The power of AI in manufacturing: Grace Nam, Strategic Solutions Manager at Laserfiche writes about its advantages
When we consider the different sectors where AI will make the most impact, manufacturing is always part of the conversation. With a market value set to grow from almost £4.2 billion in 2024 to £123 billion in 2033, organisations have an increasing range of AI and ML tools at their disposal. From streamlining entire production lines to accelerating decision-making processes to enhancing quality control, AI will be crucial to future innovation.
However, much of the manufacturing industry continues to rely on traditional ways of handling data and documentation, with scattered technology and complex processes acting as barriers to progress and hybrid working. This siloed information coupled with rising costs, logistical uncertainty, and doubts over the supply of essential raw materials is making manufacturing stagnant.
The answer is digitalised smart systems and processes. Innovations such as AI-powered Cloud document management systems (DMS) can control and organise critical data, creating a single source of truth to streamline processes and provide multi-layer protection against missing documentation to comply with regulations. Let’s look at three of the core ways that AI will revolutionise manufacturing: minimising errors, empowering employees, and attracting talent.
Manufacturing errors, minimised
First, by digitialising data and investing in AI integrations, manufacturing leaders can reduce margin for error. While the integration of IoT may appear to garner similar results, the real impact of AI is incredibly different.
IoT focuses on supporting machines and network enablement. On the other hand, AI supports the functionalities that are traditionally confined to the realm of human responsibility and intelligence. While IoT connects physical objects to manufacturing networks, AI harmonises the entire process and structures unstructured data.
The value of AI lies in its scalability. AI can reduce tedious data entry for employees and eliminate delays, having the potential to transform employees’ lives by reclaiming time for valuable projects and saving resources.
Empowering employees, not replacing them
As is the case with minimising errors, the role of AI is to free up human employees for other tasks, not replace them. AI and ML are invaluable tools to save countless hours wasted by employees fulfilling administrative tasks, reclaiming significant amounts of time that can be redirected to supporting customers.
Manufacturing companies can implement processes driven by AI and ML to streamline areas of the business and integrate processes that often experience delays, as well as augmenting high-cost processes involved with compliance documentation to create better process cycles.
AI also enables manufacturing leaders to enhance process automation, making the more time-consuming elements of the manufacturing process rule-based and decision-driven. For instance, in a recent SME study that surveyed over 300 manufacturing professionals, one-third of respondents reported experiencing work delays a few times a week across various operational processes.
Allocating tasks that were traditionally managed by the skilled workforce to AI does not negate the need for human employees. Rather, it can act as a digital co-worker, freeing up the organisation’s human talent for tasks that require intuition, intervention, and creativity.
AI can also empower employees through enhanced data analysis
With endless data at their fingertips, leaders can utilise AI to gain insights and power decision-making. This technology gives organisations the ability to centralise customer information and order history and gather product information that involves hundreds or even thousands of parts, where each part carries its own unique identification number.
Another example could be analysing the data in relation to how suppliers perform, enabling the manufacturing organisation to better understand what to expect and prepare for potential pitfalls in advance.
AI-powered technologies are also being implemented to resolve interoperability issues, enabling computer systems and software to exchange and make use of information across platforms. Allowing data to be shared between different software and technologies will help in streamlining processes.
By utilising process automation and enhancing data processing speed, we can expect organisations to see an increase in operational efficiency. These improved systems will reduce costs while improving scalability and flexibility, enabling the streamlined sharing of data across the business.
New technology, new talent
AI and machine learning are offering the manufacturing industry the opportunity to unlock new levels of efficiency and create a solid foundation for future growth and innovation. From sales and supply chain management to quality checks and inventory control, AI is streamlining complex processes, predicting potential issues, and ensuring timely delivery of projects. This reduces the technological skills gap, boosting productivity and growth.
However, with such rapid development, it is essential that the manufacturing industry attracts the necessary talent to keep up to date and train current employees who must adapt to this modernisation. If they don’t, they risk running into issues with delivering contracts, and a widespread slowdown in the sector could negatively impact the wider UK economy.
AI-powered solutions improve the working lives of almost everyone in the sector, helping them make better informed decisions at speed, while process automation solutions empower remote employees who are integral to the success of future workforces. This innovation is vital for businesses to attract, and retain, new generations of talent.
AI and machine learning are offering the manufacturing industry the opportunity to unlock new levels of efficiency and create a solid foundation for future growth and innovation. From sales and supply chain management to quality checks and inventory control, AI is streamlining complex processes, predicting potential issues, and ensuring timely delivery of projects.
By bringing together human intuition with the speed and scale of AI technologies, manufacturers can remain competitive – and continue to grow and develop – for years to come. It’s not just about keeping up with technological trends and jumping on the bandwagon. AI proves its worth for manufacturers aiming to make critical decisions promptly, effectively address high-cost functionalities, streamline operations, ensure accuracy of compliance documentation, enhance scope for innovation, boost ROI, and improve sustainability. The possibilities are endless and it’s time for manufacturing leaders to take the plunge.
Grace Nam is the strategic solutions manager at Laserfiche. She performs market research to revamp processes in the most highly regulated industries – healthcare and manufacturing. Over the course of her career, Nam has experienced firsthand the challenges in adopting new technologies that the healthcare and manufacturing industries face.
Author: Grace Nam, Strategic Solutions Manager at Laserfiche
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