Adopting technology for the manufacturing sector

Global technology intelligence firm ABI Research has completed its 2024 Manufacturers’ Technology Adoption & Attitudes Survey, gathering insights from 461 manufacturing decision-makers across the United States, Malaysia, and Germany. The survey reveals key trends and attitudes surrounding the technological landscape in the manufacturing sector.

A significant finding is the widespread belief among respondents that cloud platforms are essential for real-time collaboration with suppliers, distributors, and partners. According to the survey, 76% of respondents have already implemented cloud-based solutions to enhance data accessibility and improve supply chain efficiency.

Additional applications of cloud platforms include remote monitoring of production processes and the efficient management and analysis of production data.

New insights

These insights highlight the growing role of cloud technology in modern manufacturing, as companies increasingly rely on digital solutions to streamline operations and boost efficiency.

“Manufacturers are leveraging cloud platforms, especially hybrid cloud solutions, to help increase production output and efficiency. Manufacturers are leveraging cloud-based supply chain applications to track inventory, shipments, and production status, to improve supply chain visibility and transparency. However, some fundamental challenges remain, such as the integration of legacy infrastructure and data security concerns, that continue to hinder the widespread adoption of cloud solutions in the manufacturing industry,” saidYih-Khai Wong, principal analyst with ABI Research.

Manufacturers are accelerating their digital transformation efforts, driven by the increasing demand for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) solutions, the expansion of smart IoT devices, and the surge in data generation across both on-premises infrastructure and public cloud platforms.

However, many manufacturers operate within heterogeneous technology environments, where various platforms and solutions are used throughout the manufacturing process. This complexity and the lack of unified technology standards often hinder real-time collaboration. A cloud-based enterprise data fabric architecture offers a solution by breaking down data silos and integrating data from multiple sources, enabling seamless real-time collaboration across the business.

“Cloud platforms provide flexibility and scalability for manufacturers to scale up or down, based on production and business needs. This will be crucial in ensuring a robust enterprise data fabric architecture, which allows manufacturers to foster real-time collaboration, enhancing the capability for remote monitoring and analysing production data more efficiently, ultimately increasing production innovation,” concluded Wong.