We like to associate innovation with technology, but the world is currently making advances in other fields as well. Visionaries and thinkers everywhere put a lot of their brainpower into creating new business models or developing better processes and services.
For instance, the manufacturing field is one of the richest in innovations and it helped boost the world to the level we know today. In fact, there are some advances we can’t (and shouldn’t) ignore since the field of technology couldn’t have reached its current state.
And, to highlight just how much manufacturing has evolved, here are the top three advances that must not be taken for granted.
Better 3D Printing
3D printing is not exactly a new branch, but due to recent innovations, it is quickly becoming more affordable and accessible to home users.
For a while there, 3D printing was only accessible to industrial agents, who could afford and maintain complex machines. Also, the materials used for printing were quite limiting, which meant 3D printers didn’t have too many real-life applications.
But, as the niche evolved, scientists and researchers were able to create better quality composites that are easier to handle by regular users. Also, the size of the printers is more manageable and the costs went down.
In addition, many businesses took advantage of these improvements and now provide online 3D print services for customers who want to create custom-made items but are not interested in owning a 3D printer. This means that the manufacturing process is no longer in the hands of big industrial corporations, which can lead to a new set of innovations!
Better Materials
We now enjoy an era of better and cheaper electric cars, but this couldn’t have happened without stronger, lighter materials for the elements included in the vehicle. Materials like carbon fiber composite or aluminum alloy are quite new and they were designed to be more durable and easier to use than their predecessors.
In addition, innovation in battery production helped increase an electric car’s autonomy and power, which is why we can now think about self-driven vehicles.
But the car industry is not the only one that’s been influenced by the development of new and better materials. We can also see advances in the area of sporting goods where manufacturers use composite materials (usually reinforced with carbon fiber) to create more durable and lighter products.
Internet of Things
This is a case where technology pushed the manufacturing world by creating smart manufacturing facilities. And, yes we are talking about smart machines that can make decisions based on the instructions they receive and the situation at hand.
AI-powered robots, machines that can communicate with each other, and entire systems that can organize their activity are the future. While it’s true that smart factories will most likely take some jobs from human workers, it also means they will create new positions, in a different area of the factory.
Overall, smart manufacturing will help bring down the price of production and increase efficiency, which is all for the benefit of the consumer.
Wrap Up
The world is evolving around us, so it’s important to stay on top of the trend and adapt. Otherwise, there’s no way you can keep up with the competition, regardless of your size.
