Industrial technology has always played a key role in driving the economy forward. As we move further into 2022, it will continue to stay at the forefront.
If the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that businesses of all sizes can’t take anything for granted. Flexibility and adaptability remain essential in this period of uncertainty, as the world continues to grapple with the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It brought about huge transformation across every industry globally.
We saw significant investments in digital innovation and sustainability as firms pivoted, streamlined and adapted to the changing landscape. As things start to settle down and the global economy begins to recover from the pandemic, technology will play a key role in helping businesses emerge stronger and grow. Here, we take a closer look at some of the most significant industrial technology trends on the horizon and how they will impact the manufacturing, engineering and production sectors in the months ahead.
The Metaverse
The ‘Metaverse’ is being described in certain quarters as ‘the future of the internet’. While talk of the Metaverse has been lingering in technology circles for a while now, it started to get mainstream attention at the back end of 2021 when social media giant Facebook rebranded as ‘Meta’.
Metaverse is the term used to describe how technology brings together the real and digital worlds and enables people to interact virtually with physical things. Metaverse tools and technologies allow people to create products and applications in new and exciting ways. For example, manufacturers can create digital simulations of entire production processes, which people can interact with using virtual or augmented reality, to perfect product design and development, identify and predict potential maintenance issues and become more streamlined and efficient.
While the Metaverse is still – in the grand scheme of things – in its infancy, we expect to see it come closer to the fore in 2022, as manufacturers look to use Metaverse applications to gain a competitive edge and stay ahead of the curve.
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Closely linked to the above, we believe process automation, driven by digital technology and robotics, will keep pace in 2022. The two years of disruption and uncertainty created by the coronavirus pandemic brought the need to work smarter and leaner into sharp focus. Autonomous machines, powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence and driven by real-time data collection and analysis, came to the fore throughout the pandemic, as producers were forced to adapt to new ways of working.
This looks set to continue as global coronavirus restrictions wind down and more people return to their physical places of work. From warehouses and logistics to energy and construction, businesses will continue to invest in automation and robotics to work smarter, safer and more sustainably.
Green technology
The UK’s ambitious target to lead the world in reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 was the subject of the COP26 summit in 2021. Its implications are set to play out across 2022 and beyond. Business accounts for around 20% of the UK’s emissions, which means that companies big and small all have a vital role in cutting their carbon footprints and becoming more sustainable.
More and more businesses are waking up to the fact that investing in green technology can help save them vast amounts of money over the long term. They are also being influenced by customers who want to align themselves with brands that take their environmental responsibilities seriously. We believe manufacturers and engineers will continue to adopt further innovations in green technology in the year ahead, as they look to become more sustainable, streamline their production processes and fulfil their CSR objectives.
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The adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies will continue to gather pace as the year plays out. The UK Government’s determination to “Build back better”, coupled with strong investment in 5G wireless technology and 6G development, will further drive digital transformation in organisations big and small. For manufacturers and engineers, this means improved access to the digital infrastructure and connectivity that supports automation and Industry 4.0 applications, so they can adopt more of these technologies into their operations.
Cross-sector collaboration
As the world starts to get used to the new normal, we’re likely to see a continuation of the cross-sector collaboration that began in earnest during the pandemic, as businesses from different industries and sectors worked jointly towards common solutions to universal problems. We saw during the pandemic that solutions developed for one industry could have a profound impact on another sector, even where there were no obvious synergies between the two.
As digital transformation, and the technologies that bring it about, continue to develop, silos will break down and businesses in unrelated industries continue to work more closely together to explore how applications, knowledge and skills can be transferred from one to another.
How Banelec can help you stay ahead of the technology curve
Industrial technology will continue to play a crucial role in helping manufacturing and engineering operators adapt and evolve to meet ever-changing market expectations and customer demands. However, getting ahead of the game is essential. Technology evolves at such a rapid pace that even the smallest factories and production facilities can’t afford to get left behind.
Fortunately, digital transformation doesn’t have to cost the earth. It’s all about creating a vision for how you will leverage the latest technologies to transform your business model. So, if you’re ready to make your manufacturing processes smarter, safer and more sustainable using technology, Banelec can help. Get in touch today to find out how.