Asia-Pacific region's Smart Manufacturing takes off with mind of its own

Smart manufacturing set to grow

Smart technology looks set to be deployed far more widely across the manufacturing industry in the coming years, new research suggests.

According to Zebra Technologies Corporation, 46 per cent of manufacturers in the Asia Pacific region are likely to have a fully connected factory by 2022. This is almost three times the current figure.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) in particular looks set to become much more widely used, along with wearable technologies and automated systems that manage the physical processes of the factory.

More than three-quarters of those polled said they expect to adopt a more holistic approach to production, supply chain and workforce management by 2020. This is up from less than half at present.

Priorities for manufacturers

While 55 per cent of manufacturers regard quality as their key concern today, this is expected to fall to 35 per cent by 2022.

This could be a reflection of the confidence they have in the technology they are increasingly seeking to deploy, as many executives feel sure quality-related issues will be less of a concern further down the line.

Indeed, the level of technology use is set to soar over the next five years. Wearable technology use is likely to grow from 33 per cent to 65 per cent, while location tracking use is tipped to increase from 38 per cent to 51 per cent.

Use of voice technology, meanwhile, is estimated to increase from 45 per cent to 51 per cent and use of mobile technology is anticipated to grow from 27 per cent to 72 per cent.

Some 55 per cent of manufacturers surveyed said they will implement real-time location systems over the next five years, while 48 per cent will be using RFID by 2022.

Just-in-Time notifications will also be more widely used, with 44 per cent expecting to enable this option in five years' time.

Almost half (48 per cent) of high-tech manufacturers expect to be adopting this approach by 2022, along with 40 per cent of those in pharmaceuticals, 36 per cent of those in the food and beverage sectors and 35 per cent of car makers.

Ryan Goh, vice president and general manager of Zebra Technologies Asia Pacific, believes the findings show manufacturers are moving into a new era where expectations of faster and higher quality production are greater, along with highly competitive margins.

"This trend is especially relevant for Asia Pacific - a region often regarded as the manufacturing hub of the world," he observed.

"The study shows that savvy manufacturers have started to invest in smart factory technologies to reap benefits such as enhanced productivity, increased visibility, and the ability to predict demands."

Mr Goh added that as manufacturing moves "toward Industry 4.0", this trend will continue expanding and shaping the sector of the next few years.