not have the necessary information. In addition, each piece of equipment consists of parts. If any part fails, the equipment may be unusable.
Using artificial intelligence, sensors, as well as computerized systems, specialists can receive complete information about the state of the equipment and its parts. AI analyzes all data from different sources and makes predictions based on them.
These predictions refer to when parts and equipment might fail. Such data is accurate. In this way, engineers and other specialists can set maintenance dates in advance. By doing everything in advance, companies can avoid downtime.
This is a critical moment because due to equipment failures and long downtime, companies lose more than fifty billion dollars annually. However, in addition to this, the company’s specialists can also predict the purchase of the necessary parts based on the data, which allows optimizing storage facilities.
Reducing the Number of Defective Goods and Producing High-Quality Goods
To date, according to a First Insight report, over fifty percent of buyers are paying more attention to the quality of a product rather than its price. Thus, people are willing to buy more expensive products if its quality is at a high level.
If we are talking about large manufacturing companies with large volumes of production of various goods, then the number of defective goods is enormous. It’s hard to keep track of these items.
That is why companies install the following equipment:
- Quality control cameras
- Computer vision
Such equipment can notice the smallest defects that may be inaccessible to the human eye. They can fix the goods and inform the specialists about it in order not to let them go on sale. Such equipment is already being used by General Motors.
This equipment works in real-time. Artificial intelligence can analyze incoming information so that specialists can improve the production process based on this information.
Using Generative Algorithms
Each manufacturing company is well aware that design development is very time-consuming. Now buyers are much more demanding of manufacturers, but at the same time, they show little patience for the long release of new products.
Thus, companies strive to create new products in the shortest possible time, but with excellent design and high quality. Artificial intelligence as well as generative algorithms help with this.
Given a certain number of requirements, conditions, and resources, engineers and designers can, at best, come up with only a few winning design options. However, software powered by AI and generative algorithms can present the best options in the shortest possible time based on all conditions and requirements.
This simplifies and speeds up the process of creating new products. Since the prototyping and testing process is long and expensive without technology, companies can lose not only profits—but also a competitive advantage.
Improving the Work of Production Shops
Everyone wants to see great results. However, to improve the output result, it is necessary to make internal changes. We are talking about changes related to production shop work. For everything to work flawlessly and quality products to hit the shelves on time, companies need to rethink their internal processes.
We are talking about the use of artificial intelligence in the production shop. This technology can help you maximize production efficiency. You can do this by using the following technologies based on artificial intelligence:
- AGV (Automated Guided Vehicles)
- AMR ((Autonomous Mobile Robots)
- Robots
Before a product is ready, it goes through many iterations on the production floor. It is collected, transported to different parts of the workshop, and then sent for loading for delivery to stores or warehouses. By using the above-mentioned technologies, you can speed up the processes while keeping track of the quality of the goods as it works with the help of AI.
Such equipment helps to do the following:
- Perform repetitive tasks
- Handle hazardous materials
- Determine the most efficient routes
- Ensure high accuracy
- Detect faults and more
Managing Complex Supply Chains and Accurately Forecasting Demand
The dream of every manufacturer is efficient supply chain management, as well as accurate determination of demand in different places and regions. This is now possible thanks to the use of artificial intelligence.
In this process, a machine learning system plays a particularly important role, which can collect historical data from various sources to make detailed forecasts. The machine learning system analyzes the following data:
- Sales data, both current and historical
- Data from social platforms
- Weather
- Accounts
- Global financial data
Based on all this information, the system can identify past shortcomings and suggest changes that can improve the situation for the business. This technology can predict demand in certain regions, so you will understand which goods and when you should deliver them to warehouses for further sale. In addition, you will be able to choose the most efficient logistics routes to deliver goods on time.
This will greatly simplify the work of your employees. Since technology is not yet perfect, monitoring by employees is a must. However, these technologies can reduce the number of difficulties arising from the human factor.
Conclusion
If old traditional methods are followed in the production of goods, then manufacturers risk losing their competitiveness, as well as seeing rising costs. Artificial intelligence is a way to improve many internal processes. We’re talking about avoiding downtime, producing high-quality products, launching new products quickly, improving shop floor efficiency, as well as managing complex supply chains and accurately forecasting demand.