THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING:
ROBOTICS AND THE IOT Connecting robotic manufacturing to the IoT is the key to enabling manufacturers to drive down costs whilst transforming the way they do business.
F
rom the Industrial Revolution’s flying shuttle to computerised automation and robotics in the 20th century, the manufacturing industry’s relentless focus on efficiency means it has strong track record of applying new ways of thinking and new technologies to old problems. So it’s a natural fit for this dynamic, forward-thinking sector to embrace the power and potential of the Internet of Things (IoT).
With manufacturers worldwide also searching for ways to control rising labour costs, the IoT is primed to help the sector continue to push the boundaries of innovation. And the scope is huge. According to the Boston Consulting Group, today robots perform around 10 per cent of manufacturing tasks but that figure will have soared to 25 per cent across all manufacturing industries worldwide by 2025.1
When IoT meets robotics Connecting robotic manufacturing systems to the IoT unlocks huge additional potential for improvement. Interconnected smart devices can not only share information but send it to the cloud for analysis too, enabling data-driven decision making. From supply chain management to quality control, almost the entire process can be continuously optimised in this way. Industry Europe 5
