"Smart Manufacturing Rests On Three Pillars: PROCESS, TECHNOLOGY, And PEOPLE"

Driven by rapid innovation and rising expectations, the electronics industry stands at the crossroads of smart manufacturing, digital transformation, and sustainability. How do these go hand in hand? Delving deep, Prashant Kumkar from Tata Technologies broke down this transition at the EFY Expo in Pune.

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Electronics and smart manufacturing: A mutual drive for progress

We know that electronics not only enable smart manufacturing in factories but that smart manufacturing itself drives progress in electronics component production. These elements complement and reinforce each other rather than being entirely dependent.

World over the industry is experiencing strong growth, with a global compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 10%. In India, growth is even higher, often surpassing this benchmark. Against this backdrop, examining the broader trends in smart manufacturing that are reshaping the industrial landscape becomes essential.

Manufacturing trends and technology selection

There are many manufacturing technologies available in the market. However, the real challenge lies in identifying and applying the right technology to address specific industry problems. This process requires significant time, effort, and an understanding of both the technology landscape and aligning it with business priorities.

Some digital technologies, such as PLM, ERP, and MES, and their integration, must be deployed horizontally across the factory, including different departments and functions. While some technologies can be planned on a point-to-point basis, for instance, automating manual processes, material movement, and quality inspection using robots, cobots, AMRs (autonomous mobile robots), and AI-computer vision, it is vital to assess which processes can be digitised, focusing on whether they add value in OpEx reduction and improve quality and safety.

Factory health and performance