Asset management is a critical issue for any organisation. It not only involves substantial capital investment in a comprehensive list of items that are regarded as non-negotiable tools of business success, but also imposes strictly-enforced and measurable corporate governance and risk management compliance requirements that are subject to specific reporting and auditing procedures. The company’s […]
Whether they know it or not, everyone has used RFID at some point in their lives. The first radio transponders used during World War II kicked off the development of this branch of technology. Through constant evolution, it has since grown to include today’s commonplace radio frequency identification (RDIF) activated ID cards and key fobs. […]
If South Africa is to compete globally as a location for manufacturing, new concepts are needed to optimise the efficiency of industrial production. In view of the progress made in automation and artificial intelligence, a well-established and improved interaction between man and machine could help to ensure high economic standards and productivity. A promising model […]
There is little doubt that autonomous vehicles, more commonly known as self-driving cars, are set to be transformational. The market alone is set to reach roughly $42-billion by 2025 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) projected at 21% until 2030. Not only will this disruption be immense, giving birth to new types of businesses, […]
At industrial trade shows around the world, the predominant theme is Industry 4.0. Although Industry 4.0 still has not scaled up to cover a significant percentage of manufacturing setups, its vision of near-total automation – and the promise of resulting cost savings – has clearly captured the industry’s imagination. More importantly, even though the “lights […]
In the manufacturing arena, people and machines tend to have a symbiotic relationship – they depend upon each other for their performance and for future improvements. People are increasingly making better machines – most recently through the use of affordable and innovative automation solutions, based upon more powerful hardware and software. These enhanced machines in […]
No one is better at being human than humans. But robots beg to differ… ask Harish Natarajan, the world record holder for debate competition victories. In February this year, Harish faced the most unique and unpredictable opponent he had ever encountered – Miss Debater, IBM’s six-year-old artificial intelligence (AI) system. While Harish may have had […]
Automated and flexible production processes are the answer to increasing quantities, smaller batch sizes, and high production speeds. Automated guided vehicle (AGV) systems and their smaller relatives, automated guided carts (AGCs), were once mainly the preserve of production logistics in the automotive industry. Now, they are poised to conquer the world of intralogistics processes in […]
The internet of things (IoT) could not be better timed for the biotech/pharma manufacturing industries. With fierce cost pressures, the push for value-based outcomes, and the need for flexible manufacturing solutions, the IoT is the much-needed shot in the arm to bring about transformational change. Sensors, actuators, and devices (“things”) embedded in production equipment and […]
With the internet of things (IoT) expected to comprise 30-billion connected devices by 2020, one of the most exciting areas of focus is on nanosensors capable of circulating in the human body or being embedded in construction materials. Once connected, this “internet of nanothings” (IoNT) could have a huge impact on the future of industrial […]
