According to Huffington Post, manufacturing was once regarded as the most typical blue collar industry, but now it has become an exciting new technology and innovation center. These advanced technologies are bringing unimaginable changes to the manufacturing industry 10 years ago, whether in terms of speed, efficiency, precision or customization. Huffington Post selected six revolutionary technologies that changed the manufacturing industry in 2016.

1.3D Print

After thoroughly changing the field of product design, 3D printing technology is setting off a new wave in the manufacturing industry. The ability to design and create anything with metal, plastic or even human tissue in 3D printing will completely change the way we make products. 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, has many advantages, including greatly reducing the time from design to production, making it easier to manufacture personalized and small batch prototype products, making production more flexible, less wasteful, and more cost-effective. 3D printing technology is still in its infancy and will become better and better over time.

2. "Internet of Things"

Since the early days of the Industrial Revolution, one of the main goals of manufacturing plants has been to achieve connectivity. By closely combining machines, sensors and humans, the "Internet of Things" will push this goal to a new level. Closer connection means better communication, faster response time and higher efficiency. For example, suppose that a manufacturing company has a device that can never contain less than 100 gallons of liquid in its system. Instruments are attached to the equipment, and the "Internet of Things" can use the instruments to transmit data wirelessly. These data will be transferred to the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). When the liquid drops to a specific standard, the system can automatically generate a work order. This connectivity helps manufacturing plants reduce maintenance costs, improve efficiency, and prevent costly downtime. In the next few years, the "Internet of Things" will significantly enhance and improve production and operation activities.

3. Nanotechnology

It is undeniable that it still takes more time for nanotechnology to be integrated into the mainstream industry, but it is crucial to change the manufacturing industry. Nanotechnology involves operations at the atomic, molecular or supramolecular level. For traditional manufacturing, this means that materials can be strengthened to make them last longer or be endowed with new properties, such as clothes can feel warm and cold. In the computer industry, nanotechnology can provide faster processing power and better memory. At present, nanotechnology is mainly used in space engineering and biotechnology. However, it is also being applied to the manufacturing industry. The next step will be applied to atomic precision manufacturing (APM), which is likely to change the entire manufacturing industry.

4. Cloud computing

Cloud computing has been applied to many fields, and is now having a huge impact on the manufacturing industry. The reason why cloud computing is now applied to manufacturing is that there are connectivity and security problems in cloud computing. But as cloud computing advances, these concerns will fade. The "Internet of Things" can improve the connectivity of a single factory, while cloud computing can improve the connectivity of multiple factories. Companies can share data globally in the blink of an eye, reducing costs and shortening production time. In terms of improving product quality and consistency between factories, data sharing has a long way to go.

5. Next generation robot

Last year, the Dongguan factory in China was the world's first, replacing 650 human workers with 60 mechanical arms. Changying Precision Technology Co., Ltd., the parent company of the factory, plans to replace 80% of the manufacturing workers with 1000 mechanical arms next year. The massive adoption of robots may cause many problems. Full automation may be beneficial to ordinary production, but theorists say it is not conducive to innovation. However, it is undeniable that robot technology will play a huge role in manufacturing.

6. Augmented Reality

Although the Google Glass project has failed, the concept of augmented reality glasses has survived. In the manufacturing industry, this technology has broad potential, including real-time instruction/guidance, real-time notification, real-time monitoring of staff tasks, improving safety warnings, improving training efficiency, data retrieval, and reducing the need for on-site maintenance/technical support. Like the above five technologies, augmented reality technology is still in its infancy. It is exciting to see its growth and evolution in the next few years.