6 Manufacturing Trends Sure to Pick Up (More) Steam in 2021

These Trends will Outlast the Pandemic

It took some doing and a whole lot of adapting, but we’ve finally managed to make it to the other end of 2020. Below are six emerging trends and changes in philosophy we’ve observed in the manufacturing industry that arose in response to the upheaval of norms in 2020 that we believe will be industry-defining in years to come.

1.) Increased Investment in Resiliency

2020 has proven that a disaster has occurred and impacted your facility by the time it’s often too late to recover on time. Manufacturers felt this first hand when their supply chains were rocked due to COVID. Many businesses fell without having a proper backup means of production. This has caused several manufacturers to develop several contingency plans for a compromised supply chain.

Critical parts of resiliency planning are edge computing and digital twin simulations. The former gives businesses a local backup of essential data. The latter lets these businesses run simulations of different disruptions to develop response plans before disaster hits.

2.) Further Familiarization With Remote Tools

Remote work is no longer for perky startup companies. As such, software such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams will likely show other software developers a need for tools tailored to the manufacturing sector. Remote manufacturing trends will naturally come with some investment in bolstered remote cybersecurity to meet a team’s security needs that operate on separate networks.

Rugged computers built to last on the factory floor can also support multi-factor identity authentication with hardware such as RFID, CAC card, and biometric readers have been proven to improve cyber defense efforts. They will likely become more common across several manufacturing verticals.

3.) Bringing on New Cybersecurity Talent

On the topic of cybersecurity, manufacturers are beginning to understand that they don’t have the expertise to meet new cyber defense needs. This, in conjunction with the surprising lack of skilled labor in manufacturing, is prompting many to kill two birds with one stone by bringing on experienced security analysts.

Analysts can pour through data and instances of unauthorized network access and immediately pinpointing holes in cyber defense efforts. From there, these professionals can patch the holes themselves or bring up the security concerns, so they’re top of mind. Analysts have the knowledge needed to see attack patterns that may seem random and chaotic to the average observer and use those patterns to dictate the best course of action for a cyber defense plan.

4.) New Communication Apparatuses

Manufacturing communication systems address both the industry’s remote work and cybersecurity needs. As far as remote work, these communication systems give employees a means of collaborating and sharing updates. Not only that, they promote collaboration between both the front-line workers on the factory floor and those who typically work behind a computer in an office setting.

In terms of security, email communications are no longer trustworthy since phishing scams are hiking up in frequency, meaning new methods of communication are necessary. This makes shared employee dashboards and communication systems a more efficient means of collaboration that also does away with a now compromised alternative.

5.) Direct to Consumer Sales

As a result of the shocks of 2020, many manufacturers have opted to either shift all supply chain partnerships to the local level or sell directly to the consumer. Those who’ve decided to become entirely self-sufficient to the point of selling directly to the consumer are beginning to implement solutions that lend themselves to improved customer service and timely deliveries.

Inventory management solutions such as panel mount PCs equipped with RFID scanners are one such solution that allows manufacturers to monitor inventory and raw materials closely, ensuring they’re never caught off guard by insufficient stock that could result in a slow delivery or canceled order.

6.) Employee Safety

Sanitation and employee health have been brought to the forefront of everyone’s consciousness due to the highly infectious disease that defined our 2020. Regular disinfection, remote work for employees who feel under the weather, and other practices are slowly becoming the norm.

When searching for hardware such as industrial tablets and shared workstations that are passed off from person to person on the factory floor, manufacturers are becoming more conscious of things such as IP65 certification that allow for these devices to be sanitized regularly without worry over damaging their internal components.

For more information on the hardware needed to stay ahead in 2021, contact an expert from Cybernet today.