2018 Trends in Manufacturing

The manufacturing industry has evolved rapidly over the last decade and this New Year oversees innovative initiatives that will positively impact manufacturing organizations’ productivity, performance, and technologies. Here are some manufacturing trends coming up in 2018.

Eco-friendly Manufacturing

Companies implementing eco-friendly initiatives are going viral. Manufacturing processes are now including green efforts due to their extended benefits in reducing costs, increasing efficiency, boosting company reputation and positioning the organization as a social corporate responsible member of the community.

Reshoring

North American companies within the manufacturing landscape are preferring suppliers on domestic soil that can provide rigorous quality and safety standards. This initiative proposes to lower costs, facilitate easier communication with key suppliers, and closer proximity to worksites in order to respond quickly to supply chain concerns.

IoT Development

The “Internet of Things” is advancing rapidly within the manufacturing industry. Companies are now connecting their machinery with their ERP systems. Accessing and analyzing production information they have not had access to in the past. Ultimately improving the company’s overall performance and increasing productivity.

Machine Intelligence

The number of consumers utilizing artificial intelligence at home  has increased exponentially within the past few years. As the technology advances, artificial intelligence will be soon incorporated into the manufacturing industry to facilitate extensive data analysis, support productivity decisions, predicting maintenance processes and assisting with trend evaluations.

Cloud Computing

Cybersecurity is key in today’s digital atmosphere. Manufacturing organizations are investing in cloud-based technologies to protect their most valuable information. Cloud providers constantly monitor network traffic for attack patterns to stop cyberattacks before they reach databases or websites. Cloud based services are also a cost-savings, as they use less hardware and reduce energy consumption.

These trends are just a few to watch for in 2018. It is important to understand their features and how they may assist in accomplishing the company’s goals. Eclipse Automation constantly monitors relevant trends and new technologies in order to provide innovative solutions and services.

This in-depth industry knowledge, combined with an understanding of customer needs, enables Eclipse to conceptualize, integrate, and service any size innovation project and deliver it globally.

Source: Thomas