TECHNOLOGY
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The drive for automation is showing no signs of abating , with new manufacturing centres increasingly requiring automation technologies to be built in . ‘ Smart ’ manufacturing has become the watchword for companies in the industry . The Siemens Smart Manufacturing Innovation Centre in Chengdu , China , for instance , opened on 21 May this year . Ericsson , meanwhile , is planning to open an automated smart factory in the United States in 2020 .
In a manufacturing context , automation takes many forms . Whether that ’ s 3D printers removing human error from the equation , quality control software increasing throughput or robots able to assemble parts with unrivalled speed and precision . In recent years , this activity has been supercharged by the maturation of technologies such as artificial intelligence ( AI ) and machine learning . Enabling the ‘ smart ’ manufacturing of the future , such advancements help to imbue automated solutions with qualities of human workers . A ‘ dumb ’ 3D printer will continue to print even if there has been a failure in the process , wasting resources . A ‘ smart ’ solution employing AI and machine learning , however , could recognise failure and take measures to abort or restart the process .
SEPTEMBER 2019