How Technology Plays a Role in Modern Manufacturing

Manufacturing technologies, automation, and robotics have played a substantial role in changing how production processes operate ever since they were introduced within production facilities. These technologies have drastically improved all areas of manufacturing, from the planning and scheduling processes to the shop floor operations.

These various technological advancements have allowed manufacturers to create quality products for a fraction of the time previously required. This meant that they could improve the productivity of their production facilities while decreasing costs. In addition, manufacturing technologies have increased the efficiency of operations by ultimately reducing waste and increasing profits.

As technology has become more prevalent within manufacturing, it is essential to understand the substantial role it has had within manufacturing. Therefore, here are five insights into how technology plays a role in modern manufacturing. 

Five Insights Into How Technology Plays a Role in Manufacturing

The five insights into how technology plays a role in manufacturing include the following:

• Fast-Growing Companies - Manufacturing facilities that are technology-oriented are amongst the fastest-growing in the industry. Being technology-oriented within your production facility will boost your productivity and enhance your efficiency. These aspects will ensure that you stay ahead of the competition and grow faster. 
• Robotics and Automation - Manufacturing technology investments have been divided among robots and advanced automation, new materials and composites, advanced process controls, and cybersecurity. Continuous efforts to improve technology and processes have allowed the cost of such machinery to decrease and be more accessible to many manufacturers. For example, 3-D printing has become much cheaper and while using less material, making it an attractive option for manufacturing facilities looking to have options to create custom items.  
• Cybersecurity Concerns - As more and more technologies are being created and implemented, manufacturers now face the additional challenge of being susceptible to hacking. This is especially true for software technologies that are cloud-oriented. This increases the need for new approaches to cybersecurity to avoid any potential security breaches. The manufacturing industry is one of the most valuable targets to hackers as manufacturers will usually store personal customer information. In addition, modern manufacturing facilities that are extensively connected could be susceptible to hackers which could result in the shut down of a production facility. A focus on cybersecurity should be the primary concern of any manufacturing facility looking to implement new technologies to their production facilities. 
• Man vs Machine - Ever since technology and automation have entered the manufacturing scene, there have been concerns that the new technology would replace employees and leave thousands without jobs. While it is true that some jobs have been replaced by machines due to their higher production efficiency, it is not the case in every scenario. Machines can be very efficient, but they also lack the flexibility provided by workers.
• Higher Investment Capital - As new technologies are being implemented in manufacturing facilities, there is a need for a high investment capital. While technological advancements have allowed the cost of technology to decrease, there can still be a significant cost incurred while implementing new technology into any organization. This means that manufacturers will need more money to invest in the equipment, machinery, or software required. However, this is usually money well spent as the pay-off is substantial in terms of boosting efficiency and decreasing production costs. 

No matter the size of your company, it is important to keep up with technological advances and adapt to them. Implementing new technology into a production facility is no easy feat, but it can make a real difference.

PlanetTogether’s Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) software is essential for manufacturers looking to simplify and optimize their production scheduling processes. PlanetTogether APS provides a thorough insight into your production schedule with the use of visual Gantt charts and alerts.

Instead of seeking and tracking down information, it is being ‘radiated’ to our team. Our guys can see if things are received on the line. We can click a button to see how many cases we’ve run, and then monitor that as it goes. PlanetTogether APS aligns us more.

BRIAN GOODWIN, MASTER SCHEDULER, NEW BELGIUM BREWING

In addition, its optimization algorithm will generate the best production schedule based on rules such as ensuring that jobs are completed on time or minimizing the setup time required. This software helps manufacturers increase their productivity and cut costs within the supply chain with ease.

Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) Software

Advanced Planning and Scheduling Softwares have become a must for modern-day manufacturing operations as customer demand for increased product assortment, fast delivery, and downward cost pressures become prevalent. These systems help planners save time while providing greater agility in updating ever-changing priorities, production schedules, and inventory plans. APS Systems can be quickly integrated with an ERP/MRP software to fill the gaps where these systems lack planning and scheduling flexibility, accuracy, and efficiency.

With PlanetTogether APS you can:

• Create optimized schedules that balance production efficiency and delivery performance
• Maximize throughput on bottleneck resources to increase revenue
• Synchronize supply with demand to reduce inventories
• Provide company-wide visibility to resource capacity
• Enable scenario data-driven decision making

The implementation of an Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) Software will take your manufacturing operations to the next level of production efficiency by taking advantage of the operational data you already possess in your ERP system. PlanetTogether APS is a step in the right direction of efficiency and lean manufacturing production enhancement. Try out a free trial or demo!