Is AI really necessary?
As common with buzzwords, there are those within the industry who are questioning whether AI is truly necessary or if it is a marketing gimmick. In considering the practical applications that AI will have on the technology and processes around us, it certainly is more than good marketing. The adoption of AI methodology is the necessary next step in the evolution of manufacturing in order to move the industry forward in a meaningful way. The question is to what degree AI is implemented compared to current industry expectations.
The processes involved in manufacturing have not changed significantly for a very long time. While the production of PCB assemblies has been automated for years, the recent breakthrough has come from using significant amounts of data to make that process even more productive. Now, it is all about optimizing the amount of time that the equipment is operating. The introduction of AI into the manufacturing world ultimately improves equipment effectiveness.
One example of how the design-through-manufacture sector is using a form of AI today is through the use of vision-guided robotics. Sensors and cameras coupled with robotic arms allow for the machine to make placement of materials based on the data it receives. This is automated motion that was not widely used in the past as it was not an economical option. Now, due to the advancements of technology, this sort of sensor-driven process can be used successfully, especially in higher mix environments where the machine must handle variation in the production.
– www.plexus.com
The key to adopting AI principles in the near term is to narrow the scope of integration to specific technologies. Many times, when individuals consider AI, they think of it from a general sense – an all-knowing machine capable of learning everything about the world around it. What is more practical, and will be more effective for companies incorporating intelligent technology, is the focus on how large sets of data can be incorporated to improve the effectiveness of the production at hand. Where there is more data to capture, the more the machine can be programmed to learn patterns and optimize effectiveness of the process.
Where the electronics industry stands today is certainly at a stage of sophisticated manufacturing. Robotics can be defined as “intelligent”, as non-human object take in information, make a decision and reiterate the process. While this does not represent the full scale of what AI can do within manufacturing, it does showcase how the guiding principles of AI are being applied today. The introduction of true, full scale AI is coming, most likely within the customer’s products first before the manufacturing floor. While it may seem a slow process now, in ten years’ time the impact of the change will be widely apparent.
Until then, companies can prepare their technology to support the AI advancements to come. OEMs will be best served by partners who are aware of current opportunities and have the internal support to understand how to optimize their manufacturing processes using this new trend. The experienced partner will also be able to help customers identify which applications within their high mix, low volume program would benefit from specific AI-enabled solutions. Further, partnering with a company with full value stream capabilities will allow the product to be designed with such robotic assembly in mind, with the ability to extract data to continue to optimize the process.
In the future the implementation of AI will bring about a change in business models, not just for the manufacturer but for its customers too. The increase in predictability and reliability will enable further sophistication in products that enhance the end users’ experience. Through incorporating the benefits of AI into the manufacturing process, these will be brought to market at an increasingly swifter and more effective pace, with an ability to hit that window of opportunity and innovation much faster.
About the author:
Oliver Mihm is President of Plexus EMEA – www.plexus.com
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