Taking baby steps on the path to autonomous operations
It seems that autonomous operations are finally within our grasp with the maturation of the various component technologies. But does that mean we are about to enter the autonomous age? Connected Technology Solutions spoke to Grant Coffin, technology consultant team lead of Rockwell Automation, for his views. Is autonomous operation still an ambition? I probably […]
Sector Report: Food and beverage – A circular ambition for post-consumer waste
SAP and Topolytics are working on the COP26 Waste Insights Project, which will unify and analyse data from consumer goods, retailers, waste managers, investors, NGOs and local government. According to a SAP Qualtrics WEF Survey at DAVOS 2020, 61 per cent of people globally do not have access to or know how to use recycling infrastructure. […]
Sector Report: Food and Beverage – A tale of five challenges
Enterprise software company, Infors, outline the top five issues that food and beverage manufacturers currently face. The high-level issues facing food and beverage manufacturers today might feel like the same challenges the industry has been dealing with for years, but the context in which these challenges exist has changed dramatically. Consumer demand for greater product […]
Roundtable – Digital Twins
The popularity of digital twin technology has grown exponentially over the past few years, with its manufacturing and supply chain role continuing to expand at scale. Connected Technology Solutions gathered three of the sector’s leading experts of the technology – John J Roffel, global solution architect, Honeywell Connected Industrial, Mark Coates, strategic industry engagements director, […]
The new digital normal sales paradigm
Although the food industry experienced a massive surge in e-commerce because of COVID-19, it is still unfortunately behind the curve when it comes to digital transformation of the customer experience at the increasingly multiple points of sale. Planning in the current climate is consuming management teams across the whole food supply chain, just as the […]
When smart meets legacy
One of the challenges that manufacturers face when starting their digitisation journey is how to deal with legacy machines. Much of this equipment predates the digital evolution and lack the sensors and network capability required to integrate into a smart factory. But a tactic of rip and replace is not the only option, as Connected […]
Digitally transforming businesses with robotic process automation
Dr Paul Rivers, managing director of Guidance Automation highlights how robotic process automation (RPA) is an area of technology that will continue to drive business transformation, but only if implemented correctly. Robotic process automation (RPA) is an IT solution which brings both humans and software together to find ways of streamlining mundane processes, in turn, […]
How the manufacturing industry can be more resilient in 2021
Rohit Gupta, VP and head of products and resources, Cognizant explains that by equipping the manufacturing industry with the necessary digital tools, they can gain invaluable foresight and build the resiliency needed to recover from the current crisis. The COVID crisis has forced many manufacturing companies to pause production or even close their doors for […]
Five things quality leaders must prioritise in 2021
Eric Stoop, CEO, Ease explains why quality will be a characteristic that defines the winners and losers in the post-pandemic world. As the UK manufacturing sector continues its economic recovery, albeit slowly, a feeling of optimism is spreading throughout the industry as vaccines against COVID-19 continue to be rolled out. And while this creates a […]
Magnetic levitation shuttle system drives transition to adaptive manufacturing
ABB is partnering with Canada’s PMI to expand its machine automation offering: The integration of PMI’s magnetic levitation technology into the company’s Machine Automation Division’s (B&R) portfolio will accelerate industry’s transition from strictly linear production to an open, adaptive manufacturing space. This will support B&R customers in the transition to highly flexible and precise manufacturing […]
The increasing importance of alternative data
Or Lenchner, CEO of online data collection platform Bright Data, talks about why transparency and ethical data collection are mission-critical elements to organisations, the increasing importance of alternative data, and why he credits surfing to helping him guide his decision-making through the Covid-19 pandemic. Tell us about your journey in the tech sector and […]
The Interconnectivity of 5G and cloud: Unlocking the door to enterprise VR
Lucas San Pedro, CTO, Immerse explains how 5G and cloud computing can herald a new era of virtual reality. The workplace has changed beyond recognition in the last year, and business leaders are recognising the need to revolutionise their training methods to equip their teams for an uncertain future. As traditional classroom-based training models become […]
Living on the edge
Hannes Gredler, CTO and founder of RtBrick explains why telco operators need to implement disaggregation at the edge The telco market is in a state of flux. This year has brought about a global pandemic that has radically shifted consumer behaviour and challenged operators’ future-ready and efficient network infrastructure perspectives. With so much demand from […]
Driving value engineering with targeted technology
Digital transformation is important for smaller engineering firms – but a one-size-fits-all approach is not the answer. Chris Joy, Operations Director at Tadcaster-based engineering firm Tadweld, outlines what digital transformation means in the real world. It is vital in every industry to make the most of technology and innovation, and few more so than engineering. […]
Close to the Edge
Gartner defines edge computing as a part of a distributed computing topology in which information processing is located close to the edge – where things and people produce or consume that information. For manufacturing, which deals in huge amounts of data that ability to collect, analyse and act upon data close to the process can […]
A step into the unknown
Richard Farrell, chief innovation officer at Netcall explains why automation is the key to accelerating change in an increasingly uncertain marketplace. Whilst businesses continue to battle the ongoing ramifications of the pandemic, many are moving away from firefighting mode and thoughts have now turned to future planning. However, with further uncertainty ahead for UK businesses – […]
Building antifragility into manufacturing
Bill Murray, senior researcher and advisor, Leading Edge Forum, looks at how manufacturers can adapt to deal with future shocks. 2020 has tested the metal of manufacturers across the world and the global pandemic, without doubt, has been the biggest catalyst for digital transformation in the last five years. It has tested the agility of […]
Removing the pause button on digital transformation
Ben Barry, Director, Coeus Consulting explains why the last 12 months highlighted the urgency of prioritising and accelerating programmes that focus directly on increasing revenues, improving customer experience, improving operational continuity, or optimising the current cost base – while pausing or stopping others. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, organisations were already under immense pressure to increase the […]
Grounds for optimism after a turbulent two years
Maya Xiao, research analyst, Interact Analysis China gives an insight to their Collaborative Robot Market 2021–28 report In its latest report on the collaborative robot market, Interact Analysis has revised downwards the growth predictions made in our 2019 report. The main factor behind this downward revision is, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are other […]
Greater adoption urged of high-efficiency motors to combat climate change
In a new whitepaper, ABB has revealed potential for significant energy efficiency improvements in industry and infrastructure enabled by the latest and most high-efficiency motors and variable speed drives. ABB calls on governments and industry to accelerate adoption of the technology to help combat climate change. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), industry accounts […]
Global 2020 contraction lower than expected
The latest quarterly update to the Manufacturing Industry Output (MIO) Tracker from Interact Analysis reveals unexpectedly strong overall global manufacturing performance. This is an upward revision on the previous MIO updates. At the most pessimistic point, we forecast a -4 per cent contraction in industrial output for China. But the country’s rigorous suppression of the […]
