6 Manufacturing tech trends for 2021 – and beyond

Tech innovation is impacting almost every aspect of the manufacturing sector, creating intelligent, information-driven factories and more flexible business models that can respond rapidly to change and deliver smart products and services. So what are the technologies worth investing in? Here are six trends to look out for:

1. Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

The ability to track, automate, connect, and analyze is essential for manufacturing success, and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) can help achieve this. Today's IIoT solutions offer a real-time asset performance monitoring solution, giving users a highly visual view of any asset in any facility. This allows supervisors and operators to graphically visualize trends from anywhere in the world while improving response time and decision making.

2. Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Meanwhile, Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) provide meaningful insights to manufacturers by allowing them to access, collect, measure, and process data at scale. Manufacturers who leverage these two technologies will be able to adopt trends humans alone might not be able to spot. They will also come in handy when unexpected events occur since AI is well-equipped to suggest the best possible workaround.

3. More Agility with the Cloud

Digital transformation with remote capabilities has become a must, prompting manufacturers to fully adopt cloud computing. Transitioning to cloud-based manufacturing execution systems (MES) and quality management systems (QMS) will provide speed, agility, the ability to manage the operations of hundreds of factories, and a 360-degree perspective on factory operations in real-time.

4. 3D Printing

3D printing is another revolutionary technology, moving an idea through execution much faster than before. While it is currently being used to prototype products quicker and cheaper, it will soon allow for faster production of custom, finished products at scale.

5. Cobots

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have also led to the mass deployment of cobots in factories. This has allowed companies to adhere to social distancing rules while managing and executing production activities. Thus, in 2021 and possibly beyond, cobots will no longer be a pandemic-related experiment but a must to sustain required output and automation.

6. Blockchain

Lastly, blockchain will also allow manufacturers to improve transparency and trust in the near future, thanks to its ability to record the provenance of a digital asset in a distributed network. Although it is not yet widely used, it has the potential to address pain points such as counterfeit detection, asset tracking, monitoring supply chains, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance. Blockchain thus provides a chance for manufacturers to significantly enhance security and combat risks.

Sweet Tips from Ally:

The pandemic has forced many manufacturers to quickly adopt new technologies, bringing rise to rapid advancements. Along with these six trends, technologies like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), big data, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) planning systems are also gaining increasing attention, so make sure to check them out as well!