Cisco Industry Predictions

Bloggers at Cisco Systems took a look at a variety of manufacturing resources to come up with a few top manufacturing trends for 2015. The manufacturing predictions run the gamut from thoughts about the Internet to trends in asset performance management. Manufacturing predictions for 2015 are likely to form the basis for employment trends in the industry moving into the second half of the second decade of the century and beyond.

Topping manufacturing predictions for 2015 is significant growth in the area of industrial robotics. Industrial automation is moving in the direction of safer machines with more human-like interfaces to accelerate human-robot workflows. Industry analysts expect these user-friendly machines to move out into the retail arena with consumer-robot interactions becoming more common. If factory automation grows exponentially as predicted, expect an increase in the need for tech-savvy factory workers and less demand for unskilled employees.

A second manufacturing prediction is a slowdown in the reshoring movement. In spite of government efforts to increase manufacturing technology education programs, the number of new available skilled factory workers is not keeping pace with the industry retirement rate. Couple that with low global oil prices and a reduced demand for imports, and the incentive to bring manufacturing operations back to the United States is not as high as in the early part of the century.

Other manufacturing predictions see big data analytics growing in influence in the manufacturing industry. New software programs allow for better collection and use of data, and new computing methods such as cloud and edge computing are seeping into every area of the manufacturing business. Expect to see new levels of data-controlled process simulation, analytic-influenced product design, more detailed work flow analysis across the business model and tighter performance management along with an increase in investment in data analysis tools to fine-tune the manufacturing process. Large companies in particular will be spending more of their budget on technology to help them make better decisions for less waste and more growth.

A drive toward customer-centrism is another factor likely to influence manufacturing trends. Look for more responsive manufacturing operations that work within today's customer-centric environment to produce small batches of products to meet exact consumer specifications and an increase in discrete manufacturing operations working together to develop more connected products Expect to see faster product development cycles and an increased emphasis on quality customer service to meet the expectations of contemporary consumers.

Manufacturing predictions from LNS Research and IDC Manufacturing insights are all pointing toward a growth in technology in the manufacturing industry. Whether technologically-driven automation on the plant floor, big data analysis software programs or customer-centric technology interfaces, expect to see lots of new uses for technology in the manufacturing arena. Manufacturing predictions firmly point to a need for more manufacturing workers skilled in technology in the future.

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