With all the hype around sustainability and decarbonisation in the transportation sector, everything is pointing to achieving net-zero. However, it’s not an easy feat since there are many moving parts but there are some fascinating aviation innovations that could turn the industry on its head.
24
Feb
2022
17
Aug
2021
The world is advancing at a rapid pace and not only in engineering and manufacturing but also in education. Thanks to better and more widespread internet access and emerging technologies, the way children, youth and adults will learn in the future is changing. In this article, we look at education and how social, economic, and technological changes will revolutionise how we learn at school or university.
20
Apr
2021
The shipping industry is vital for world trade as 90% of goods are transported by sea. However, it is also one of the most carbon-intensive industries along with aviation that contributes to climate change due to its reliance on fossil fuels. This brings us to the decarbonisation of the maritime sector but it is easier said than done. In this article, discover three incredibly innovative projects that could set the tone for decarbonising global shipping.
18
Nov
2020
Deep hole drilling (DHD) – or deep hole machining (DHM) – is a residual stress measurement technique often referred to as gun drilling. It’s a prominent method in engineering materials and components used across numerous sectors, including automotive and vehicle construction, aerospace and renewable energy. Deep hole drilling is also used in die and mould making and hydraulics or pneumatic components.
Today, there’s a growing demand to put gun drilling into a multi-tasking format, just as you would with common machining techniques such as milling, turning and gear-cutting on one platform. With deep hole machining being a multi-task platform you can create opportunities to offer an incredibly high-quality finished product.
18
Nov
2020
There’s no denying that Covid-19 is responsible for creating loads of pressure on the manufacturing sector over the last eight months. This is mainly due to production slowdowns, restrictions on employee movement (social distancing) and changing demands. As a result, manufacturing companies have had to rethink business models and operations with many looking at digital technologies such as IoT.
With manufacturers striving toward increasing equipment efficiency, production quality, resilient and intelligent supply chains, IoT has become a key player. Microsoft, for example, is leveraging its knowledge and technical expertise to make this technology more readily available. Combining in-depth industry knowledge and expertise has already proven tangible as proven by the UK Ventilator Challenge.
Recommended: ‘How Manufacturers Can Plan For Covid-19 Disruptions’
Preparing For IoT In Manufacturing
Due to the continued impact of the pandemic, the UK manufacturing sector is looking to drive innovation through digital technology. It will help address key challenges in operational efficiency, supply chain management as well as workforce and sustainability issues. They can prepare by:
- adapting their operations around digital technologies
- actively integrating their value chain to the entire supply chain
- increasing efficiency and capacity of production
Pundits within the manufacturing sector believe that Industrial IoT (IIoT) will play a pivotal role. It not only helps with improving efficiency and monitoring quality but also better factory safety and cost reduction. This gives companies access to enhanced capabilities for asset tracking and preventing expensive shutdowns of machinery.
Industrial IoT Drives Long-term Momentum
By taking small steps to improve efficiency, the future of manufacturing looks promising as it connects siloed processes to more connected ecosystems. This will drive long-term momentum even in the face of current (and future) challenges. Truth is, manufacturing organisations are embracing emerging IoT technologies much faster than other sectors.
In a survey of nearly 600 manufacturers from around the world, some have reported fewer barriers to add edge computing to their IoT systems. Also, 73% said they have a strategy in place for the use of digital twins within their IoT solutions. Digital twins are replicas of potential and actual physical assets, processes, people, places, systems and devices (source: Wikipedia).
Recommended: ‘What Is Edge Computing?’
Investing In The Future Of Manufacturing For Scalability
There are still many challenges manufacturers need to address, especially around complexity and resourcing within an organisation. As previously mentioned, Microsoft is working on simplifying and securing capabilities to further democratise IoT which will certainly help.
The software giant has committed to “invest $5B in IoT (Internet of Things) and intelligent edge – technology that is accelerating ubiquitous computing and bringing an unparalleled opportunity for transformation across industries.” (Source: Microsoft.com)
This means developers are welcomed by a rapidly growing number of services and features. These will provide open, flexible choices for development, securing of data and achieving rapid global growth when companies need to scale.
Recommended: ‘Read the full IoT Signals Edition 2 Manufacturing Report’
What Trends Are Driving Industrial IoT?
According to the manufacturers, the top reported uses for IoT in 2020 are to monitor production flow, automate industrial processes, production planning and scheduling. As we’ve discovered, with plans to adopt IoT in manufacturing, several challenges and trends are influencing the process.
For many manufacturers, the primary driver for adopting IoT is the improved efficiency in operations. Not to mention expanded production capacities and better employee productivity. In some instances, more manufacturers are using AI as part of their IoT solutions. Here, 77% reported further improvement in efficiency when using AI in primary or secondary uses.
One of the main benefits of implementing IoT and AI is improved predictive maintenance. Many have also confirmed that they are using AI to enhance the online user experience by using customer service bots.
Addressing The Skills Gap Within The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
Many of the surveyed manufacturers agree that bridging the skills gap is a top priority and are actively looking for employees with a wide range of technical abilities. This especially includes system architects and cloud developers who can successfully implement IoT.
For manufacturers to successfully navigate IIoT, they need employees who can maintain legacy IT while building new systems or maintaining IoT technology. The biggest challenge to adopting IoT on a larger scale is the lack of skilled workers and budgeting, especially for discrete manufacturers.
The continued growth of smart devices, networks and connections translates into skills gaps, especially when left unchecked. In a different study from Inmarsat in 2017, more than three-quarters of surveyed companies believed they needed more high-level IoT specialists.
Final Thoughts
As the industry matures, so do organisations’ requirements and expectations. Whilst there’s been significant improvements in recent years, there is still a long way to go before we see IoT adoption on a mass scale.
Looking ahead, government institutions must get involved with funding and training, where possible. Companies must let potential employees know they are willing to provide additional training and to invest in them by building on their current skillsets.
Senior leadership and management must also step up tothe plate and make sure everyone has the right attitude. If everyone shares the same vision, and the team already has good core skills, IoT adoption and training should be easier to implement.
For more interesting updates on all things engineering, manufacturing and technology, follow our blog or visit our website. You can also join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #PRVtech.
12
Jun
2019
An engineering company can only be successful with high-quality custom fabrication coupled with expert knowledge, experience and continuous investment. We’re not only talking about investing in equipment but also staff training and hiring. In order to provide the quality and service excellence customers deserve, equipment and staff must be of the highest level.
There are three core factors that determine success in manufacturing and that includes production cost, quality and speed. While each component plays a crucial role, manufacturers must fully commit to all three to reach and remain within the top tier.
Let’s take a look at some of the recent fabrication projects at PRV Engineering and find out more about coded welding and finishing.
15
Dec
2017
This year has flown by and we’ve seen some truly spectacular engineering innovations from across the globe. Reflecting on 2017, the biggest winners include renewable energy technologies, quantum computing, SpaceX reusable rockets, drone technology, medical breakthroughs, robotics and floating train tracks.
Once thought of as impenetrable, technology is now breaking barriers. Think about how far we’ve come in just the last 10 years, not to mention since the first moon landing. We have autonomous ground and air vehicles, we’re able to explore the vastness of space, teach our kids how to build robots and nanobots targeting cancer cells. We really are living beyond imagination!
10
Nov
2017
The construction industry along with the architectural engineering are possibly two of the toughest marketplaces in the world. Fabrication projects are often both complex and demanding where the final product must have high integrity and capable of withstanding nearly anything. It’s also no secret that modern manufacturing and engineering have changed considerably in recent years. Companies now find themselves under pressure to rapidly introduce new products, adapt to local market conditions and improve quality, cost and efficiency.
We can agree that one of the main elements of any fabrication project is cost. And by cost, we refer to
14
Jan
2017
Nearly 2 years after the project confirmed equity funding, the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon has just been backed by a government commission review.
Former UK energy minister Charles Hendry has been gathering evidence for the independent enquiry for almost a year and as part of that review has visited all the potential sites and held various discussions with the industry. That report says that the project would make a strong contribution to the UK’s energy supply.
There were a host of other conclusions in the report, but some of the headline ones were:
12
Sep
2016
Improvements in manufacturing processes and capabilities allow for more complex and diverse solutions to be thought up for an increasing number of problems. The ability to cut and machine smaller and more complex parts using modern techniques like waterjet cutting, 3D printing and various multi axis machines, combined with software developments mean this is becoming increasingly evident in the medical and pharmaceutical world. The ability to make one off, custom implants and limb replacements for specific patient needs is opening up a whole new world.
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