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Get The Lowdown On The Smart Factory & The Next Wave of Innovation

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Manufacturers understand that they must stay up to date with the latest developments in technology to be competitive. At the same time, technology is moving fast, with the AI revolution pushing the boundaries of possibility in many sectors and industry.

Automation is gathering pace

The ambition to upgrade to the ‘smart factory’ is driving many decisions and manufacturers have already plugged into the Internet of Things (IoT) in their search for greater automation.

But what’s next? According to Richard Vidil, Vice President of Sales Engineering, Americas at network and security services provider GTT, the next wave of innovation will be the evolution of the applications that analyze the big data IoT generates.

Infrastructure must support evolution

Indeed, a 2023 survey of US manufacturers¹ revealed planned investment in a range of technologies to increase operational efficiencies over the next 12 months, including robotics and automation, data analytics, IoT and machine learning.

“We will see more machine learning and more pattern recognition with AI. Those kinds of applications are going to be the next big thing. And if you don’t have the right infrastructure, you won’t be able to take advantage of it.”

Richard Vidil, Vice President of Sales Engineering, Americas

The technology partner advantage

It may be time to consider the cost-effective option of hiring an expert partner to support the transition from development to maintenance. Organizations should first conduct their own audit to identify areas for improvement and where a technology investment could best benefit the business.

1. Deloitte, 2023 Manufacturing Industry Outlook

The Smart Factory at a glance

Intelligent equipment: configured to meet unique needs, using sensors to report on the operational health of the equipment.
Intelligent plants: autonomously run, delivering product at scale.
Intelligent assets: link operational processes, enabling predictive maintenance, inventory and delivery.
Empowered people: workforce, tools, information and partners they need to operate with greater independence.