Manufacturing is constantly evolving. Over the last 100 years, the way we manufacture everything from cars and shoes to dental floss has changed drastically. The next 100 years will surely be even more dramatic. What are the big changes that are coming? What is the future of manufacturing? We spoke to Willem Sundblad who is the founder and CEO at Oden Technologies and a general manufacturing expert. These are the three major changes he expects to see in manufacturing over the next few years.Rebuilding for resilienceThe manufacturing sector has been hit hard by unexpected disruptions over the past year. The coronavirus pandemic was the first and most significant. It caused widespread factory closures and also led to major shifts in consumer habits. The result was a shortage of a wide range of goods, including condoms, aluminum cans, and computer chips. This was only the beginning.Sundblad says that COVID was only one thing. But we've also had other disruptions. For example, the ripple effects of Suez Canal blocking are still being felt. There were also the Texas winter storms earlier in the year that knocked out much of the petrochemical feedstock sector. This feedstock goes into all things made of plastic.These events, taken as a whole have exposed the fragility in global supply chains. Now we have direct evidence that even a small, isolated event can cause a ripple effect that causes an entire industry to stop. Sundblad says that manufacturers are acutely aware that this vulnerability. He expects that over the next few decades, many manufacturers will take steps to restructure operations to be more resilient to disruption.Sundblad says that what you really want is to foster an American ecosystem with closer connections between suppliers and customers so you can manage disruptions better and have an ecosystem closer to you, so you don't have to ship everything to China.How to weather workforce shortagesSundblad predicts that there will be an increase in worker shortages in the manufacturing sector over the next few decades, as if unstable supply chains weren't enough. Why is this? Simply put, there are more people retiring from manufacturing jobs that are entering it.Sundblad says this has been the topic in manufacturing for many years. This is because there is an older workforce who are retiring with extensive domain knowledge. There are not enough young people interested in manufacturing.Sundblad believes that the issue of job availability is more important than job attraction. Although there are many manufacturing jobs, working in a factory or making parts is not as appealing as working at a Silicon Valley startup with a ping-pong table and free kombucha.Sundblad states that if you want to draw young people into the manufacturing industry, you need to make it compelling. This means giving people the opportunity to experience the results of their work, offering digital tools and making cool, impactful things. These are the things young people want.Tech to the rescueHowever, it is not all doom & gloom. Sundblad is optimistic, despite the challenges the manufacturing industry faces (and will face over the next few years). He believes it is possible to solve some of the industry's problems with the right technology.He explains that COVID was a major catalyst for new technology in manufacturing. Before COVID, augmented reality was just a shiny toy. It was a nice thing to have but not necessary so nobody used it. AR became a tremendous asset when workers couldn't travel to factories, and it was necessary to limit the number of workers on the factory floor. The right tech enabled factory floor operators to get instant guidance from technicians and solve problems much faster.Sundblad also claims that manufacturers are rapidly adopting technology like A.I. and machine learning. This is not only to replace factory workers. These systems are often designed to assist human laborers and make certain jobs more efficient.He says that these tools enable manufacturers to analyze and optimize the way they make their products. This will allow you to make things quicker, more efficiently, and save you both time and energy. It's a sustainable boost for everyone.Technology won't solve all manufacturing problems, but there are good reasons to believe that it can help manufacturers become more stable and resilient.Recommendations of Editors
