Page 10


www.us-tech.com


TechWaTch June 2025


A Sustainable Future Relies on Flexible Manufacturing Adoption


By Hermann Reiter, Senior Director — Supplier Business Development, DigiKey


build a more sustainable future has never been greater. The road to a greener tomorrow is filled with environmental and logisti- cal challenges that require a uni- fied approach across manufac- turers, distributors and supply chains to create effective new ap- proaches and systems. Traditional manufacturing


A


models are known for prioritiz- ing efficiency over sustainability — and being resource-intensive. A truly sustainable future de- mands a paradigm shift. Flexible manufacturing systems offer a promising path forward. By em- bracing adaptability and agility, manufacturers can reduce waste, optimize resource utilization and start adopting principles of circu- larity where resources are con- tinuously recycled and reused. While there is still much


work to be done, many leaders and companies in the manufac- turing industry are already col- laborating and using their inno- vative technologies to leverage data, analytics and automation to help customers make more in-


s technological advance- ment rapidly propels us forward, the pressure to


formed decisions, choose smarter products, implement sustainable practices, reduce greenhouse emissions and more. As a leading global electron-


ic components distributor, along with several of its supplier part- ners, DigiKey has firsthand in- sight into the positive impact of the digitalization movement and how it’s helping reduce every- thing from energy use to water consumption, inefficient labor hours and excessive costs in manufacturing facilities across sectors.


Prioritizing a Sustainable Future


While the global manufac-


turing industry is gaining signif- icant momentum on sustainabil- ity goals, European leaders and government officials are leading the charge. The European Union aims to be an economy with net- zero greenhouse gas emissions. Parliament adopted the EU Cli- mate Law in June 2021 to reduce emissions by 55% by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050. These ambitious targets necessi- tate a fundamental shift across all sectors of the economy, with


manufacturing playing a pivotal role.


While the pressure to decar-


bonize has been high, the Euro- pean Union is on the road to streamlining and simplifying its sustainability rules, such as re- porting requirements and com- pliance deadlines, for corpora- tions through a new proposed omnibus regulation. If approved, the goal is to reduce administra- tive and reporting burdens on companies and unlock more busi- ness investment in sustainabili- ty efforts,


According to the 2023 IDC


Global Sustainability Readiness Survey, 45% of EMEA manufac- turers noted sustainability-relat- ed requirements from business partners as a top driver for oper- ationalizing sustainability, fol- lowed by mitigating risks associ- ated with non-sustainable opera- tions and improving brand repu- tation.


A Call for Flexibility With important drivers in


place, the shift to flexible manu- facturing is positively impacting sustainability and efficiency ef- forts. One DigiKey supplier —


Analog Devices Inc. (ADI), a global semiconductor leader in security, AV and low-voltage products — is seeing this impact. ADI customers are investing in adaptable manufacturing within their own plants. This enables production lines to be changed quickly when necessary, building capabilities to react faster to dif- ferent regional requirements. Flexible manufacturing is a


production method that allows manufacturers to quickly pivot with changes in product demand. It uses automation to manage production processes and can en- able the following outcomes: By responding quickly to


changing market demands and minimizing overproduction, manufacturers can reduce mate- rial waste and lower environ- mental impact. For example, if battery longevity in the electron- ics market can be improved, products like mobile phones can last longer or be more readily re- cycled.


Data-Driven Sustainability Digital technologies are cru-


cial to sustainable manufactur- ing. Digital signals are data points generated by sensors and machines in a factory. These sig- nals are then converted into a digital format to be analyzed and used to monitor, control and opti- mize production processes, pro- vide real-time insights and im- prove efficiency levels. Reports generated by con-


nected solutions can indicate ma- chine status, product quality, material levels and other meas- ures in real-time through embed- ded vision systems. This allows for better quality control, predic- tive maintenance scheduling and overall process efficiency. By connecting digital sig-


nals and data across the value chain, manufacturers can gain valuable insights into their envi- ronmental footprint. An example is a smart dust collector in a manufacturing facility that pro- vides real-time updates on air- flow quality, differential pres- sure and production runs from a single dashboard.


Logistics as a Lever


When considering how to op- Continued on page 21


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72