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Industry 4.0 or Smart Factories 4.0 has shown great potential in a short span since its start. Use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in manufacturing has increased efficiency and opened new possibilities for business.AI and ML have proved to be helpful to industries to solve some major problems. Tracing manufacturing defects, reducing waste by identifying faulty components earlier in the process, and speedy manufacture, to name a few.

Manufacturing industries have indeed flourished during Industry 3.0. Yet there are some major challenges that need resolution. Two such challenges faced throughout Industry 3.0 are Quality and Maintenance.

In any manufacturing industry, quality plays a vital role. The cost of quality is not only the price of creating a quality product or service but also the cost of not creating a good quality product. The quality caretakers in Industry 3.0 are humans. And as we know, humans, though talented have limitations. Industries in 3.0 are dependent on individuals for quality. As said earlier, individuals have limitations.

Machinery maintenance is another pain point of Industry 3.0. Amidst cutthroat deadlines, heavy workload, and other business aspects, periodic maintenance of machines is often compromised leading to over utilization of machines. This ultimately results in production failures, declining quality, and heavy losses.

What’s the solution to this, you ask?
Industry 4.0!

A major part of the manufacturing process in an Industry 4.0 production line is taken care of by AI and ML. It helps the industry come up with better product designs, improved efficiency, enhanced quality and most important of all, worker safety. Besides, Industry 4.0 is environment friendly. Thanks to AI and ML!

Customers today expect flawless products. Even the slightest of defects are a good enough reason for them to toss away the product. This results in a loss of market acquisition. AI alerts companies of quality flaws on the production line itself.

AI uses high-resolution cameras to track defects way better than human eyes. It also helps verify raw materials. Using AI and ML, manufacturers get accurate data on the quality and performance of their products. This helps them take better strategic decisions for market domination.

AI also plays a critical role in machinery maintenance. Maintenance of equipment is one of the biggest expenses in the manufacturing industry. Left unresolved, the issue can cost enormous money to the industries. Predictive maintenance becomes a vital solution that saves tons of money.

Complex AI algorithms like neural networks generate predictions about the status of machinery. Technicians will know beforehand which machinery needs a repair or replacement and will be able to fix it. This significantly increases the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) of equipment.

Quality and Maintenance are the two factors for industries. These two when well taken care of ensure business profitability and market domination. AI and ML promise to better these two factors for industries.

AI and ML can also improve the supply chain. The industry giants such as Microsoft, Amazon, Tesla, etc. have already introduced AI and ML to their production lines. They are investing heavily in the development of the technologies. With AI and ML included in the manufacturing process, it is a matter of time before the new technology takes the manufacturing game a notch higher.