Made in the digital world: AI in manufacturing

Consumers in the past decades have been keener with their shopping decisions and everything else in between. With increased knowledge and experience, shoppers are more decisive on which product to buy as influenced not only by personal preference but also by the qualities of the raw materials, labor and the manufacturing process. 

In your shopping activities, you probably have done this once casually or even regularly to some who are after the details of a certain product—to check the country where it was made from. Made in here, made in there and everywhere possible, people have become quality control officers on their own.  

Product quality is one factor shoppers probably do not wish to compromise regardless of the cheapness or expensiveness in prices. Quality offers assurance that the product will function accordingly and will withstood time. Quality is most often associated with pieces that are well crafted—using the finest raw materials, produced in small batches and even personally curated to those who can afford. To some, it may be from a signature brand, from a limited collection or a masterpiece of a renowned person. 

To critics and analyzers, mass production is the opposite of quality control. If an industry manufactured an item at large, it means that the quality has been reduced. But how true is this premise in manufacturing where artificial intelligence has been applied? How does digitization in the process of manufacturing impact the quality of products? Let’s discuss in the next sections of this write-up.

Manufacturing Throughout The Years

Manufacturing is the process of making goods with hands, machines and tools or biological and chemical processing wherein the finished product is often sold to customers. It is the course taken by manufacturers to transform raw materials or combinations of components to create a new product on a large scale or complex items, which can be sold to businesses to generate other products.

Manufacturing has existed for centuries. It has started out from skilled men who carried out their craftsmanship and displayed it in their finished work. It is an artistry that was passed on through assisted work, mentorship and apprenticeship. For some manufacturers, they had to join guilds to protect trade secrets and rights of artisans so that the process lives on from generation to generation. 

Manufacturing can either be a carefully designed process or the direct opposite of it—less organized, often taking place in rural places, where craftsmen built their products at the comfort of their homes.  These households who manufactured goods would even strengthen each other by setting-up an enterprise. 

When factories were established, the old methods of manufacturing were watered down.  When this system was introduced at the beginning of the industrial revolution, the impact of technology and machinery as powered by steam, water and eventually electricity, were greatly felt. It paved the way for large-scale production, which was a challenge before. In the factory system, assembly line work was facilitated. In this period, the concept of division of labor became more familiar. This increased the involvement of people in the process of manufacturing by being able to deliver the assigned task component in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.

The work of a single person was multiplied but broken into different segments and divided amongst laborers. The manufacturing process was repeated at higher frequency and speed.  This upgraded manufacturing into a whole new level as it entered the modern world.

 

Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing: A Radical Approach

Artificial intelligence as applied in manufacturing has been a radical approach to product development and release. It contradicted the belief that mass production reduces quality of the product by establishing a system and machinery that can cover efficiency, consistency and quality all at the same time.

It may have started as an overwhelming tool among industries just like any other person who felt the same in trying something new. Because the utilization, cost and maintenance are quite tremendous, the shift is less likely welcomed at first attempt. But the positive turnout changed the perspective of users eventually. 

In order for businesses to keep up with the demands, restructuring and reorganization of people, systems and machineries are needed as reality changes nowadays. The concept of artificial intelligence sounds trivial and futuristic, yet it’s a readily applicable strategy businesses may adopt once they are ready. 

Artificial intelligence is a gamble at the beginning of the shift but it also is a game changer considering that it can respond more efficiently to the following:

• Failure in mechanical and electrical systems
• Concerns on supply chain
• Product quality assurance 
• Yield prediction 
• Increasing channels for training and skills acquisition
• Energy conservation and management

Because artificial intelligence is capable of holding large amount of data, it is easier for industries to schedule preventive work to maintain the smoothness in the processes, to schedule logistics to deliver products on time, to improve and expedite production; predict costs and increase supply as needed, capacitate people through offsite or virtual training and analyze energy use to reduce cost consumption. 

Made In The Digital World

A product made in the digital world was not invented overnight. The whole process of artificial intelligence applied in manufacturing struggled through history, was carefully examined and went over a series of trial and error. Just like any other methods, it made sure that it is both effective and efficient. 

The understanding lies beyond the product itself. Yet the product is a clear testimony of what a work of art is—produced by gifted brains, skilled hands and backed-up by huge data that improved the systems and machines that we have today.

“Made in the digital world?” It is not just a bold remark. It is a symbolism of change, of modernization, adaptation and of breakthrough. So the next time you see a manufactured product, think of the tedious process it went through, the intelligence manifested and the people behind it. Appreciate it, more than materially. Appreciate it as you exercise being good stewards of the gifts from up above. 

For more information, visit www.ignitus.ai

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