Factory of the Future: New Opportunities for the Digital Generation

By: Todd Deaville , Magna Vice President, Advanced Manufacturing Innovation,?Corporate R&D

Whether you call it Manufacturing 4.0 or the fourth industrial revolution, the new age of manufacturing is upon us. It’s where the digital advances of the previous era converge with physical, biological and even cultural systems to drive our future.??

This revolution in how we work is how I spend my time. I’m exploring what the future can look like by evaluating how AI, data and robots are transforming manufacturing. One of the ways I keep perspective on all this is a photo my father gave me of the original Industrial Revolution — an image of 19th Century British manufacturing mills. It’s where my ancestors worked and it hangs in my office as a reminder that every one of our industrial revolutions started with and was built by people.??

It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t always fair, but industrialization brought opportunities. It changed lives.??

It will be the same with Manufacturing 4.0, but it’s easy to understand the fear and trepidation for what the technological upheaval may mean for jobs, particularly in the transition to electric vehicles. I hear those questions every day, on the ground at Magna’s divisions around the globe.???

The truth is the nature of manufacturing is evolving — just as it has done for more than 125 years. New technologies have always emerged to speed production, increase efficiency and improve quality. That’s nothing new.??

What’s new with Manufacturing 4.0 is the unprecedented integration of advanced technology on the manufacturing floor, but it comes with exciting opportunities for a new generation of workers.??

Transitions take time and require careful training, but the same technology that is changing the nature of vehicles and even our personal devices is also reshaping factories and driving the same level of inspiration. The technology we employ for the Car of the Future is being harnessed for the Factory of the Future.??

Our front-line operators on the assembly line are already employing AI-vision, similar to what is used in active safety systems in vehicles, to enhance quality and troubleshoot potential problems. Rather than traditional tools, these employees are equipped with tablets embedded with AI-vision algorithms.??

We are bridging the gap between human intelligence and machines with such innovations and we’re finding that such technologically advanced environments are conducive to talent from a generation that is digitally native. They’ve grown up with smartphones and continuous connectivity, so the transition to a tech-forward workplace is instinctive and attractive to them.??

And for those concerned that a new world of EVs will mean the elimination of manufacturing jobs, I will remind that the vast majority of assembly processes for an EV are the same as a conventionally-powered vehicle. They have tires, seats and doors to install, just like any other car — and that takes people. They’ll need to have more specialized training for the Factory of the Future, but again, this is a new opportunity for all involved.??

While today’s high-stakes transformation is as revolutionary as the original shift from manual labor to machine-based production in the first Industrial Revolution, there are plenty of reasons for optimism. The demand for creative output is limitless, ensuring that talent will never go to waste. In fact, it can enhance our systems, improve workflow and drive business growth. This truth held for my ancestors and it holds true now, as breakthrough technologies reshape mobility and manufacturing.?

They’re bringing opportunities.?

What are your thoughts on the future of manufacturing and how do you see advanced technology shaping the workforce? Share your insights and join the discussion on the Factory of the Future.?