How edge computing can reshape the manufacturing sector
Edge computing is powering a new kind of factory, where intelligent cameras oversee production lines and robots work safely alongside humans. Driven by Internet of Things (IoT) sensors attached to machines on the factory floor, edge computing is enabling manufacturers to cut repair costs, respond rapidly to problems and keep workers safe. For many manufacturing businesses, this is also enabling better, faster decision making inside the factory and out. But it also holds the potential to completely transform manufacturing in the longer term, changing the way the world makes and consumes products.
Edge computing is crucial to managing industrial data, because edge moves the compute into the plant itself, allowing for rapid response where the data is generated. For example, a manufacturer might move compute into cameras overseeing the production line, robotics or the factory floor, or directly into the Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) which monitor machines.
Better decisions, faster
Bringing the compute closer to the data has several key advantages, from enabling faster decisions to bringing the business together. The first is the speed of response. An IoT sensor on a production line should not need to send data to the cloud and back again to alert people something is wrong. Edge enables real-time decision-making, and paves the way for smarter work, including agile manufacturing, where manufacturers can scale production up and down rapidly in response to demand.
This also makes it easier for manufacturers to avoid expensive downtime by repairing machines before they break. By bringing factory equipment online via IoT sensors and edge, manufacturers can monitor a machine’s ‘vital signs’ in real time, using AI to predict potential failures. With AI systems informing operators of potential issues, manufacturers can move to predictive or even prescriptive maintenance, where machines are repaired long before they fail. This not only improves the efficiency of the factory, but extends the life of machines.
Connecting to the wider world
Edge computing can also be a key driver for digital transformation within manufacturing organizations, connecting the parts of the business inside and outside factory walls. By connecting factory IT or operational technologies (OT) to the broader business, leaders can break down data silos, reaping valuable insights and uniting the workforce. Many manufacturing professionals are now realizing that to be competitive, they must fully integrate technology into their business, and edge computing is the first step in that process.
Edge IoT and AI help manufacturers to integrate, consolidate and digitalize their manufacturing operation, thanks to the data they hold. This has value beyond the factory itself, enabling managers to truly understand their processes for the first time, while also transforming the business by improving quality control, safeguarding workers and detecting anomalies. Connecting the smart factory to other areas such as supply chain, procurement and research and development, helps business leaders uncover new perspectives and ideas. As factories move towards being more connected, digital twins of factories (virtual versions displaying data from sensors in real time) will enable managers and engineers to simulate different scenarios and outcomes without suspending production.
In logistics, using edge computing within warehouses can enable leaders to move away from managing hardware and software, freeing up employees to work on higher-priority tasks and bigger business priorities. Recently we’ve seen global tech startups use servers to transmit data to and from hundreds of robots across warehouses. Edge servers mean that robots can work safely and efficiently, meaning that logistics companies can deliver faster for customers.
Redefining manufacturing
Over the longer term, edge computing, IoT and AI could enable the manufacturing industry to change the way it works entirely. ‘Smart factories’ can enable leaders in the manufacturing sector to test out new business models in how to approach manufacturing. One of the more radical ideas is manufacturing-as-a-service. Similarly to how many cloud-based software platforms are used today, businesses could pay for manufacturing time in lean, connected factories powered by edge computing and IoT sensors on an on-demand basis, which can create different products month by month.
This approach could radically disrupt the entire sector, drastically lowering the bar for companies hoping to make and sell products, reducing set-up times and fostering new ways of working for manufacturing businesses. The process of taking a product from the concept to a reality will become far faster, and this ability to outsource production at speed might one day also enable new ways to buy, with customers able to order bespoke products, or even designing their own.
The factory of the future
The potent combination of edge computing, IoT sensors and AI will lead to factories that are faster, more efficient, safer and cheaper to run. This will enable manufacturers to understand their plants and products like never before, dealing with problems before they happen, inspiring smarter decisions and further innovation. Edge technology has the potential to reshape the way manufacturing works, enabling a new faster-moving era for the sector.
By Anthony Sayers
Anthony Sayers is GSI Lead Solution Consultant – Lenovo UK&I, Northern Europe & Western Europe. Lenovo is a $57 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #248 in the Fortune Global 500, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver Smarter Technology for All, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest PC company with a full-stack portfolio of AI-enabled, AI-ready, and AI-optimized devices (PCs, workstations, smartphones, tablets), infrastructure (server, storage, edge, high performance computing and software defined infrastructure), software, solutions, and services.