Tech Advancements and Industrial Automation
When Gordon Moore first observed that the number of transistors in an integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years, it was considered the fundamental principle governing the survival of technology. Later, Moore’s observation was loosely stated as any technology doubling its productive capacity in 18 months. This laid the foundation for all technological advancements.
Today, we observe that even this 18-month period has been shortened, and technological leaps now happen within a year. Industrial automation is typically the most impacted field due to any technological advancement. In this article, we will explore five technological trends that are poised to disrupt the manufacturing sector in India over the next 12 months:
Adoption Of Voice: For a long time, scanning technology has dominated the warehousing industry, with barcodes being considered the most effective solution for picking and storage. However, as AI-based Voice engines mature and become more reliable, and with their availability in regional languages, we can expect a growing use of Voice in warehouses for picking and put-away processes in industrial automation. Voice-based solutions are positioned to replace scanning in Indian warehouses due to their ease of use, increased productivity, and robustness.
Bluetooth-Based Asset Tracking: With logistics startups disrupting the transportation sector and the introduction of GST reducing Truck Turn-Around Time during transportation, companies will focus on optimizing their internal workflow and keeping operational costs low. Cost-effective asset tracking solutions will be a hot topic. “Bluetooth Low Energy” beacon-based RTLS solutions and asset tracking, known for their robustness, longer battery life, encryption-based security, and high accuracy, are set to replace existing RFID-based asset tracking systems in industrial automation.
Smart Factories: The concept of smart factories, built around connected machines, has been discussed for some time. Competitive pressures and the influence of technologies like cloud computing and augmented reality will drive manufacturers to explore Industrial IoT solutions. This will connect different processes, drive operational efficiency, and improve agility and scalability. Areas like remote diagnostics and predictive maintenance will be among the first to be disrupted, serving as successful use cases for IoT solutions in industrial automation.
Entry Of Mobile Robots: With the automated driving market becoming increasingly competitive and mature in terms of technology, this year will witness the adoption of automated guided vehicles in the manufacturing and warehousing sector in India. The industry will transition to more advanced navigation technologies such as LiDAR, RADAR, and Cameras, moving away from the existing basic magnetic tape solutions for industrial automation.
Data Speaks Up: Big Data has been in the spotlight for a while, and the manufacturing sector has already amassed a significant amount of data to work with in the field of industrial automation. This year, we will see businesses utilizing AI-enabled software platforms to make complex decisions in predicting machine breakdowns and avoiding downtime. Products that can predict breakdown patterns and improve productivity will be central to manufacturing this year.”
In the fast-evolving landscape of Indian manufacturing, technology is the driving force behind disruptive change.
As per Robotics Business Review, automated warehouses have a 40% higher probability of delivering orders within one day of order placement and also decrease labour costs. From voice-assisted warehousing to advanced asset tracking, smart factories, mobile robots, and data-driven insights, adapting to these trends will be pivotal for businesses seeking to thrive in the coming year.
