Virtually everything in the manmade world around us is produced by factories, but many of them are behind the times utilizing older technologies that are not sustainable for the environment and the overall unpredictable needs of today’s society. The global pandemic has had a profound impact on manufacturing. Considering supply chain disruption, delivery delays, increasing costs, rapid shifts in demand, and overall uncertainty, manufacturing must evolve.
There is more than enough room for change, but what exactly does the factory of the future look like? Smart factory technology is building out the future right before our eyes. It consists of wearable technologies, virtual twins – products before they are manufactured, industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and cloud software.
We live in interesting times – and with clarity and clear direction, we may be able to build a better future. The powers that be must rethink manufacturing, manufacturing, production, and distribution. This could eliminate a full 45% of global emissions. This is a tremendous opportunity, given that manufacturing represents 54% of all global energy consumption as well as 20% of global emissions.
Learn more about what’s at stake in the race to building the factory of the future in the visual deep dive below: