AI in Manufacturing: Overcoming Challenges and Seizing Opportunities
Staying ahead of the competition is a challenge for any business. However, leveraging AI and analytics to gain a competitive edge is becoming increasingly important for manufacturers, as different challenges and opportunities present themselves.
Opportunities for AI in manufacturing
· Agile response and decision-making: By utilizing AI at the edge, manufacturers can harness actionable insights from data and establish automated decision-making processes. This enables them to respond to changing situations and customer needs with greater speed and precision, ultimately providing a competitive advantage.
· Proactive monitoring: AI solutions can enhance monitoring for safer operations and a faster response in a crisis. Furthermore, improved monitoring capabilities can minimize disruptions, ensuring business operations continue without interruption. This underscores the importance of leveraging AI in manufacturing, not only for safety and stability but also for an edge over competitors.
· Maintenance and processes: Through AI and automation, manufacturers can automate repeatable processes, reducing reliance on manual intervention. Maintenance monitoring and management can also be streamlined, leading to cost reductions, quality improvements and less staff intervention. Manufacturers can also free up resources to focus on more value-adding tasks.
· Converging IT/OT: Organizations can strategically align their Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) to facilitate growth. With the help of data, automation and AI, companies can extract significant value out of them both, combined.
AI challenges facing manufacturers
· Ensuring safe operations: Safety is always a top priority for manufacturers, especially in high-risk environments. However, monitoring and detecting hazards, alerting staff and preventing accidents and injuries can be daunting.
· Operational efficiency: In manufacturing, speed and efficiency are key drivers. Many processes and tasks are still manual, forcing leaders to look for new ways to operate the business.
· Customer experience: Customer satisfaction and loyalty are essential for any business. Finding the right balance between speed and quality must be a top priority to meet customer demands.
· Competition and economic pressures: Manufacturers operate in a highly competitive environment, facing constant pressure from competitors, regulators and market fluctuations. However, outdated processes hinder their ability to scale and be agile, putting them at a disadvantage. To remain competitive, manufacturers must embrace new technologies, like AI, to streamline processes and adapt quickly to evolving market conditions.
· Visibility and monitoring: A clear view of operations, assets and performance is key to remain competitive. Leveraging smarter methods for collecting, analyzing and generating data insights separates industry stragglers from frontrunners. Manufacturers who harness the power of analytics through AI have a significant advantage making data-driven decisions resulting in greater efficiency, productivity and profitability.
· Crisis response time: In today’s unpredictable business environment, manufacturers must respond swiftly and effectively to any crisis, be it a natural disaster, cyberattack or pandemic. By leveraging AI, manufacturers can enhance their crisis response capabilities to make quick and informed decisions, underscoring how helpful AI can be to not just optimize operations but also ensure business continuity.
· Balancing IT/OT: Balancing IT and OT is a significant challenge. However, by strategically aligning these systems and leveraging AI, manufacturers can achieve greater efficiency. A willingness to embrace new technologies and processes that bridge the gap between the two better positions manufacturers.
Questions to ask when looking for AI manufacturing solutions
If your manufacturing organization is considering AI, it’s essential to ask the right questions before investing. Here are some key questions to ask:
1. How deep does my provider’s expertise go? Deploying AI in manufacturing involves many complex components. A siloed approach can lead to strategy gaps that may hinder your business in the long run. For a successful deployment, it’s essential to partner with experts with end-to-end manufacturing-solutions expertise (hardware, software and services components of AI).
2. Does the solution bring together trusted technology brands? When selecting an AI Solutions Integrator, consider their relationships with leading tech vendors. Providers with strong partnerships are more likely to have access to the latest innovations and then deliver effective, robust and reliable solutions.
3. How much are we able to customize our solution? To ensure that your business achieves optimal results from AI deployment, it’s essential to partner with a provider who can offer customized solutions tailored to your specific needs.
4. Can we integrate the solution seamlessly? Integrating and implementing AI solutions into complex technology environments is easier said than done. To ensure a successful deployment, it’s essential to partner with a provider who possesses the necessary skill sets across solutions integration and proven methodologies and frameworks.
5. Does our Solutions Integrator have a proven track record? Providers that can demonstrate their ability to deliver results and value, give you confidence in their solutions. To make an informed decision, ask for client stories that showcase previous successes, which can provide insight into the provider’s approach, capabilities and results.
6. Does the Solutions Integrator use a data-driven approach? You can identify an effective provider by their ability to use data to optimize various aspects of your business, from security posture to shrinkage reduction strategy. This way, they can deliver custom solutions, enabling you to achieve greater efficiency, productivity, and profitability.
By answering these questions, manufacturers can ensure they are investing in the right AI solutions that meet their unique needs and deliver results.
