1. Internet of Things

The thing about the concept of IoT is the fact that it can provide manufacturers with so much information regarding the performance of both equipment and materials in the process. The improvement that it makes in this field comes from the fact that it improves four major manufacturing factors. It improves A) the flow of the production process, B) the use of production recipes, C) the utilization of batch and product details and D) the quality and reliability of test results. All in all, the industrial IoT is a concept that’s definitely worth keeping an eye on.

2. VR training

One of the main reasons why so many manufacturers dread the training process is the fact that there are so many materials mishandled, even outright ruined in the process. Moreover, there are some production scenarios that are simply too dangerous to include in the training process, which means that your staff will be oblivious of them until they encounter them in real life. With the help of the concept of VR training, you can create a greater immersion in the training process and hope for much better end results.

3. Outsourcing of specialized processes

While this trend was present in the past, as well, what’s different nowadays is the sheer volume of available services and the range of services of outsourcing firms. For instance, a company in need of sheet metal fabrication would quite easily be able to find a company that provides designing, cutting, bending, folding, punching, welding and assembly services. This kind of end-to-end sheet metal fabrication can facilitate the process of your own company, make a substantial saving in terms of time, resources and effort, as well as provide a more satisfying end result. Needless to say, a similar service can be found in almost every field necessary.

4. Robotics

Another trend that will increase in its popularity and efficiency in the manufacturing industry is one of the robotization of the manufacturing industry in 2019. There are many advantages of using robots in the workplace, primarily a boost to the overall safety, seeing as how the machinery can’t get injured. Delegating robots to tasks that involve high temperatures and heavy machinery could, therefore, make manufacturing procedures a lot safer. Second, even though robots require expensive maintenance, they work 24/7, don’t charge for the overtime, don’t get sick and will work even during holidays. In other words, it’s an investment in the cost-effectiveness of your operations.

5. AI/machine learning

What machine learning is able to provide the manufacturing industry with is the higher efficiency in forecasting errors (up by 50 percent) and fewer losses of sales (down by 65 percent) due to better product availability. These two trends alone would be more than enough to show just how pivotal this trend is for the manufacturing industry, yet, the advantages seem to be piling up even further. The advantages of this go even beyond the manufacturing process, seeing as how a greater forecast accuracy may help one adjust their supply, production and even price management. The list of advantages keeps going on and on.

In conclusion

The value of the global manufacturing industry is well over $35 trillion and this figure is bound to increase in the future, largely due to the above-listed five trends. Moreover, even though none of the above-listed trends is precisely new, their significance in the industry is going to increase, the volume of their use will skyrocket and their overall effectiveness will reach its pinnacle. Needless to say, all of these factors are what is needed in order to help this, already impressive industry, transcend to the next level of effectiveness.