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4 Technological Breakthroughs Making Manufacturing More Efficient

So far, the twenty-first century has proven to be a time of unparalleled technological advance. Every year, new wonders are unveiled, from cutting-edge healthcare tools that save and extend lives to communications tech that makes our lives even more streamlined.

But one of the most remarkable arenas of innovation and development has, without question, been the manufacturing sector. Here are just four of the new tech breakthroughs that are making production greener, more efficient, and less wasteful.

1. Smart Factories

What has come to be known as the fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0, has been driven by many different factors. But one of the most important has been developments in Wireless internet and digital communications that allow machines to relay information directly to each other.

This breakthrough has fuelled the rise of so-called “Smart Factories,” where machines coordinate productions, troubleshoot manufacturing issues, and use powerful computer learning to organize workflow to optimize efficiency and reduce waste.

These smart factories not only promise to drive down costs, as they are less reliant on labour, but they also reduce manufacturing errors and make production safer than ever.

2. Better Heat Exchangers

If you don’t work in manufacturing, you probably don’t know much about heat exchangers. But these machines play a central role in processing a staggering array of different bulk solids, from raw plastics to olive pits.

Improvements in heat exchanger technology have made the latest Solex Thermal heat exchangers ninety percent more efficient, and are helping ensure that excess energy generated in the heat exchange process is recycled back into the system.

If you want to learn more about heat exchanger technology, read the latest article from Solex Thermal about the role heat exchangers are playing in making manufacturing more efficient and environmentally responsible.

3. Coordinate Measuring Machines

Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs) have long played an important role in providing high-level metrological information about newly produced parts to ensure that they match blueprint specifications. Using sophisticated software and extremely sensitive probes, these machines can measure parts large and small down to the micron, increasing manufacturers’ returns on investment and improving quality control.

But new software is making it increasingly easy for CMMs to expand their role, using data about parts to monitor wear and tear on machines and anticipate breakdowns that would otherwise cause costly and inefficient bottlenecks.

4. Machine Learning

The impact of machine learning on the manufacturing sector cannot be overstated. Machine learning leverages smarter computers and more integrated systems to create production lines that can respond to problems in real-time, increasing productivity and decreasing errors.

Machine learning is also making production lines more resilient by utilizing predictive maintenance to avoid breakdowns and extending the life of the machines and robots responsible for making everything from microchips to automobiles.

There is no question that the twenty-first century has proven to be an age of significant innovation in the manufacturing sector, which is being felt at every level of the economy.

Not only are goods becoming cheaper and more readily available, but manufacturers are also finding it easier to be profitable while staying in Canada and the United States. With automation becoming more a part of life every day, the future of manufacturing has never been sunnier.