By David Warne
Even prior to the global pandemic, manufacturing was experiencing a shift in operations. Large production plants and long assembly lines, where goods were mass-produced, no longer meet the needs of consumers, and in a Covid-19 environment, are not practical for social distancing regulations.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities for the manufacturing sector to grow and adapt to the new operating environment. We are witnessing a growing demand for products customised to the needs of individual end customers. This requires new technology that is transforming manufacturing as we know it.
The industry can now quickly produce millions of goods, in smaller and smaller batch sizes, without compromising on quality or productivity. This transformation is possible in a data-driven digital ecosystem powered by connected devices and solutions that maximise the potential from existing infrastructure.
Simply put, the digital transformation of businesses allows us to capitalise on the benefits of digital tools such as smart sensors, cloud computing and the Internet to add value to existing manufacturing processes.
Turning Covid challenges into opportunities
Manufacturing in SA has certainly felt the strain of Covid-19. According to StatsSA, the nationwide lockdown caused manufacturing output to shrink by nearly 75% in the second quarter of 2020. Work was put on hold for social distancing purposes, and many factories saw reduced demand as some items were not allowed during the lockdown period. This is a significant fall for a sector that represents as much as 15% of SA’s GDP.
A recent McKinsey survey of manufacturing and supply-chain professionals found that 93% plan to invest in technologies that increase supply chain resilience and 90% plan to invest in talent for digitisation. Because of the pandemic, companies have clearly seen the need to invest in industrial automation, data analytics, and industrial internet of things (IOT).
Building a digital ecosystem
A simple change such as installing a sensor on heat-sensitive machines, like welding robots, can help an operator to track temperature variations to ensure that the optimum temperature is maintained for the most flawless result.
Gaining increased transparency of processes in a factory not only increases productivity but helps to save significant resources as there are fewer unplanned outages and the potential to increase life cycles and decrease power consumption.
Digital transformation in realtime
A digital transformation of its own kind is happening in industrial services. Advanced monitoring solutions, such as ABB AbilityTM Connected Services, are helping companies monitor their assets in many sites on one system.
The global pandemic has forever shaped the future of work for the industrial sector. Digital transformation is the key to creating a safe and profitable industrial work environment. We are at a point in time where we have come to understand that digitalisation is not just a passing fad or a privilege of large companies, but a fundamental element of the future of industries.
David Warne is a regional service manager at ABB Motion.
The Star