Molding services for Agricultural customersOctober 6th is National Manufacturing Day, a day set aside to celebrate modern manufacturing and inspire the next generation of workers to get excited about new opportunities and trends in manufacturing.
Manufacturing is changing, and it’s important for us to help ‘set the record straight’ when it comes to some of the misperceptions people have about manufacturing jobs.
What better way to shed some light on this innovative industry than with some of the coming trends we here at KASO are most excited about. And from new ways to use 3D printing to the continued growth of automated factory floors, there’s plenty to be excited about.
HERE ARE OUR TOP 3 MANUFACTURING TRENDS:
Trend #1: Automation, automation, automation
Automated manufacturing has gotten a bad rap, mostly due to fears that automation will lead to less jobs as more and more traditional manufacturing tasks are moved to robots and other forms of automation. These fears are understandable.But that’s only half of the story.
The other half of the story is that new jobs will be coming as a result of this shift. Because no matter how many machines you have on the factory floor, we’ll always need a workforce that can program, manage, and operate them. These jobs require a high level of technical skill and knowledge of software and other programs and provide a LOT of room for future innovations as well. And let’s face it. If we want to remain competitive in a global economy, U.S. Manufacturing must continue to innovate.
Trend #2: 3D Printing Finds New Uses
3D printing? But wasn’t that a new trend in 2011 and old news today? Well, yes and not exactly. That’s because 3D printing continues to build and grow in its own right, from rough prototypes in years past to finding new materials that are advancing 3D printing applications. 3D printing has also continued to integrate, finding new purposes like the creation of tools and fixtures to further integrate into manufacturing processes. The sky, it seems, really might be the limit as talk of 3D printing in space becomes a reality!
Trend #3: Greener Manufacturing
With growing interest in reshoring to U.S. manufacturers, one of the most exciting trends that accompanies this is a resurgence in interest in green manufacturing initiatives. These include an interest in greater use of recycled materials. When done correctly, measures such as these can reduce manufacturing costs while pushing toward more sustainable alternatives to traditional manufacturing.
These are just some (of the many) exciting trends we’re seeing coming for manufacturing, and we look forward to seeing what new innovations the next generation will bring!