Since time immemorial, man has made products that help him do the daily routine works easily and consume less time. As time progressed, simple handmade tools were discarded, and machines were deployed to manufacture the products, especially during the period of the industrial revolution.
Manufacturing can be described as making materials or products for the end-user or the industry with the help of machines, tools, raw materials, and employing a labor force that oversees the various aspects of the manufacturing process.
Manufacturing generally comes under the secondary sector of the economy. It powers the economy to perform better. Even if we focus on the historical aspect of manufacturing and equate it with current trends, all the countries want to become manufacturing hubs to generate jobs in huge numbers. Secondly, the manufactured goods can be sold both in the domestic and international market to earn profits, which makes the concerned business grow but also helps in giving economic stability to the country where the company is rooted.
The manufacturing sector has been going through a transition in recent times. It has not seen such a massive change in recent times unless the period of the Industrial Revolution is considered. The change can be attributed to information technology, which has touched almost all the varied sectors in one way or the other.
Technology helps the manufacturing industry become agile and flexible in its functioning and gives them a competitive edge by boosting their productivity. Many routine and repetitive work can be done by employing technological solutions, leaving the businesses to divert their energy and human resources to attend to areas that need immediate and focused attention.
Automation acts as a cost-cutting tool.
Automation means taking the help of technology to do some of the works that are usually time-consuming and monotonous. This significantly reduces the time and the costs associated with doing the work manually.
Some examples of automation can be simple processes like scanning the barcode of a product which otherwise would have to be typed manually by an operator, which also increases the chance of error.
Automation is also a handy tool to increase the efficiency of the manufacturing firm, which is of utmost importance to the business.
Improves the quality of the products
Maintaining the quality of the products is one of the critical aspects of the manufacturing sector. Low-quality products cannot compete in the markets. With the help of technological solutions, appropriate quality checks can be performed.
There are different quality assurance software that can be used to adhere to strict quality standards. This helps achieve the required quality, which is vital for gaining a competitive edge in the market.
Manually checking every product for quality is impossible. It requires time and the chances of error also increase, which is not desirable. Hence technology is employed for quality assurance.
Drastically reduces maintenance costs.
Proper maintenance is necessary for every manufacturing unit. And reduced downtimes are required to jump back to the schedule as quickly as possible. Technology helps in tracking the breakdowns of the machines promptly with the help of intelligent sensors.
Technology also helps in knowing the causes of the downtime. Be it a human error or defective machinery, knowing the actual cause helps reduce downtimes and maintenance costs.
In conclusion, it can be said that technology is changing the face of the manufacturing sector with the help of enhanced features. It is a great time to experiment with technological solutions that are available by businesses that are in the manufacturing industry.