The use of automation in industry has been expanding for quite some time, but the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath will significantly speed up innovation and adoption. For the past several decades, manufacturing and engineering companies have been required to be agile and innovative, designing their systems and processes to be flexible and efficient to meet fast-changing market demands. More and more, companies are developing connected systems that collect and distribute data, helping internal and external customers to monitor and optimize productivity and safety. Now that the world has been dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, the question is, how can automation help us recover faster and keep our workers safer?
Today, IoT has made its way into industrial applications, using sensor, GPS, Bluetooth and wireless technology to monitor and predict maintenance issues, automate processes, track inventory and waste levels, and monitor human activity. Forward-thinking companies in the business of production, maintenance and transportation of physical goods will be looking to the industrial IoT to expand their capabilities, create efficiencies and cultivate game-changing business models.
By now, most of the industrialized world understands the future workforce is changing due to demographics, technological advancement and recent pandemic considerations. Smart technologies will open doors to new ideas and ways of working, enabling more efficient and sustainable manufacturing and safer delivery of products, maintenance and systems.