What Will Manufacturing Look Like In 2030?

As we approach the second half of the 2020s, many businesses wonder what manufacturing will look like in 2030. They see challenges ahead that include the effects of climate change, ongoing supply chain disruptions and the fluctuating relationship between humans and machines. There are also concerns about the need for more skilled labour and new definitions of the characteristics required for business success. As traditional hierarchies topple, organisational, technological and leadership skills must adapt to changing circumstances. New generations of manufacturers will need to address these challenges differently and more constructively.

A Vision Of Manufacturing In 2030

The next few years will bring opportunities and challenges as we move into an era of sustainable production, greening industry and digital dominance. We’ll be focussing more on collaboration, bringing together project leaders from all over the world for real-time discussion and experimentation. We’ll also be leveraging technology to streamline production, using AI and ML to optimise processes from production line to business management. The immersive virtual simulation will enable seamless design and engineering, accessible by project teams worldwide.

We must be more mindful of how manufacturing impacts the environment, people, and the planet so that our business activities are pursued more ethically. This includes reducing harmful emissions, saving energy and reusing or recycling where possible. The manufacturing sector must be prepared to satisfy the requirements of current and future generations. It must also be aware that resources won’t last forever and future generations must have a solid base of sustainable production that won’t overstretch the capacity of our planet.

These themes offer only a broad outline of how things might look for manufacturers in 2030, but they help to focus our thinking and planning for the future.

It’s All Connected

Modern terminology is moving us into what’s called the industrial “metaverse”, where everything is connected. The metaverse already exists in other realms, such as entertainment and gaming, but in industry, it has a far more useful and wide-reaching impact. While 3D printing is increasingly significant in product prototyping, it will be further advanced by incorporating metaverse simulation techniques. 

Designers can begin prototyping new parts in the metaverse, where anyone involved in the project can interact with 3D virtual simulations. Entering a design in the metaverse allows them to make alterations and manipulate alternative options before any final decisions are made. Once finalised, the designs can be transmitted directly to 3D printing facilities for immediate production. This sort of technology allows for much greater freedom, suggesting such possibilities as individually customised items produced on the spot. 

Building The Metaverse

Many metaverse techniques are already in use, such as augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) and digital twinning (DT). These already allow manufacturers to manipulate prototypes of various design options and have proved useful in large-scale projects such as shipbuilding and factory layout planning. A factory layout can be simulated using advanced technology such as the Siemens VR plant simulator. This can be used to visualise, model, simulate and analyse shop floor layouts to optimise production processes, hardware and systems. 

Simulations in the metaverse are even more immersive, as you can create a digital user for your system in a virtual world with its own economy. As an avatar in a DT, you can buy and sell digital assets to design and create all your DT’s components, just like the physical asset. With a VR headset, you can assess and interact with simulated systems and processes in real-time, simulate multiple scenarios and gain an in-depth understanding of your entire operation. One step further involves incorporating and comparing autonomous automated simulations into your metaverse to pick the best possible scenario. 

Less Is More

A major advantage of immersive technology is that it reduces the reliance on physical objects, source materials and supply chains. Manufacturers have already begun to place greater emphasis on environmental sustainability and, as the effects of climate change become more apparent, resources are more open to disruption. By 2030, manufacturing will need a different style of organisation where operations are smarter and able to create more useful products using fewer resources and less destructive processes. 

Intelligent automation and Industry 4.0 technology like DTs and 3D printing will allow for faster, more localised production so that manufacturing becomes more dispersed. Concepts like pop-ups and micro-factories make it possible for customers to get customised goods on demand. We can use predictive analysis of market demand to eliminate over-production while maximising reuse and regeneration to reduce waste. By following the principles of the circular economy, we’ll come closer to our goal of zero emissions. 

Manufacturing in 2030 is going to be more decentralised, featuring a range of new skills and concepts. We’ll see eco-entrepreneurs, digital nomads, material innovators and climate tech start-ups – all able to collaborate in the immersive world of the metaverse. Global partnerships will drive innovation, where all things are interconnected.

People First

By 2030, we need to see manufacturing transition from a self-centred or capitalist approach to a future where our priority is people and the planet. Unrestrained capitalism has had a seriously detrimental effect on our society as well as our environment. Some consider that a complete change is required in the guiding principles of manufacturing, towards a more ethical, just and regenerative future. Future leaders must promote a humanist approach to manufacturing, where they recognise the need for purposeful production, human empowerment, inclusion and ethical behaviours.

Skills and talent are always a key focus in the manufacturing sector, where it’s increasingly difficult to attract and retain. Technological skills change so rapidly that it’s sometimes hard to keep up. Employers should consider what future profiles may be required. New generations of employees in the 2030s need to be inspired to shape the manufacturing future, to take advantage of technological advances and not be overwhelmed by them.

Digital Transformation

When we consider what manufacturing will look like in 2030, we should see an evolution in the way we live, work, and consume, driven by digital transformation and reflected in ethical production. The manufacturing industry has already become more agile and resilient by adopting IIoT technologies and global collaboration.  By 2030, the manufacturing sector should be using the power of intelligent automation and the metaverse to achieve ethical long-term prosperity while prioritising human well-being and sustainability,