Artificial Intelligence is a game-changer nowadays not only in IT industries but also in other sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, BFSI, etc.
Do you know how Artificial Intelligence can help you boost up your business? AI is growing at an incredible pace, covering all the industries including manufacturing. Wondering how Artificial Intelligence is correlated with manufacturing industries? We have answers to all your questions in this article. Read on to get insights on how AI can help growing manufacturing industries.
AI in Manufacturing
Artificial Intelligence in the manufacturing industry is a game-changer as it involves the use of technology to transform the performance across the length and breadth of manufacturing operations. AI is helpful when manufacturers are facing different challenges wherein, they come across accidental machinery failure or any such case of defective product delivery. AI in manufacturing industries is changing the way manufacturers are designing products.
Important Fact: According to a survey, 60% of the manufacturers are using artificial intelligence as a tool to improve product quality, achieve greater speed, visibility across the supply chain, and optimize inventory management.
To second the fact, we have listed here the best significant uses of AI in the manufacturing industry. Let’s have a look at them. Before we proceed, let’s see what future AI and Manufacturing together have:
1. Quality Checks: During production, the internal defects of any equipment cannot be seen or determined easily. Even the experts fail to identify the flaws at the right time even after thorough observation of the functionality or working of the product. But, with artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, all these things can be done efficiently. Not only this, even the minor flaws in machinery are detected efficiently by Artificial Intelligence.
2. Equipment Failure: There are several issues when manufacturers face severe machinery failures, and they are not prepared for the loss that is coming on the way. Hence, most of the production industries today are using AI automation to avoid losses and hampering overall productivity. Besides this, AI helps in getting information of equipment damages that ensures excellent performance.
3. Equipment Predictive Maintenance: With predictive maintenance, you can cut down on the device’s maintenance costs. With the help of ML-powered predictive solutions and the use of AI tools in machinery, the requirements of maintenance services can be predicted. Along with this, cloud and IoT sensors also help in modernizing the manufacturing industry.
4. Production Planning: The smart production planning process integrates seamlessly with the IOT systems that provide real-time visibility to production plans, raw material constraints, actual throughput, plant, or resource utilization while optimizing demand &supply match.
5. Digital Twins: Digital Twin is a virtual representation that provides the real-time digital counterpart of a physical object or process. In simple terms, it is a virtual representation of an object or system that spans its lifecycle. Four popular applications of digital twins in manufacturing include:
- Product Development
- Design Customization
- Shop Floor Performance Improvement, and
- Logistics Optimization
6. Generative Design: It leverages AI and ML to turn the difficult engineering design processes into something natural i.e., the genuine interaction between the computer and the engineer. In short, it mimics an engineer’s approach to design. The designers/engineers enter the parameters of design into generative design software that provides outcomes that can be created with those parameters.
7. Supply Chain Management: The use of AI in supply chain management is increasing, and this technology gets moving. Furthermore, Machine Learning, NLP, computer vision, robotics, etc. makes the supply chain tasks smarter. Artificial Intelligence has multiple applications within this segment, it includes- route optimization, transport network design, real-time tracking in logistics, demand planning & forecasting for planning, etc. The other applications include:
- Building a strong communication channel among departments.
- Warehouse management and logistics.
- Developing autonomous vehicles for logistics.
8. Lights-out factories save money: This use of AI in manufacturing is rare but has some potential within. It uses AI, robots, and next-gen technologies to create a robot-friendly environment with minimal human interaction. With this, manufacturers can save a lot of their money as the robot workforce does not have the same needs as that of human counterparts. Also, it is beneficial to have a robotic workforce as they can work 24*7 with the double capacity to develop products as compared to their human counterparts.
9. Predict Demand through ML Algorithms
Artificial Intelligence uses Machine Learning algorithms that can help you detect buying patterns in human behavior giving insights to manufacturers. This helps manufacturers to boost up their production abilities and ramp up the product within a specific time. AI and ML help the production team to produce high-demand inventory much before the store even requires it.
How Is AI performing In Manufacturing Industries?
AI-enabled software helps in creating multiple designs for one product and is also known as generative design software that lets the engineers to provide certain input parameters such as raw materials, size and weight, manufacturing methods, cost, and other resource constraints. With this software, you can generate several design permutations.
So, this is how AI helps the production industry to rapidly grow and smoothen the work process by eliminating human interference. What do you think about AI taking over the manufacturing industries? Is it only manufacturing or other industries as well? Put forward your take in the comments section below for any queries or concerns.