Why Is Industry 5.0 A Good Thing For Manufacturing
Industry 5.0 is the term for the next step in the evolution of industrial processes. Industry 4.0 is poised to eke out the maximum efficiency and productivity possible for industries. The next stage is to introduce a human element to the production, which was not at all a factor in any of the previous industrial epochs.
Industry 5.0 will put people at the center of operations. This includes customers, employees, and other individual stakeholders. In the drive for efficiency, the previous industrial epochs focused on production techniques and processes. People were not much of a concern in such a dynamic. With production efficiency peaking with Industry 4.0, the human element is pivotal in moving the industry forward.
Customers did not have the luxury of purchasing personalized goods at affordable prices with standardized production. Industry 5.0 will change the paradigm by bringing affordable yet personalized products to customers. Improving customer experience in the product purchase journey and post-purchase will also be central for industry 5.0.
The changes in industry 5.0 will create a space where manufacturing workers can be creative to better the customer experience. Industry 5.0 focuses on individuals by moving away from standardized products to custom solutions. Each item produced will differ from the previous one to accommodate individual preferences. Manufacturing and operations need to be dynamic to facilitate this change.
Industry 3.0 and 4.0 dealt with the automation of production processes where the products and processes were standardized. With industry 5.0, manufacturers have to move to a whole new level of automation where neither products nor processes need not be standardized. These changes reflect a whole range of manufacturing processes from automating demand estimation to automating maintenance activities.
Two technologies will be vital: 3D printing and collaborative robots. In due course of time, the cost of 3D printing technology will come down with technical improvements. This will make it accessible to a wide range of manufacturers and consumers.
Collaborative robots or cobots are the other major technology critical for industry 5.0. Most industrial robots of the current generation are geared towards automation and better efficiency. Collaborative robots have different purposes. They are designed to support human activities in manufacturing facilities. Cobots will take on the more physically intensive and mundane tasks. This gives employees the chance to indulge in more creative work to facilitate the custom requirements of consumers.
Industry 5.0 will also place an increased focus on sustainability in manufacturing. The leaders in manufacturing realize the harm caused by the manufacturing industry to the environment. Sustainable manufacturing practices like the use of renewable sources of energy, carbon capture, use of sustainable materials will be increasingly relied on. The adoption of sustainable manufacturing is again putting humans and their well-being at the center of manufacturing activities.
Bryan Christiansen
The founder and CEO of Limble CMMS. Limble is a mobile CMMS software that takes the stress and chaos out of maintenance by helping managers organize, automate, and streamline their maintenance operations.
