The Future of Automation in Manufacturing: People Aren't Going Anywhere

Key Points

• Automation in the manufacturing space isn’t going anywhere; it’s an integral part of our operation here at Modus.  
• Automation is not replacing people but empowering them with capabilities beyond what humans can do. 

• Manufacturers need to adapt and adopt automation to remain competitive.
  

If you’ve been paying any amount of attention to the manufacturing landscape, you’re well aware that the Fourth Wave of the Industrial Revolution is upon us. (Yes, the fourth.) The industrial revolution of the 18th century never actually ended–the manufacturing space has transcended from a field dependent on manual labor to one that leverages automation and cutting-edge technologies. 

With the Fourth Industrial Revolution here to stay, we are excited to see where the future of automation in manufacturing takes us. Here at Modus, your mission is our mission, which means that we are eager to work alongside you as a partner in bringing your life-changing products to market faster. To do so, we absolutely must leverage innovation and automation. 

Failure to adapt would leave us unable to deliver on our promise of speed and precision. Furthermore, speed and precision aren’t just beneficial for our bottom line, it’s what differentiates us from the competitors. The ability to rapidly prototype, iterate, and ship products is no longer a nice option to have; it’s crucial. 

At the end of the day, automation in the manufacturing space isn’t going anywhere. It’s become an integral part of our operation here at Modus that we will continue to build upon. As we look toward our future in manufacturing, and how we continue to position ourselves as the obvious choice, it is evident that automation remains necessary.  

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Benefits of Using Automation in Manufacturing

Automation can be used in a variety of ways, and only our imaginations limit us. Manufacturing process automation comes with a host of benefits, but in a nutshell, it reduces the number of dangerous, menial, or repetitive tasks required of our team members, while increasing speed and precision. 

Here are several examples of the benefits that can come from implementing manufacturing process automation:  

• Increased productivity: One of the biggest benefits of automation technology in the manufacturing space is the increased productivity that results from it. Increased operational efficiency reduces overall production costs, and that’s a huge win. 
• Improved worker safety: Leave the dangerous or repetitive tasks to the robots and automation tools to complete with worker supervision rather than participation. Additionally, eliminating the strain of repetitive or mundane tasks on team members' bodies can greatly improve employee satisfaction and reduce the possibility of error or injury. 
• Improved product quality: It goes without saying that our customers expect nothing but perfection. This is a large part of why automation is so attractive to us. Automation affords us repeatable, high-quality products. It matters to the end user, whether it is a Navy SEAL operating in dangerous conditions or a doctor conducting a life-saving operation. These are scenarios where precision is an absolute must and the cost of poor quality can be devastating. 
• Reduced lead time: Part of the mission at Modus is to provide incomparable speed and precision in the manufacturing of your parts. By increasing the speed of production, without compromising quality, we are able to be flexible against market changes and reduce lead time. 
• Reduction in labor costs: Mundane activities such as bagging and tagging products can be easily replaced by an automated process. This frees employers to utilize their highly skilled team members for other, more complex work.
  

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Will Automation Truly Replace People? 

It is no surprise that people are concerned about their jobs as the future of automation in manufacturing nears and new technologies arrive with it. A quick google search of the title question above, and you’ll find over 157 million results. Yikes.  

But, contrary to popular belief, a study titled “The Robot Revolution: Managerial and Employment Consequences for Firms” indicated otherwise. Their study confirmed that robot adoption is truly motivated by leveraging technology to produce a better quality product, rather than a company's interest in reducing the size of their workforce.  

Over the last few years, the pandemic has presented us with unprecedented (are you tired of that word, too?) advances in technology. We’ve quickly adapted to supply chain disruptions, illness in our team, and remote work to name a few.  

By adapting and implementing new, automated ways of working, we have been able to remain operational, all while not reducing the size of our workforce. Better yet, our automated systems which are programmed to make decisions and perform the complex tasks we require of them, are all based on human-provided parameters. 

So, will automation truly replace people in manufacturing? We don’t think so.  

And here’s why: 

• We have a dedicated focus on workforce development and capability building 
• We prioritize our people by intentional upskilling/reskilling efforts 
• We are empowering team members to realize their potential through new ways of working 
  
  

The future of automation in manufacturing may seem like a looming cloud to some, but to us, it means that our team members have the opportunity to learn more, get outside of their comfort zone, and challenge themselves with new things. We just so happen to employ people that truly love those opportunities, too. 

Final Thoughts 

Automation is not replacing people but empowering them with capabilities beyond what humans can do. The future of automation in manufacturing isn't about replacing people, but about providing opportunities for them to do more rewarding work. It promises exciting changes that will help improve quality and efficiency. For highly regulated industries like aerospace and defense, and medical devices, this is a welcomed advancement. 

If you’re interested in working with a manufacturing partner that is leveraging innovation and automation to deliver speed and precision, give us a call at 925-960-8700 or contact us online today.