The Future of Manufacturing: Trends and Innovations for 2025

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Hey, everyone.

Welcome to today's deep dive.

Glad to be here.

We're going to be talking

about the future of manufacturing.

Exciting topic.

Yeah.

And we're going to be basing it on

this Forbes article called the Future of Manufacturing

Technology Trends for 2025

So we're going to be diving into all

sorts of interesting insights about how software, AI

and even things like micro factories are going

to transform how things are made.

The whole landscape.

Exactly.

It's going to be a pretty wild ride. So buckle up.

I'm ready.

All right, so to kind of give us a roadmap.

Okay.

We're going to break this down into four key areas.

Right.

First, we're going to look

at green software engineering.

green software engineering. Interesting.

Yeah.

And how that's making manufacturing more sustainable.

Then we'll explore the role of AI, which

goes beyond just robots on the factory floor.

Right.

It's more than just the robots.

Exactly.

Okay.

Next up is the Internet of Things, or IoT for short.

IoT. Yeah.

And how it's connecting everything

but also creating new vulnerabilities.

The double edged sword.

Exactly.

And finally, we'll unpack the

rise of decentralized manufacturing.

Okay.

And what it means for the

future of where things are made.

So where our stuff comes from.

Exactly.

So a pretty packed agenda.

Yeah.

But let's dive right in, starting with

this idea of green software engineering.

Okay.

It's a pretty new term, but it really

highlights how even the software behind manufacturing processes

can be designed with sustainability in mind.

Like from the ground up, basically.

Yeah.

It's not just about the factory

is being eco friendly anymore.

Right.

It's the whole process.

Exactly.

It's the software itself.

Got it.

And the article explains how software

can track real time energy use.

Okay.

Pinpoint areas to reduce waste, and even help

companies shift to more sustainable cloud infrastructure.

Interesting.

The cloud piece is something I'm curious about.

Yeah. It's a big one.

And Accenture research suggests that moving to the

public cloud could reduce carbon emissions as much

as taking 22 million cars off the road.

Wow, 22 million cars.

That's a huge number.

It's massive.

It really shows how significant that shift can be.

Absolutely.

And it really highlights how seriously

companies are starting to take sustainability.

Yeah.

It's not just a buzzword anymore.

It's Not.

It's becoming a necessity.

And the article even mentions Gartner's prediction.

Okay.

That by 2027, almost a third of large global

companies will make software sustainability a must have.

Wow. A must have.

So not just a nice to have.

Not anymore.

It's a core part of doing business.

Interesting.

Okay, so shifting gears a bit.

Yeah.

Let's talk about AI.

Okay. AI.

There was this Deloitte survey that found that

93% of manufacturers believe that AI is key

to driving growth and innovation in their industry.

But how are they actually using it?

Good question.

Is it really making a difference now, or

is this something for the far off future?

Well, that's the key point.

AI is already making a difference.

Okay, so what's happening now?

It is.

The article breaks it down into three main areas.

Okay.

Smart production, product and service enhancements,

and business model decision making.

I'm intrigued.

Break those down a bit further for me.

Sure.

So when it comes to smart production,

AI is being used to streamline workflows,

improve quality control, and minimize downtime.

So it's like having a really smart

assistant managing the whole production line.

You could say that for. Cool. Yeah.

Then for product and service enhancements, AI is being

used to design better products and offer new services.

So AI isn't just making things faster and cheaper.

Right.

It's actually helping companies innovate.

Exactly.

And create better products for consumers like us.

So it's not just about efficiency,

it's actually about making things better.

Exactly.

That's fascinating.

And then finally, there's

business model decision making.

Okay.

This is where AI helps companies make

smarter choices about how they operate.

Right.

So.

So think of it as AI

assisting with everything from optimizing supply

chains to predicting future market trends.

So that's where the real strategic

power of AI comes in.

Exactly. It's thinking ahead.

Yeah, exactly.

So instead of reacting to breakdowns.

Right.

They can prevent them altogether.

Proactive instead of reactive.

Which means less downtime, fewer delays, and

likely lower costs in the long run.

Makes sense.

Right.

So now let's move on to the next trend.

Okay.

Which is the Internet of Things.

The Internet of things. All right.

Or IoT.

Right, IoT.

The article talks about how

IoT is making factories smarter.

Okay.

By transforming them into

interconnected intelligent systems.

So everything's talking to each other.

Right.

Like the factory is becoming

a living, breathing organism.

A smart factory.

Exactly.

And the article uses Airbus as a great example.

Okay.

Airbus, they use IoT tracking to

monitor critical assets during production.

All right.

And create what are called digital twins.

Digital twins. Now what are those?

Hold on, I'm going to explain that.

Think of it as a virtual replica of a physical asset.

Okay.

So in Airbus case, it allows them to

track the progress and condition of parts.

Okay.

In real time.

Oh, wow.

Even across different locations.

So they can see everything that's happening.

Yeah.

Imagine having like a virtual X ray vision.

Right.

See inside the factory.

That lets you see inside every machine and component.

Interesting.

And know exactly what's happening at any given moment.

So it's all about visibility.

It is.

And that's incredibly valuable for

a company like Airbus.

Yeah, I bet.

Which has production facilities

spread across multiple countries.

Makes sense.

And it's becoming increasingly common.

Is it?

The article says that 67% of industrial manufacturers are

in the process of creating these digital factories.

Wow.

That's a majority.

Yeah.

So connecting everything in the

factory definitely makes things smarter.

Right.

But I imagine it also opens up new vulnerabilities.

Yeah.

That's the other side of the coin.

The more connected a system is, the more

potential entry points there are for hackers.

Exactly. A bigger target.

And with so much data flowing between devices.

Right.

The stakes are incredibly high.

Absolutely.

You're talking about critical systems.

So it's a double edged sword.

You gain all this amazing efficiency and intelligence.

Yeah.

But you also increase your vulnerability to attacks.

Right.

A new kind of risk.

And the article really emphasizes the point

Okay.

that cybersecurity becomes even more critical

Makes sense

in a hyperconnected manufacturing environment.

So it's not just about connecting things.

You have to secure them too.

Exactly.

A successful cyberattack could disrupt production.

Right.

Compromise sensitive data, big problem.

And potentially even cause physical damage.

Oh, wow, that's serious.

It is.

So companies need to be very aware

of this trade off and invest in

robust cybersecurity measures to protect themselves.

So it's a new challenge for manufacturers.

It is.

It's not just about making things

anymore, it's about protecting them too.

Absolutely.

So this interconnectedness is definitely a key

theme in the future of manufacturing.

Not just within factories,

but also across entire supply chains.

Okay. The whole network.

And speaking of supply chains, that brings us

to our final topic for this section.

All right. What's that?

Decentralized manufacturing.

Decentralized manufacturing.

Now that's interesting.

It is.

It's gaining traction due to rising costs.

Okay.

Geopolitical uncertainty and the

growing focus on sustainability.

So a lot of factors are driving this.

They are.

And we're seeing a shift away from

relying on a  few massive factories.

Right. The traditional model

towards spreading

production across multiple smaller locations.

So more distributor distributed.

Exactly.

And this is where micro factories come into play.

Micro factories. I've heard that term.

Yeah.

These are smaller, highly adaptable production units.

Okay.

That could be placed closer to customers.

So instead of these huge factories, you have

smaller ones closer to where people live.

Right.

Imagine an electric vehicle manufacturer setting up micro

factories in major cities to build cars. Right.

Where the demand is.

Right.

So you're cutting down on transportation.

Exactly. And emissions

and potentially even lead times.

It's all about agility and responsiveness.

Interesting.

A different way of thinking about things.

And these micro factories are

often powered by advanced technologies.

Like what?

Like 3D printing and robotics.

Oh, wow.

So they're high tech, allowing them to.

Produce a wider variety of products in smaller batches.

So it's not mass production anymore?

Not in the same way.

It's much more flexible.

Okay.

So what are the challenges?

Well, there are definitely challenges.

Like what?

Coordinating multiple production sites can be complex.

Yeah, I bet.

And there's the issue of

balancing standardization with local customization.

So making sure things are consistent

but also tailored to specific needs.

Exactly.

Companies need to ensure consistent

quality across all their factories.

Right.

While still being able to tailor products

to specific regions or customer needs.

That's a tough balance.

It is.

It's a delicate balancing act.

But it sounds like the potential benefits are huge.

They are.

Decentralized manufacturing with micro

factories closer to customers.

Yeah.

Could lead to faster delivery, more personalized

products, and more resilient supply chains that

are less vulnerable to global disruptions.

So it's about more than just efficiency.

It is.

It's about creating a more

responsive and sustainable manufacturing ecosystem.

That's a powerful vision.

It is.

This deep dive has been incredible.

We've covered sustainability and software engineering, AI

powered factories, and now a future where

manufacturing could be happening in micro factories

all over the world.

Yeah.

What do you think is the most important

thing we've learned from all of this?

For me, it's how fast

innovation is happening in manufacturing.

It's not just about making things a little bit better.

It's about completely changing how

we think about making things.

And it's happening so fast, like we're seeing

a fundamental shift in how we produce goods.

Totally agree.

It's inspiring to see how technology is

being used to create more efficient, sustainable,

and resilient ways of manufacturing.

And it makes you wonder, what's next?

Where do we go from here?

Right, that's the big question.

The article talks about how companies need

to be innovative, but I think it's

important to go further than that.

It's not just companies, it's people too.

What do you mean?

How do individuals fit into this

world of robots and smart factories?

All these advancements are creating

new opportunities and new challenges.

And the skills that people need

today might not be useful tomorrow.

So it's not enough for companies to innovate.

Individuals need to be open to

learning new things and adapting too.

That's a really good point.

it's really opened my eyes, you know, to

how technology is changing the whole manufacturing industry.

And it's not just changing the

industry, it's changing everything around us.

Like we were talking about.

It's not just the technology itself, it's how

we change and adapt along with it.

Right.

The article said that companies have to be

innovative, but you said something really smart about

how individuals need to be innovative too.

Like, what does that even mean?

How can we stay ahead of things

when the world's changing so fast?

I think it starts with how we think.

We can't keep thinking that education's over

once you finish school or college.

You know, the future.

It belongs to people who never stop learning, people who

are always looking for new knowledge and skills, people who

are okay with change, and people who are willing to

try new things, even if it's scary.

I like that.

So, to everyone listening, we're not just giving you a

bunch of cool facts about robots and smart factories.

We're asking you to think about how you can be

innovative, too, and how you could become a lifelong learner.

Like, no matter what you do, whether you're

an engineer, a designer, a student, or just

someone who's curious about the world, you have

a part to play in shaping the future.

We've just scratched the surface of this topic.

It's really complex and changing all the time.

But hopefully we've made you curious and

given you some things to think about.

The future of manufacturing.

It's full of possibilities, and it's exciting to

see what amazing innovations will come next.

Totally.

Thanks for joining us on this deep dive

into the future of how things are made.

We hope you enjoyed it.

Until next time, keep exploring, keep

learning, and keep being innovative.