How GenAI and 3D Tech is Changing the Manufacturing Industry Forever

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Emerging technology is part of what the World Economic Forum calls the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”. Emerging tech includes generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D work instructions, and more. 

In the manufacturing sector, GenAI and 3D work instructions are transforming how things operate. By streamlining operations, reducing training time, and enabling quick knowledge retrieval, they address issues that impact workflow efficiencies such as disorganized communication, reliance on lengthy manuals, or time-consuming workforce training processes. 

In this article, we’ll explore emerging tech, specifically GenAI and 3D modeling, their impact on the manufacturing industry, and how Makula is using AI-powered tools and immersive 3D visualizations to facilitate original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and factories in achieving higher operational efficiency for complex machine maintenance challenges, collaborations, and skilled workforce training.

Current Key Challenges in the Manufacturing Industry

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and factories have come a long way from manually identifying operational issues to using paper-based manuals for machine repairs.

With the entry of robotics, the machine complexities have increased even more with less skilled labor available to resolve them. Following are some of the challenges factories face that risk operational costs and revenue decline:

• Disorganized Communication: Most OEMs rely on outdated communication tools like emails or WhatsApp to manage work orders or machine maintenance, leading to delays and miscommunication.
• Traditional Manuals: Every machine comes with a long manual PDF for troubleshooting and maintenance. Despite the digitization, it takes a lot of time to read and identify the problem.
• Complex Training and Onboarding Processes: Many manufacturers struggle with a lack of skilled workers and lengthy training and onboarding times, leading to machine downtime and operational challenges.
• Real-Time Defect Detection: Current systems fail to do preventative maintenance or delay responses to troubleshooting errors or sudden breakdowns. It takes almost weeks to identify and resolve major or minor defects in a machine, causing revenue loss to factories. 

To address these challenges, experts are turning to emerging technologies like generative AI and 3D visualization to streamline operations and workflow efficiency.

The Role of Generative AI in Manufacturing

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is a branch of AI that generates solutions by analyzing huge datasets and identifying patterns to solve real-time problems.

According to the World Economic Forum, investment in AI for manufacturing is predicted to increase from $1.1 billion in 2020 to $16.7 billion in 2026.

In manufacturing, GenAI is helping improve asset performance and maintenance by integrating with the existing knowledge base to generate relevant answers for customers and the workforce. Currently, it has four use cases in the manufacturing industry: 

Process Optimization 

GenAI is transforming how manufacturers streamline production processes to meet revenue and efficiency goals. By analyzing historical data, real-time inputs, and operational patterns, GenAI identifies inefficiencies and helps optimize processes for OEMs and factories.

Some of the important use cases that the manufacturing industry prioritizes include:

• Optimizing Task Sequences: GenAI evaluates workflows from existing knowledge bases to recommend better task assignments for quicker production cycles.
• Resource Allocation: It highlights areas where materials, labor, or energy usage can be adjusted to reduce costs and waste.
• Meet Environment Compliance: AI can also help minimize electricity consumption and carbon footprints by optimizing machine usage and production schedules to meet compliance standards.

By analyzing existing patterns such as KPIs and production line databases, GenAI can create simulations or suggest new commands to reduce risks of production of goods and drive revenue forward. 

Machine Maintenance and Support

Unexpected machine breakdowns and failures can lead to costly downtime. Traditional preventive maintenance procedures rely on extensive data analysis and manual effort, slowing down the process. 

As a solution, GenAI simplifies maintenance and support by generating quick solutions based on given documentation and manuals, equipping lowly-trained staff with accurate answers to their queries. It also provides maintenance schedules based on historical data, reducing downtime, optimizing resource allocation, and extending equipment lifespan by ensuring timely and proactive servicing.

For example, Makula’s Asset AI Copilot trains on manuals and documentation to give manufacturers and suppliers accurate answers, effectively reducing downtime. It offers preventative maintenance, sets repair schedules, answers questions on specs for your asset, and troubleshoots an issue based on given input data only. 

Training and Onboarding for Skilled Labor Force

Many manufacturers don’t have enough skilled labor to manage their complex machinery. GenAI equips factories and OEMs with tools to train and onboard new staff. It uses asset knowledge to retrieve relevant answers whenever an employee searches for a query, enabling them to quickly understand complex processes or machinery.

By providing instant access to detailed instructions, troubleshooting guides, and standard operating procedures, GenAI can create customizable training programs and modules with role-based policies according to the manufacturer’s requirements.

‍AI Asset Copilot by Makula uses asset knowledge to help train and onboard lowly trained workers, turning them into a skilled workforce. Employees can easily retrieve, update, and review complex machinery-related issues without needing a supervisor's expertise. 

Real-Time Collaboration

The manufacturing industry often requires strong collaboration tools for real-time communication to manage work orders or day-to-day tasks related to machine maintenance or general operations. 

An AI Notetaker assists with transcribing voice notes and other inputs into structured text to share with teams, eliminating the need for manuals. It also summarizes key details, making it easier to review and share important insights regarding specific issues.

For factories and OEMs that rely on detailed documentation for operational workflows, troubleshooting, and compliance, AI Notetaker captures information and automatically organizes it, reducing operational efforts.

Makula’s AI Notetaker transcribes voice notes into text or summarizes existing notes into a digestible format to share with customers, employees, or coworkers. And, instead of manually entering this narrated information, the AI Notetaker integrates that information into CRM systems for easy retrieval.

This is specifically useful for OEMs who need to communicate and share information with factories.

The Power of 3D Streams in Maintenance and Operations

3D visualization is yet another emerging tech in manufacturing that assists with maintenance and operations by providing clear, interactive, and accessible instructions. Unlike traditional manuals, 3D work instructions and live collaboration tools visually guide workers and partners, reducing errors and improving productivity. 

Here are several use cases of 3D Assets in the manufacturing industry:

Instructions for Effective Maintenance

3D work instructions offer a spatial view of machines, helping workers perform preventive maintenance with greater accuracy. These 3D assets visually highlight the location of specific components to identify and address even minor issues.

With 3D data, supervisors and workers can locate spare parts, label components with detailed instructions, and update progress—all from a single system. 

Makula’s 3D Technology lets OEMs share 3D-CAD files with step-by-step guides. These 3D Streams help suppliers or engineers label machine models and provide clear instructions for hard-to-reach spare parts. Makula’s intelligent system distributes computations between devices and services, allowing end-users to visualize any data size without preprocessing. This streamlines maintenance and reduces machine downtime.

Guides for Real-Time Collaboration

Using a 3D collaboration of 3D models, workers can hold sessions tied to specific parts of a machine that need attention. Most OEMs struggle to communicate the right instructions to partners and workers but with 3D visualization, engineers can mention workers for work assignments with reminders, annotate, and even highlight where the problem lies without needing personal visits or hour-long meetings.

For instance, a lowly skilled technician performing maintenance can tag a part needing attention and request input from trained engineers or suppliers asynchronously. 

Makula’s 3D Live Collaboration tools take this further by enabling OEMs to spin up 3D Sessions for any machine. Engineers can leave comments, share files, and access 3D models via a browser or app. With its “3D streaming architecture”, manufacturers can build 3D models of their machines and access them via the Cloud, contributing to productivity and operational efficiency.  

Knowledge Retention and Sharing

3D asset visualization simplifies knowledge retention and sharing. It can visually and systematically store maintenance knowledge for easy access. 

For example, supervisors can use Makula 3D to identify defects during inspections with 3D models and provide clear, step-by-step visual guidance for complex maintenance tasks, enabling new hires or less-experienced workers to perform effectively.

For better sharing and data, Makula also integrates with CRM systems like Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics for seamless sharing and data access to partners and workers via 3D data. This helps improve their after-sales service delivery and customer relationship management.

Final Word: Leverage Makula for Smarter Manufacturing

While emerging tech is vastly developing in the manufacturing industry, GenAI and 3D visualization are by far the strongest use cases to resolve maintenance and support, along with knowledge retrieval and sharing for operational efficiency. 

Tools like Makula’s 3D Stream, Asset AI Copilot, and AI Notetaker allow OEMs and factories to reduce downtime, manage work orders, and build a skilled workforce.

As the industry evolves and the demand for a more skilled workforce grows, GenAI and 3D innovations provide OEMs and factories with the most advanced solutions to reduce labor costs and multiply operations. 

Want to know more about emerging tech use cases for your manufacturing processes and after-sales services? Contact Makula for a free expert consultation. 

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