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INDUSTRY 4.0 & IIoT MINIMISING INDUSTRY DISRUPTION
Andy Barrett, Domino Printing Sciences, explores how automation can help manage worker shortages and variation in demand
2020 forced many organisations to abandon traditional processes and embrace new technologies in order to remain operational. Fast forward to today and labour shortages, rising transport costs, and ongoing travel restrictions have caused disruptions to global supply chains. The good news for manufacturers, is that
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many of these same technologies can help mitigate the risk of supply chain disruption. Also, they are now more cost-effective and accessible than ever before allowing more industries to unlock greater operational efficiency, embrace fluctuations in production demand, and mitigate supply chain risks Worker shortages are in part due to continued
self-isolation and sickness, as well as reduced capability to travel across borders leading to demand for local worker reskilling. In addition, many industries have experienced higher staff turnover rates over the last 18 months, as the disruption has led to workers rethinking career choices – leaving gaps in employment, knowledge and experience. Prior to the pandemic, US statistics revealed
that 38% of manufacturers had trouble finding candidates with the right skills; a number that today sits at 54%, according to the Workforce Institute at UKG. In addition, global labour productivity growth is at a 20-year low of less than -2% – negative growth for the first time since the global recession of 2008. We also are facing a global shortage of
shipping containers, inflated shipping and energy costs, and significant fluctuations in demand across industries – all of which combine to drive demand for local products and increase pressure on local supply chains. In March last year, during the height of the
pandemic, King Arthur – American’s oldest flour company – sold approximately 6.1 million bags of all-purpose flour – a 268% increase from the previous year. Today, while flour demand seems
he COVID-19 pandemic has been hugely disruptive to global business operations over the last 18 months. The lockdowns of
to have stabilised, supply and demand variabilities are causing issues in many
other sectors. In the UK, high demand for CO2 is putting
pressure on food and beverage supply lines, there is ongoing disruption in industrial sectors with extruded plastic goods facing delays, and shortages of aggregates, cement, and plaster. We are also seeing an increased global demand for microchips (for automotive, home appliances, consoles, and mobile phones), furniture, and high-end luxury goods. In many industries, fluctuations in demand,
including seasonal demand, have traditionally been addressed using short-term, largely unskilled workers to dynamically increase and decrease production. But today, these workers are not necessarily available. So, what is the solution?
Embrace Automation
The last 18 months have demonstrated the real value of Industry 4.0 with businesses embracing automation to help mitigate disruption caused by COVID-19, and other unprecedented challenges. Indeed, governments around the world are increasingly recognising that investment in manufacturing infrastructure, including smart systems and automation, is imperative in order to drive innovation, promote growth, improve GDP, and to navigate the many and varied disruptions to supply chains. When it comes to managing the most
recent supply chain disruptions, these same solutions can help manufacturers flex production up and down, while reducing the reliance on short-term labour. By utilising Industry 4.0 processes, and automating systems to work with limited operator intervention, manufacturers can take care of routine, manual tasks and reduce the number of workers needed on the plant floor. Printers can be networked together to
streamline product changeovers and allow for more production runs in a single shift, increasing productivity and allowing for
greater adaptability to varying demand, while new vision inspection systems can ensure all product codes are correct, without relying on manual – and error-prone checks. Integrating plant machinery and utilising the cloud can also provide options for remote visibility and operation allowing managers to work away from the line and yet stay on top of all production activity. Finally, social distancing’s continued
impact on the ability for workers to interact on the production floor means that connectivity can be a powerful tool for manufacturers to keep production moving. In the current climate, rather than raise
questions of worker replacement, automated systems will help manufacturers cope with volatile demand and worker shortages. At times when demand is ‘normal’, factory workers will have more time to invest in adding value in other areas of the business. In this way, embracing automation can allow companies to embrace a culture of continuous improvement – the Kaizen philosophy. Using the data now available through
connected, cloud-based systems also allows for the easy identification of areas where bottlenecks arise. Introducing automated solutions to identify these issues can help to streamline processes, very quickly unlocking additional benefits from automation. The key is to start small – implement these processes on a micro-level and the improvements will help to justify introducing additional automation farther down the line. With coding automation, automated code
inspection and better visibility of data, manufacturers can overcome issues of worker shortage and volatile demand associated with the pandemic, and can also place themselves in good stead to handle current and future supply chain disruptions.
Domino Printing Sciences
www.domino-printing.com
DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 | PROCESS & CONTROL 41
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