How AI is Transforming Manufacturing

Boosting end-to-end productivity with AI

Automation is not new. However, factories of the future will take automation a step further with AI, enhancing their sensor capabilities with machine vision, accelerating compute capability in their control systems, deploying learning agents to inform decision-making to identify potential faults, and delivering better productivity in a safer environment.

At Rockwell Automation, we recognize that AI can add value across various roles – from decision makers to control engineers and operators. By bridging processes across the supply chain, customers can streamline processes and boost productivity. 

Systems will inherently use low to no touch AI capabilities that will act to optimize and control aspects of the production system aligned to the core use of the device or software.

For example, the anomaly detection algorithms available on FactoryTalk^® DataMosaix^™ and continuous AI monitoring on Fiix^® Asset Risk Predictor can help manufacturers identify equipment that is worn, or spot any anomalies and replace them swiftly. This can help reduce downtime and deliver significant cost savings. These are deployed natively and with low to no maintenance.

Shaping the future of industrial operations through partnerships

As we move from automation to autonomous production, industrial AI is helping manufacturers elevate their systems to become capable of learning and adapting to their environment.

Just as important as technology is partnerships.

We believe that by partnering with experts in their respective fields, we can provide comprehensive and best-in-market solutions for our customers. Recently, we embarked on a collaboration with NVIDIA to integrate the NVIDIA Omniverse Cloud application programming interfaces (APIs) with our digital twin software, Emulate3D^™. This will boost existing capability factory analysis, including operations and simulation, making end-to-end operations across the supply chain more predictive.

GenAI’s large language model (LLM) is another area that will transform operational technology. By understanding natural language and making sense of it, LLM has the potential to expedite workflows. Our recent collaboration with Microsoft to add its Azure OpenAI Service into FactoryTalk^® Design Studio^™ will give businesses the power to accelerate industrial automation design. Now, engineers can generate code more easily using natural language prompts to automate routine tasks and improve design efficiency. With LLM capabilities, customers building industrial automation systems can experiment and test faster, accelerating time-to-market.

Find out more about how you can future-proof your business with our AI-powered solutions here.

This article was originally published on Scott Wooldridge’s LinkedIn page.