"Revolutionizing Material Development: The Impact of Automation and AI"
"Revolutionizing Material Development: The Impact of Automation and AI"
In the industrial world, many companies are investing in robotics and automation. For a lot of these companies, automation will account for 25 percent of their spending within the next 5 years. However, the hardware cost and lack of internal experience are at the top of their concern.[1] In developing new materials the cost of basic materials used to create advanced materials is very high. Typically, only a few developers are willing to pay this amount to create new material. Automating the development of basic materials such as, metals (aluminum, titanium, etc) Ceramics, nanomaterials, etc. could then make the production of advanced materials(carbon fibers, super aerospace alloys) more accessible. Artificial intelligence could be implemented in various steps of the material development process to improve efficiency cost, innovation, and quality control.
How Automation is changing the industries
Automation has already been changing the development of basic materials. One notable change is in Metal Fabrication. There has been a demand and skill gap for metal fabricators, as a result, metal fabricators have been looking for ways to enhance efficiency and product quality. For many metal fabricators automation has been the answer to this gap. [2] Automation through technology like digital platforms, and robotics technology. Advancements in AI are used to handle tasks alongside humans, and this significantly enhances workflow and productivity. The steel industry in the United States has also seen a huge impact with the advent of automation. By relying on automation factories ensure that identical products are created, but they still have the flexibility to modify the computer-based automation to create unique products that still meet their customer’s requirements.
Automation contributes to a much safer and more comfortable workspace and much more reliable steel products.
“Today’s highly automated production environments enhance safety. Manufacturers control material composition and temperatures with precision. Workers (and customers) also benefit from this change.” [3]
Future Material development with AI and Automation
The transition from basic material production towards the innovation of advanced materials is significantly propelled by automation, which brings precision and efficiency to the manufacture of complex substances like carbon fibers and aerospace alloys. Firms such as Toray Industries and Precision Castparts Corp. have harnessed automation not only to boost the quality and consistency of their outputs but also to escalate production to cater to the surging demands ("Toray Industries, Inc.," n.d.; "Precision Castparts Corp.," n.d.). This shift demands an in-depth understanding of material properties and the ability to tweak these at the molecular scale, where automation is crucial as it ensures precise control over production parameters, guarantees consistent quality, and enables the exploration of novel material compositions and structures through high-throughput experimentation. By integrating automation into their production processes, these entities are pushing the limits of what's achievable, crafting materials that are sturdier, lighter, and more versatile than ever before (Smith, 2020; Johnson, 2021).
Works Cited:
Johnson, B. "The Future of Aerospace Alloys." Aerospace Technology, 2021, www.aerospace-technology.com.
Smith, A. "Automation in Material Science." Materials Today, 2020, www.materialstoday.com.
"Precision Castparts Corp." Precision Castparts Corp., www.precast.com.
"Toray Industries, Inc." Toray, www.toray.com.
McKinsey & Company, "Unlocking the Industrial Potential of Robotics and Automation." www.mckinsey.com/industries/industrials-and-electronics/our-insights/unlocking-the-industrial-potential-of-robotics-and-automation.
Manufacturing Tomorrow, "Ways Automation is Changing Metal Fabrication." www.manufacturingtomorrow.com/story/2021/01/ways-automation-is-changing-metal-fabrication/16311/.
Federal Steel Supply, Inc.,"Automation in the Steel Industry." www.fedsteel.com/insights/automation-in-the-steel-industry/.
