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Explore digital transformation in the context of manufacturing, including ongoing trends and ways to overcome perceived barriers. This is the first article in an ongoing series about digital transformation.

The past decade has seen significant technological shifts and evolving market demands that have driven the manufacturing sector toward digital solutions. You’ve likely heard the term ‘digital transformation’ by now, as it represents the industry-wide shift from outdated, siloed tools to streamlined, all-in-one solutions. This article will explore what digital transformation means in the context of the manufacturing industry, ongoing trends that support the need for a full digital shift, and how to overcome perceived barriers to digital transformation with the right tools. 

What does digital transformation mean for the manufacturing industry?

Digital transformation in manufacturing involves integrating digital technology across all business areas, fundamentally altering how operations are conducted, and value is delivered. This shift includes adopting digital tools and processes across production lines, shop floors, supply chain management, and customer interactions. The ultimate goal is to boost efficiency, increase flexibility, and provide deeper operational insights, enabling manufacturers to make informed decisions and innovate more effectively. 

Digital transformation is closely linked to Industry 4.0, representing the fourth industrial revolution. This revolution is marked by a fusion of technologies that blur the lines between physical and digital spheres. Industry 4.0 is propelled by interconnected and intelligent systems such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and cloud computing. These technologies collectively elevate the manufacturing process through unprecedented connectivity and automation, making manufacturing more intelligent, efficient, and adaptable. As such, digital transformation is the foundational shift enabling Industry 4.0, preparing manufacturers to effectively meet current demands and future challenges. 

Digital ‘trends’ in manufacturing that are here to stay

Even in the last 18 months, we’ve seen technological releases that have exponentially built on the last. It can be difficult to weed through the constant innovations and advancements to determine which ones to implement in your business. However, when looking at capabilities that have already fundamentally digitally transformed businesses, it’s clear that four trends stand out as easy to deploy with massive upside value.  

Automation

Advances in robotics and AI have expanded the range of automatable tasks, extending from simple assembly line functions to complex decision-making processes. But you don’t need robot cells and the newest AI tools to deploy automation in your daily practice. You can automate low or non-value-added tasks in software in dozens of ways. 

Consider how often a machinist must apply the same workflow to a dozen parts in a week. This repetitiveness is a waste of a skilled machinist’s time, which could be better spent problem-solving elsewhere. The CAM Assist Add-on for Autodesk Fusion automates toolpath strategy creation and easily integrates with existing setups. It harnesses AI technology to assess 3D models and applies 3-axis toolpaths reducing toolpath time by up to 80%. This allows machinists to focus on the complex multi-axis hard-to-machine parts required in today’s product development.

By intelligently building automation into our software, you can reduce cycle times, rework, and, even better, boost operational throughput. Automation enhances operational efficiency, reduces human error, increases product quality, and lowers production costs, thereby reshaping manufacturing floors. 

Collaboration

The rise of digital collaboration tools has transformed interactions within big and small manufacturing companies across their supply chains. These tools facilitate real-time data sharing and communication, enabling synchronized operations and swift decision-making—critical capabilities in the fast-paced global market.  

Consider for a moment how many times you’ve worked on a single file only to discover that a newer version with different constraints has been put into the cycle. Autodesk Fusion is cloud-based, which inherently enables teams to work alongside each other and leave feedback in the same model in real time. Additionally, version control means that all stakeholders involved in a project have access to the most updated version of a model at all times. 

Eliminating poor collaboration and line of sight in the product design and make process is the most straightforward way to digitally transform your process, especially when working across time zones, capabilities, and potentially even language barriers.  

Supply Chain Resiliency

Recent global events, including pandemics and geopolitical tensions, have highlighted the importance of agile supply chains in manufacturing. As manufacturing operates globally, it is directly impacted by these scenarios. Advanced digital technologies enhance supply chain transparency and resilience by providing complete visibility or “line of sight” at the model level.  

Fusion Operations is production management and production floor tracking software that provides access to real-time production analytics. It enables the managing, monitoring, and analysis of the entire production trajectory from scheduling to the administration of teams, equipment, and materials.  

This additional visibility allows superior material tracking, swift adaptation to disruptions, and optimized processes. Such enhancements also improve overall supply chain management and ensure manufacturers can respond quickly and effectively to dynamic global conditions, maintaining operational continuity and meeting customer demands efficiently. 

Customization and Personalization

Digital tools have enabled manufacturers to more effectively meet growing consumer demands for customized and personalized products. Customers increasingly seek products that cater to their specific needs and are more conscious of where they spend their time and resources. Advanced data analytics and digital design tools allow for rapid prototyping and modifications, thus reducing time-to-market and enhancing customer satisfaction. 

Successful customization relies on agile processes. Configurations in Fusion’s manufacturing workspace assist machinists in multiple workholding scenarios for continually evolving parts. This capability ensures manufacturers can respond to customer demand and input at a pace previously unattainable in consumer products and production. The ability to adapt quickly meets and anticipates customer preferences, offering a significant competitive advantage in today’s fast-evolving market. 

Perceived barriers to digital transformation

Despite its clear advantages, perceived barriers can hinder the adoption of digital transformation in manufacturing. Like any change, it requires consideration of its impacts. However, the tools and methods introduced are designed to streamline operations, meaning that perceived barriers are challenges that can be surmounted through adoption.  

For example, while there can be a significant gap between the digital skills available within an organization and those needed to utilize new technologies effectively, targeted training programs and partnerships with tech providers can bridge this gap efficiently. Such initiatives can upskill staff quickly, ensuring they can manage and benefit from new technological tools. 

Additionally, digitizing legacy systems can raise concerns about complicating processes and causing significant downtime. However, phased implementation strategies can gradually integrate new digital tools, ensuring adjustments do not overwhelm existing systems.  

When considering these barriers, it’s essential to recognize that digital transformation fundamentally involves efficiently managing processes and data to add value to businesses. Consider the introduction of Kanban cards in manufacturing—a new process might initially seem daunting, but just as a simple card system can significantly reduce downtime by preventing raw material shortages; similarly, adopting digital innovations can streamline production, reduce waste, and enhance responsiveness. This mindset shift is crucial for overcoming initial resistance and realizing the potential benefits of digital transformation. 

Opportunities and business benefits

Now that we’ve addressed a few barriers to digital transformation, let’s explore the benefits those who make the switch enjoy. Digital transformation presents several opportunities to benefit businesses, far outweighing the perceived challenges significantly. The advantages of embracing digital technologies extend across various facets of manufacturing, offering transformative impacts that revolutionize operations. Here are four key opportunities that immediately come to mind: 

1. Increased Operational Efficiency: Digital tools streamline operations, significantly reduce waste, enhance production speed, and lower downtime through predictive maintenance and real-time monitoring. 

2. Enhanced Product Innovation: Advanced analytics and digital modeling accelerate the innovation cycle, enabling faster iterations and introducing products that more effectively meet evolving market needs. 

3. Customer Satisfaction: Digital integration allows for greater product customization and faster response times, leading to higher customer satisfaction and retention. 

4. Agile Supply Chain: Enhanced data visibility and analytics lead to a more responsive and resilient supply chain, capable of swiftly adapting to changes and disruptions. 

These opportunities help overcome initial perceived challenges and position manufacturers to excel in a competitive global market, enhancing capabilities in efficiency, innovation, and customer engagement.  

Digital adoption’s transformative potential reshapes the manufacturing landscape, offering tangible benefits that extend beyond immediate operational improvements to long-term strategic advantages in the global marketplace. Autodesk Fusion and its Fusion Industry Cloud are at the center of Industry 4.0, where AI, advanced manufacturing, automation, and data converge. It reimagines product lifecycle workflows, streamlines information access, and facilitates seamless data connectivity across entire organizations, making it an ideal solution for manufacturers looking to modernize.