How AI is Transforming Maintenance and Manufacturing In 2023 and What is Needed in the Future

When we think of artificial intelligence, we often jump to the futuristic, revolutionary, world-changing scenes portrayed in the latest science fiction movies. We envision things like robots taking over the world. In reality, the best AI applications will be sort of knit into the fabric of our daily lives, improving them without really being detected.

For example, generative AI tools that can create or edit images can portray or communicate visual ideas more accurately and creatively than ever. We’re starting to see amazing?images that look real, not computer generated.?Text-to-voice technology?is improving every day, and once AI “learns” an individual’s voice and cadence, it can imitate so well that no one will know the difference–not even the person it’s imitating. And AI can now?create human faces?that appear to be real individuals but are only digital images. I believe the best AI will work behind the scenes without us even realizing it’s AI.

How AI is Being Used in Today’s Manufacturing and Distribution Facilities

Within the manufacturing sector, the same phenomenon is already starting to happen. Some companies are employing lights-out manufacturing, producing everyday products primarily using AI-driven robots. For example, Phillips?manufacturers electric razors using fewer than 12 people alongside 128 robots. Ideally, you won’t know whether human workers or robots manufacture the things you use–they will just continue to improve in quality and remain affordable.

We all know that part of?Amazon’s success has been attributed to highly automated distribution facilities. The mammoth organization has been able to revolutionize the speed of shopping and home delivery for all of us due to its shelf-moving, box-carrying, and item-picking robots. Over the last several years, companies like?Waymo and Daimler Trucking have been working together to develop self-driving trucks?that will eventually improve distribution of products even further.

I’ve also seen AI-related technology at work on the manufacturing shop floor utilizing cameras that watched production lines 24/7. That camera learned what “normal” looked like for that particular product line, successfully detected anomalies, and alerted human operators to inspect or address defects.

Although these types of AI applications are not flashy or super exciting, they are making a big difference in our manufacturing plants and, ultimately, in the daily lives of customers. Technology is at the point where AI, machine learning, and algorithms can be fairly easily embraced and implemented to start making a difference in manufacturing and maintenance.

3 Near-Term Opportunities for AI in Manufacturing

I believe there are three key areas where AI is making a big difference today:?predictive maintenance, quality control and energy efficiency. AI has the ability to enable every employee to be ten times more efficient and effective. With the ongoing and serious labor shortage our?manufacturing companies are facing, we need to take advantage of this technology right now.

According to Accenture,?only 12 percent of companies are “AI achievers”, or those that have successfully differentiated AI strategies and achieved operational value. There’s a lot of room for companies to step up and give AI solutions a try within their organizations. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Predictive Maintenance. Simple technologies such as employing?internet of things sensors?on critical assets can move condition-based maintenance forward. Implement sensors that can track things like temperature, humidity and vibration around-the-clock, alerting maintenance staff when measurements fall out of range, indicating possible impending failure. Resolution or repair can be initiated immediately, reducing the chance of unplanned downtime or even more expensive failure.
• Quality Control. Machine vision and deep learning are the keys to?AI-powered cameras?that can deliver higher levels of quality control on the manufacturing line. Once an individual determines what characteristics indicate a quality problem, the system can select products with potential defects, “learning” with each inspection.

• Energy Efficiency.?Not only can?AI make a big difference within the energy sector?itself, but?companies are beginning to develop solutions that can help manufacturers save energy?and reduce costs and emissions. Solutions may include sensors that send alerts when acceptable ranges of temperatures or electric usage are exceeded on a critical asset or track and monitor HVAC performance within a building itself.

Data is Key to Powering AI in the Future

I believe that comprehensive, accurate, accessible data will be the key to accelerating the application of AI in the future for manufacturing and maintenance. I know many manufacturers are collecting immense amounts of data from their equipment already; the problem is that it’s often stuck in silos or on on-prem servers.

If data is not stored properly, not accessible to those who need it, or simply not being used, it’s an untapped asset. The next step for many organizations is to find a way to collect the right data and unlock the data they have. Then, AI, machine learning, and advanced algorithms can be used to truly fuel smarter business decisions that will reduce downtime, increase productivity, and positively affect the bottom line.