Tips for Future-Proofing Manufacturing Operations

𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗜𝘁. The AI headlines are exciting. But if you're a founder, engineer, or educator in manufacturing, here's the question that actually matters: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? Let’s get tactical. 𝟭. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗜 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 Tool to try: Lenovo’s LeForecast A foundation model for time-series forecasting. Trained on manufacturing-specific datasets. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗳: You’re battling supply chain volatility and need better inventory planning. 👉 Tip: Start by connecting your ERP data. Don’t wait for perfect integration: small wins snowball. 𝟮. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁 Tools behind the scenes: NVIDIA Omniverse, Microsoft Azure Digital Twins Schaeffler + Accenture used these to simulate humanoid robots (like Agility’s Digit) inside full-scale virtual factories. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗳: You’re considering automation but can’t afford to mess up your live floor. 👉 Tip: Simulate your current workflows first. Even without a robot, you’ll find inefficiencies you didn’t know existed. 𝟯. 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗤𝗔 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬𝘀 Example: GM uses AI to scan weld quality, detect microcracks, and spot battery defects: before they become recalls. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗳: You’re relying on spot checks or human-only inspections. 👉 Tip: Start with one defect type. Use computer vision (CV) models trained with edge devices like NVIDIA Jetson or AWS Panorama. 𝟰. 𝗘𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 Why it matters: If your AI system reacts in seconds instead of milliseconds, it's too late for safety-critical tasks. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗳: You're in high-speed assembly lines, robotics, or anything safety-regulated. 👉 Tip: Evaluate edge-ready AI platforms like Lenovo ThinkEdge or Honeywell’s new containerized UOC systems. 𝟱. 𝗕𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 The EU AI Act is live. China is doubling down on "self-reliant AI." The U.S.? Deregulating. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗳: You're deploying GenAI, predictive models, or automation tools across borders. 👉 Tip: Start tagging your AI systems by risk level. This will save you time (and fines) later. Here are 5 actionable moves manufacturers can make today to level up with AI: pulled straight from the trenches of Hannover Messe, GM's plant floor, and what we’re building at DigiFab.ai. ✅ Forecast with tools like LeForecast ✅ Simulate before automating with digital twins ✅ Bring AI into your QA pipeline ✅ Push intelligence to the edge ✅ Get ahead of compliance rules (especially if you operate globally) 🧠 Each of these is something you can pilot now: not next quarter. Happy to share what’s worked (and what hasn’t). 👇 Save and repost. #AI #Manufacturing #DigitalTwins #EdgeAI #IndustrialAI #DigiFabAI

The manufacturing industry is on the cusp of huge change with Industry 5.0. We’re moving beyond integration of important Industry 4.0 technology to include a renewed focus on: 👉human-centric 👉sustainable 👉resilient manufacturing Here’s 5 ways your team can begin the shift: ⬇️ ➊ Evaluate Your Current Technological Infrastructure → Is your factory already equipped with Industry 4.0 technologies? → IoT sensors? Smart machines? Data analytics tools? Sustainable infrastructure? Having these in place will make the transition easier. ➋ Invest in Upskilling Your Workforce As technology continues to evolve, your workforce must evolve with it. Invest in training programs that teach: → how to work with AI → understanding the impact of industry on the environment ➌ Focus on Sustainable Practices Begin: → integrating advanced cooling solutions to improve energy efficiency → adopting water-saving technologies to minimize environmental impact → optimizing systems to reduce waste and emissions in industrial processes ➍ Foster a Culture of Innovation Create open forums for: → sharing ideas → experimentation → continuous improvement ➎ Create Data-Driven Ecosystems Collect, analyze, and act on data from every part of your operation. → emissions output → power and water usage effectiveness → AI-driven analytics Industry 5.0 isn’t just about machines . . . It’s about making manufacturing more human, sustainable, and resilient Has your organization adapted to Industry 5.0 yet? 🤔

Unilever shows us: productivity isn’t just about buying better tech; it’s about building better systems of people and technology working together. As Unilever’s Global Head of Ops said, they don’t separate investment in automation from investment in people. That mindset, designing roles, routines, and decision-making to match what the tech enables, turns capital spend into a competitive edge. Here’s what internal Org Development & Org Design can actually do to make that happen in #CPG: 1. Make tech and talent one system, not two: How to: - Don’t bolt tech onto old ways of working. - Start by assembling cross-functional teams: operators, IT, managers, and have them co-design workflow and KPIs together, from day one. 2. Define the new decisions, not just the new machines: How to: - Map what decisions move closer to the front line or become automated. - Run facilitated workshops to clarify “who decides what now” and ensure everyone has authority to act where it counts. 3. Build fast-feedback learning cycles on the floor: How to: - Create standing weekly or daily “factory pulse” huddles to surface issues from the floor, test improvements, and adjust quickly, turning problems into improvements instead of waiting for reports. Why this matters: 1. Tech doesn’t fix bad structure. 2. You can buy smarter robots, but if your teams don’t know how to adapt and own the new ways of working, you’ll end up paying more for the same headaches. Unilever shows that the real payoff comes when OrgDev and OrgDesign shape the system to use the new tools well, and that’s how you build a manufacturing operation that can keep pace. https://lnkd.in/gnMd5Qcm #CPG #OrgDevelopment #OrgDesign #ManufacturingExcellence #TechAndTalent #Productivity

Avoid These Mistakes That Can Get You in Trouble on the Journey of Digital Innovation in Manufacturing: Mistake 1: Neglecting Generative AI With 55% of manufacturers already exploring generative AI and another 45% in pilot projects, ignoring this trend can leave you behind. Generative AI isn't just a buzzword—it's enhancing operations through synthetic data, optimizing designs, and reducing Mean Time to Resolve (MTTR) for equipment failures. Mistake 2: Overlooking Automation's Potential Automation is not just streamlining processes; it's redefining efficiency and productivity. Customized, domain-specific applications are becoming crucial. Missing out on automation could mean missing out on significant operational gains and addressing specific industry challenges. Mistake 3: Underestimating Cybersecurity As manufacturing becomes more digitally integrated, cybersecurity cannot be an afterthought. The rise of AI and automation raises important data security concerns. Failing to implement robust security measures and comply with international standards could expose your operations to severe threats. Mistake 4: Ignoring Data Security and Governance Developing custom automation models requires careful attention to data security and governance. Without it, the innovative solutions designed to propel your business forward could become liabilities. Mistake 5: Failing to Invest in Future Skills The anticipated advancements in cybersecurity mean that investing in skill development for your team is essential. Knowledge and skills to combat AI-driven threats should be a priority for sustaining future growth. If you want long-term success...Don't make these mistakes. Generative AI, automation, and cybersecurity are not just shaping the future—they are the future. Embrace these innovations to enhance visibility, decision-making, and operational agility.

Manufacturing Automation – Works, But ... In Automation, the improved solution comes from a new perspective! -- Over time, any well curated manufacturing process will reach a point of diminishing returns in terms of PRODUCTIVITY improvements possible in the existing embodiment, as most/all of the meat will have been stripped off the bone with the natural evolution of the Methods and Tooling. Understandable, as any unique COMPETITIVE advantage automation or PROPRIETARY methods will have leaked into what we call industry "Best Practices" and any incremental improvements now come primarily to the cost efficiency and reliability of these "standard" industry solutions. Going BEYOND, means doing something NEW with some step function improvement to PERFORMANCE. Reformulating the NEW solution generally involves: - An application of some now mature, "new", technical tool, previously unavailable. - A fundamental "re-thinking" of the machine architecture. - A review of the current "best practice" so we can understand "why" it was done that way. - A proverbial "out of the box" perspective. With the OBJECTIVE of Total Productivity improvement through a tangible metric, such as: - Throughput, - Product quality, - Uptime, - Reduced footprint, and - Reduced operator intervention among others, ... ... areas of opportunity often include: - Rethinking the inputs form factors and parts feeders. - Elimination of "lost motion" due to long and inefficient strokes. - Conversion of reciprocating motions into continuous motions. - Resizing key drivers to optimize power and reaction times. - Rethinking the functional algorithm to simplify and optimize. - Many other possibilities resulting from "what if" analysis of the specific application and with a fresh perspective, informed by what IS but NOT limited by IT! -- "To summarize, in building a next generation machine for a mature process that we have been running over many years and for which the present machine has outlived it's serviceable life; we perform a detailed survey/analysis of the historical experience with the existing machine, both the hardware and it's documented performance as well as how well it's held up under full time production conditions while simultaneously, we also review the human-machine experiences with this system over that time, both operators and maintenance." -- How do you break out of the "best practices" rut in Automation? Your thoughts are appreciated and please SHARE this post if you think your connections will find it of interest. 👉 Comment, follow or connect to COLLABORATE on your automation for increased productivity. Helping manufacturers with the What? and How? of Automation! https://lnkd.in/eewkHDim #industry40 #automation #productivity #robotics