The 5 Industrial Innovations that are pushing Manufacturers into the Future
Manufacturers around the world are undergoing digital transformations so they can stay competitive in the area of large-scale industrial machinery – and so far, the results have been encouraging. By going against the norm in a hugely traditional industry, manufacturers have been seeing decreased unnecessary costs and increased revenues. To name one example – trainable and collaborative robots are being utilised in high-risk work conditions. This eliminates unsafe work and are allowing humans to do more satisfying jobs.
Let’s take a look at the five industrial innovations that large-scale manufacturers are using to automate, modernise and improve their organisation.
Claudius Peters, a Heavy-Equipment Manufacturer brings Generative Design down to Earth
Claudius Peters - a German company that is over 100 years old offers bulk-materials processing equipment for the steel, cement, aluminium and gypsum industries. After watching a demo of the Generative Design Software in action, the company used it to optimise a piece of large equipment that has been one of its successful core products in the cement industry. In a nutshell – Generative Design takes design goals, constraints and generates numerous possible permutations to select from. The software helped Claudius Peters generate more optimised parts that was up to 40% lighter. By adopting an emerging technology, the company is well on track to cutting lead times, material, and energy costs.
Tech company “Desktop Metal” has quick 3D Metal Printers ready for Mass Production
Desktop Metal, a New Hampshire based technology company produces big 3D metal printers that can print in Aluminium, Stainless Steel, and other Alloy parts at fast speeds and in large amounts. They have four machines that are around 4.8 metres long, 1.8 metres tall and weigh just as much as an SUV. The printers are able to 3D print up to 100 times quicker compared to existing high-end systems used for aerospace and at a fraction of the cost, also not needing the tooling required for traditional manufacturing processes.
Saudi Arabian company “SABIC” is Automating Large-Scale Production of Laminates
SABIC, a company based in Saudi Arabia manufactures industrial polymers, petrochemicals, metals and fertilises. The company has already revealed a Digital Composites Manufacturing line that is made for large-scale production of custom-made thermoplastic composite laminates. The line utilises digital technologies that includes robotics to allow customisation of flat laminates while decreasing cycle times and cost. The impressive system is capable of producing four laminates every minute, or 1.5 million parts annually.
Automotive Giant Audi is pushing innovation in Manufacturing
The head of Audi’s A3 body shop in Ingolstadt, Germany, Hubert Hartmann compares the shop to a Swiss watch because of its precision. Compared to most auto plants which use robots for risky tasks like welding, Audi utilises a combination of automation complimented with other advanced-manufacturing technologies to enhance efficiencies and decrease energy costs. Although automation has caused a decline in employment in the manufacturing industry, it has also produced some benefits such as reduced demand for untrained workers, higher productivity, and an increased demand for highly trained experts.
A Robotics System for Producing Aircraft Parts is being executed by Strata Manufacturing
Based in the UAE, Strata Manufacturing is an aircraft manufacturing company that have solid ties to Boeing, Airbus, and Leonardo-Finmeccanica Aerostructures division. In the beginning of 2019, Strata announced its plans to partner with Digi Robotics Technologies to execute an advanced robotic system that will assist in automating its operations assembly unit. It includes reaming, drilling and countersinking activities that are essential in the production of aircraft components.
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