How AI Is Supercharging Product Development

Manufacturers regularly face various obstacles — from unexpected machinery breakdowns to poor product delivery. However, this can be easily fixed with modern technology in place. Companies may increase operational efficiency, launch new products, and customize product designs by leveraging AI solutions. How does that work? Let’s figure that out!

AI Applications in the Manufacturing Sector

AI Applications in the Manufacturing Industry

AI use in industrial facilities is gaining popularity among businesses. According to Capgemini’s research, more than half of European companies (51%) are deploying AI solutions, with Japan (30%) and the United States (28%) coming in second and third.

Hundreds of factors influence the manufacturing process. While these are difficult for humans to detect, machine learning algorithms can accurately forecast the influence of specific factors in such complicated circumstances. Machines still function below human skills in other areas involving language or emotions, limiting their acceptance. But where exactly is AI used?

1. Building Digital Twins

A digital twin is a virtual replica of a real manufacturing system. In the manufacturing industry, there are digital twins of certain equipment assets, full machinery systems, or specific system components. The most popular applications for digital twins include real-time diagnosis, tic and evaluation of manufacturing processes, prediction and visualization of product performance, and so on.

Data science engineers use supervised and unsupervised machine learning methods to educate digital twin models to improve the physical system by analyzing historical and unlabeled data from continuous real-time monitoring. These algorithms aid in the optimization of production scheduling, quality enhancements, and maintenance.

2. Generative Design

Generative design is a method where software generates some outputs to fulfill certain requirements. Designers or engineers use generative design software to investigate AI product design options by entering design goals and factors like materials, production processes, and cost limitations. The approach employs machine learning techniques to understand what works and what doesn’t with each iteration.

The program finds numerous methods to create a simple object, such as a chair. You must enter the specifications such as four legs, elevated seat, weight requirements, minimal materials, etc. Based on the input data, the solution generates a number of design possibilities and features.

Online Manufacturing is the future of manufacturing

3. Predictive Maintenance

Manufacturers use AI technology to analyze sensor data to identify future downtime and accidents. AI systems assist manufacturers in forecasting when or whether functioning equipment will fail, allowing maintenance and repair to be arranged prior to the breakdown. Manufacturers can enhance productivity while lowering the cost of equipment failure thanks to AI applications for predictive maintenance.

4. Assembly Line Optimization

Furthermore, by incorporating Artificial Intelligence into your IoT environment, you may generate many automation opportunities. Supervisors, for example, may be notified when equipment operators exhibit indications of weariness. When a piece of equipment fails, the system might initiate contingency planning or other reorganization actions.

5. Quality Assurance

Traditionally, quality assurance was a manual procedure that required a highly qualified engineer to ensure that electronics and microprocessors were made correctly. All of its circuits were properly set up. Modern processing techniques may now automatically assess whether an object was manufactured appropriately. This sorting may be done automatically and in real-time by putting cameras at important places around the production floor.

Optimize Your Product Development!

AI and machine learning (ML) are making significant contributions to expediting new product development — from startups to companies rushing to introduce new products. Today, Indeed, LinkedIn, and Monster have 15,400 job openings for DevOps and product development engineers using AI and machine intelligence. According to Capgemini, the connected goods industry will be between $519 billion and $685 billion this year as revenue models based on AI and machine learning become more popular. And the above are just some of the AI applications. More to come!

The Benefits of Recycling as an Energy Conservation Measure

Recycling is an effective energy conservation measure that translates into avoided emissions alongside other environmental and economic benefits. It saves energy by decreasing or eliminating energy use during extraction, transportation, and processing of raw materials into finished products.

How Recycling Saves Energy

Manufacturing is a labor, waste, and energy-intensive process that is never-ending due to the increasing demand for consumer products. Manufacturing products from scratch requires raw materials to be extracted, transported, and refined. However, when recycling, you are using already refined materials that need less energy to be transformed into usable products.

Recycling also saves time, money, natural resources, conserves the environment, and shrinks landfills. Hence, the more we recycle, the more we save and gain. Because of these benefits, it is essential to sign up for a residential recycling collection service to have your recyclable trash going to the right place.

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The amount of energy saved through recycling generally depends on the material being reprocessed. Let’s take a look at the energy savings of four of the most commonly recycled materials.

1. Aluminum

Aluminum manufacturing requires huge amounts of heat and electricity. Despite constant efforts to reduce energy consumption, manufacturing aluminum still costs three times more than the theoretical minimum energy requirement.

Recycling aluminum cans and scrapes requires 6 percent of the energy needed to manufacture aluminum from bauxite ore. Repurposing aluminum saves the energy that would have been used to extract, transport, crush, and combine bauxite with caustic soda. Additionally, extracting aluminum from bauxite requires the ore to be purified and smelted.

Thus, the aluminum recycling process is fast, efficient, and achieves up to 94 percent energy savings. Even better, you can recycle aluminum infinite times without degrading, increasing energy saving in the long run. Besides, introducing new alloys and improved product design along the product chain results in more energy and environmental savings.

2. Glass

Glassmaking is an energy-intensive process that involves melting sand and other minerals at extremely high temperatures. Reprocessing glass still needs lots of energy to melt the glass and make a new product. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says reprocessing glass results in 30% energy savings. Glass, like aluminum, does not degrade when it is recycled.

Thus, tossing glass in recycling bins will help preserve natural resources, like sand and soda ash, and reduce the energy costs involved with transporting these heavy materials. It also allows glass manufacturers to cut on energy input to their furnaces. The cumulative energy costs decrease by 2 to 3 percent for every 10 percent of broken glass used in the production process.

Moreover, the durability of glass allows for recycling without reprocessing. This means that you can save 100% energy by cleaning and reusing glass around your home and eliminate the need for an energy-intensive manufacturing process.

3. Paper

An average American household throws away 13,000 pieces of paper every year. These translate into almost 1 billion trees worth of paper being thrown away yearly in the U.S. You can recycle all or most of this paper and contribute to 40% energy savings. Recycled paper can be used to make a variety of new paper products.

paper-recycling

However, this is limited by its appearance, which is not as white or smooth as new paper. Fortunately, biodegradable inks and erasable paper promise improved paper recycling efficiency. You could also reduce your paper usage or reuse paper around your home whenever possible to conserve energy and save trees.

4. Plastic

Many plastic products are single-use commodities that are only in use for a few minutes. However, these require hundreds of years to biodegrade. Sadly, approximately 4 percent of America’s total energy consumption goes to producing plastic products.

Recycling plastic requires only about 10% of the energy needed to manufacture one pound of plastic from virgin sources. The recovery process has short-term energy-saving benefits because plastics degrade every time they are recycled.

plastic waste

However, many manufactures have ways of repurposing low-grade plastics to use in less demanding applications, such as carpeting, park benches, auto parts, and insulation.

Other Materials to Recycle Around Your Home

You can recycle many other materials around your home, and you can determine their energy savings using the iWARM tool created by the EPA. Some of these materials include

You can also contribute to energy conservation by purchasing recycled household products. Some of the most common include

  • Egg cartons
  • Newspapers
  • Comic books
  • Trash bags
  • Paper towels
  • Glass containers
  • Car bumpers

Bottom Line

Reduce, reuse, recycle is a lifestyle that leads us to a greener planet. Following these guidelines for a greener planet will also save you some coins because most recycled products cost significantly less than products produced using virgin material. Keep in mind that 75 percent of all waste can be recycled, and doing this will save the planet loads of energy.

How Companies Can Streamline Energy Consumption

Recent projections show that the world’s energy demands are about to increase by close to 25% between now and 2030. Population and wealth growth are the leading factors behind the increased need for energy. Additionally, issues related to pollution and climate change are compelling companies and investors alike with respect to how they produce and use energy.

energy-company

Grs a global resource solutions company offers a plethora of services that could help industries reshape and streamline their energy consumption.

Energy efficiency is playing a vital role in helping the world achieve its power needs and progress.

Increase in Fuel Prices

The prices of energy have kept rising over the years even when oil prices have dropped as was the case in 2014-2015. Such sudden fluctuations can be difficult for businesses to deal with. Also, declines in energy prices have called into question whether the efforts in energy conservation and efficiency are worth it.

According to various financial analyses, energy costs form a considerable chunk of operating expenses. Worldwide, cement, chemical, mining and metal companies, for instance, spend almost 30% of their operating budget on energy. Additionally, the percent of the budget spent on energy is higher in developing nations due to the cheap cost of labor.

Also Read: Why Industrial Property Owners Should Own Their Own Transformers

Energy Efficiency

Statistics and research show that operational upgrades can cut energy consumption by approximately 20%. Nonetheless, investment in energy efficiency technologies can reduce energy usage by even 50%.

The reports and findings show that it is not a pipe dream for manufacturing entities, which account for almost half of the world’s energy usage, to meet energy requirements in a way that is environmentally friendly and economical as well. Advanced technology could substantially reduce energy usage and save companies more than six hundred billion dollars per year.

reduce-energy-use

There are technologies currently in place that can help companies reduce energy consumption. The ideas cover a range of manufacturing and production companies like cement, mining, oil refining and chemicals. Nonetheless, firms are facing the challenge of how to put energy efficiency technology in place how to renew the technology so that it stays relevant year in and year out.

1. Think Circular

Consider your product to be a future source that can be used many times. In other words, when developing a product, strive to move away from the traditional linear supply chain. Take, for example, a data services provider. Put in place the think circular standard by using an analytics system to develop a facility that restructures energy to its core function. This results in more capacity and less operational expenses.

Circular-Economy

2. Profit Per Hour

Whenever making any changes, remember to create a comprehensive review of the full profit equation. During the study, evaluate aspects such as yield, throughput and energy. Nonetheless, profit should be of the highest priority before effecting any changes.

3. Think Lean

It is vital for an organization to create a resource productivity plan. Lean thinking and green manufacturing are based on similar principles and will blend in together well.

4. Think Holistic

When making changes, ensure that they not only focus on a specific aspect. Instead, you should also focus on the management system, behavior and mindsets.