MANUFACTURING & AI – A SYNERGY FOR AGES TO COME
AI – Artificial, rather, Alternative Intelligence, matters the most now than ever, especially in the Manufacturing Value Chain. Necessity drives the adoption, as India embarks on its journey to ensure Manufacturing Contributes to atleast 25% of GDP, which shall make India more relevant in the Global Economy. Demographic Dividend, both Domestic and Global, determines the choices and preferences of emerging Society, and therefor Technology Adoption.
In a Populous Country like India, its important benefits of the Value Chain are quintessential to gain Social Equilibrium and Market Buoyancy. India shadowed so far by the exuberant neighbor has to leverage all possible means to move up from being an Alternative to a Preferred choice to Chinese Counterparts.
Evolution of Manufacturing
From post war Industrial Era through Consumer & Information Era, the current era can be termed as Intelligence Era. GDP has grown to present levels, despite getting skewed towards Services, only because of the Growth in Manufacturing Value Chain, ably supported by Domestic Consumption – A stark difference to that of Export Oriented China, which also gives India a cushion from external turbulences.
Automation
Transition though gradual, I sincerely believe adoption of Changes by Indian Organizations have been appropriate – balancing the Societal Readiness and Investment Costs (which is presumably highest amongst Industrialized Nations). Initial Choices of adoption were to improve productivity to match market consumption – focus was on numbers and hence automation was limited to increasing out puts. This is the time Society was in need of a Choice other than that of Agriculture. Education level was moderate, relying on training and skilling. Automating production was the beginning of Artificial Alternative.
Computerization
Near saturation levels in Market and availability of Choices, brought in a need for Product Differentiation – by means of Quality and Consistency, reflected by Branding. Consumers sought to be identified with Brands. Need for containing Human Errors, supported by improvement in Societal Education Levels called for next level of Technology adoption. This is when Computerization happened in Manufacturing, aided by development of stepper motors. Second Level of Artificial Alternative – technically known to be Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM), on line programming and consistent quality with improved productivity. Parallely, Computer Aided Designing (CAD) was automating the most people dependent process – Design.
Integration
By and large, though technology remained same, focus on further improving through-put times, resulted in off-line programing, higher cutting speeds, feed rates and elimination of non-cutting times. Cabling induced integration techniques (Computer Integrated Manufacturing) helped in integrating CAD-CAM, so as to eliminate the Lag Time and interpretation errors by direct on-line transfer of Data from Design to Manufacturing. Next level of Alternative Intelligence, focused on improving Quality and Through Put times, Consistently. Manufacturing evolved into boundary less.
Globalization
Universalization of Products called for Process Management requiring Quality Management Systems. Focus shifted from Output Quality to Process Quality. Beginnings were laborious documentation consuming precious human efforts, and most of the times creating a Parallel Organization. Audits were mostly fault finding rather than value adding, to begin with. Documentation accuracies mattered more than shop floor necessities. Over the years, as the Organizations matured, QMS became a powerful Process Management Tool, benefits compounded by Six Sigma & TQM (Total Quality Management)/ TPM (Total Preventive Maintenance) practices. And got integrated with CAM & MIS, seamlessly.
MIS
CIM facilitated automated Data Capturing. Parallel development of Information Technology helped in Automated Data Management (Management Information Systems) – next level of Alternative Intelligence. Subsequent developments through BPR (Business Process Re-engineering) induced further improvements in Human Productivity by eliminating NVAs (Non Value Adding Activities). In the process, Speed and Accuracies too improved, apart from eliminating the need for Physical Data Storage, saving costly storage space. Next level of Alternative Intelligence.
FMEAs
VA (Value Analysis) – VE (Value Engineering) supported by developments in CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) facilitated Product Design & Performance Optimization through Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEAs) – both Products & Processes. Concept of Value For Money became a powerful differentiating tool. Next level of Alternative Intelligence.
IOT & Sensors
Sensors, all kinds, were beginning to be deployed liberally for Real Time Data Management, completely limiting Human involvement, thereby further improving Human Productivity, Quality and Consistency. Next level of Alternative Intelligence. Tangible benefits apart, IOT and Sensors also enhanced Management of Safety and Wastes, which became an integral part of EMS (Environment Management Systems), OHSAS (Health & Safety Management Systems) & EnMS (Energy Management Systems).
Extended Organizations
ICT (Information & Communication Technology) further supported Collaborative Commerce and Concurrent Engineering, making QFD (Quality Function Deployment) in which all stake holders are part of (Customers, Employees, Suppliers & Regulators) much easier. This helped to further cut down on Product Development and Commercialization times (nearly 75% improvement).
Next stage of integration through CRM (Customer Relationship Management) helped eliminate time lapses and improve speed & accuracy in Commercial Processes (Materials and Financial Management, including Banking and Regulatory Processes). Next level of Alternative Intelligence.
Summary
As for me, any discussion on AI has been and will be focused on using and adopting appropriate technologies enabling Human Performance, by all means (Quality, Productivity, Consistency and Safety) cutting down unwanted time and processes through automation. It is therefore AI – Artificial Intelligence as an Alternative Intelligence in Manufacturing was and will always be in parallel development alongside technological improvements. Adaptation and Adoption, then, now and hereafter, will be dependent on Organizational & Market Readiness – driven by ROI (Return on Investment) and Pay Back Periods.
However, moving forward, Demography induced challenges will hasten AI adoption as a
replacement for Human Resources in mundane, repeated, hard labour processes. This is
irrespective of Industrial Segments. Its more a watch to wait than wait and watch!.
AI in Manufacturing is not new – it has been and will always be there, not as a substitute for Humans but as a necessary intervention to Leverage Human Performance.
About the Author :
Dr. NITHYANANDAN DEVARAAJ (NITHIN) BE., MBA., Ph.D
Independent Board Member, Business Excellence Expert, Technical Due Diligence & Capability Assessor.
Managing Partner – SAAE Enterprises
President – Coimbatore Management Association
Past National Secretary – The Institute of Indian Foundrymen.
Former MD / CEO of a German & Japanese MNC
Chairman – Shri Avinashiappar Trust
Past Managing Director & CEO – Flow Link Systems (P) Ltd ( a Voith Group Company )
Dr. Nithin has about 35 + Years of Experience in Engineering Manufacturing organizations. He has worked for LMW Group, L&T, Hitachi & CRI Group. He is considered to be a Professional with a rare blend of Intrapreneurial Orientation, having been a Business Head across Engineering Manufacturing Organisations / Industries.
Dr. Nithin is a Member in Governing Council / Board Of Studies of Universities and Management Institutions as a Management Expert.
Dr. Nithin is part of various industrial associations and professional bodies; he is credited with playing a leading role in bringing land mark changes in Export Incentives, Classification of MSMEs, CPCB Norms, Waste & Disposal Management. He also plays a pivotal role in training and development of educated Youth seeking employment opportunities.
Dr. Nithin Leads a team that turned around a division and a Company, and in establishing large scale projects as bench marks in industry (This Business has won several awards at National & Regional Level which includes – Indian Foundry of the Year, Young Foundryman and Foundryman Awards, 4Star Award from CII, Green Award & Safety Award from Tamil Nadu Government & at National Level from IIF, First Indian Foundry in the segment to get OHSAS 18001 & ISO 50001 Certification and Many Kaizen awards.)
Dr. Nithin is a Managing Trustee of a Family Managed Trust involved in activities like rendering Food, Shelter, Education and Medicare. Noted for rendering services during Chennai, Kerala, Tanjore & Nilgiris Floods.
Dr. Nithin’s Academics:
- Ph.D in Management Sciences
- MBA in Finance & Marketing – Gold Medalist and University Topper
- BE Mechanical Engineer with Distinction
- An IRCA certified lead auditor and assessor for ISO 9001.
- A qualified auditor for EMS, OHSAS & EnMS
- L&T Future Leaders Training at IIM – C
Dr. Nithin’s Professional Associations:
- Member & Industry Nominee, Coimbatore Disaster Management Council
- A Guest Faculty to Premier Management Institutes & Was Visiting Faculty to IIM – Calicut
- An examiner for Management Qualifications & Assessor for Management Teachers
- An acknowledged management trainer and consultant
- Is a regular Business Column Writer.
Dr. Nithin is a Member of:
- Foundry Development Council, Ministry of Commerce & Industries, India.
- Institution of Engineers, All India and Coimbatore Management Association
- Board of Studies in Universities & Premier Management Institutes
Dr. Nithin is Winner of:
- The Outstanding Alumni & Distinguished Alumni Awards from PSG Institutions & Bharathiar University.
- The CMA Golden Jubilee Year Best Manager award for the region.
- The Best Management Student award and many accolades at National Level.
- The Mother Teresa Award of Excellence for Young Business Managers.
Dr. Nithin’s Management Interests:
- Management of Innovation, Corporate Strategic Planning and Manufacturing Management, Green Supply Chain
Dr. Nithin can be contacted at :
Mobile : +91 94879 46900 , +91 99653 11288
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Also read Dr. NITHYANANDAN DEVARAAJ’s earlier articles:
