Top 10 Technologies to Watch in 2020
by Peter Fretty 
DEC 04, 2019
| We live in an age where new technologies hit the market almost daily. The question is, will manufacturers find meaningful applications for the latest advances? As technologies mature, here are ten we see with the most promise for the year ahead. |
5G Network (1)
As manufacturers continue to embrace mobile technologies, 5G provides stability and speed needed to wirelessly process growing data sets common in today's production environments. 5G is crucial as manufacturers close the last-mile gap to connect the entire array of devices to the IIoT.
Drones (2)
From the ability to make just-in-time component deliveries to potentially fueling AI engines with operations observations, drones represent a significant opportunity to optimize production environments.
Wearables (3)
From monitoring employee health to providing augmented training and application assistance, a growing array of wearable form factors represent an intriguing opportunity for manufacturing to put a host of other technologies in action, including AI, ML, virtual reality, and augmented reality.
3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing (4)
The rise of the experience economy is ushering in the need for mass customization. The ongoing maturity of 3D printing and additive manufacturing are answering the call with the ability to leverage an ever-growing list of new materials. Continued software developments are simplifying the process, limiting the need for post-printing tasks.
Edge computing (5)
As production equipment continues to advance, always waiting for data to move across the network before taking action is no longer a reality. Edge computing puts vital processing power where it is needed, only transmitting vital information back through the network.
Blockchain (6)
As an inherently secure technology, the manufacturing-centric use cases for blockchain include auditable supply chain optimization, improved product trust, better maintenance tracking, IIoT device verification, and the reduction of systematic failures.
Quantum computing (7)
According to the recent IBM report, "Exploring quantum computing use cases for manufacturing," quantum computing's entry into the manufacturing realm allows companies to solve problems impossible to address with conventional computers. Potential benefits include the ability to discover, design and develop materials with more advantageous strength-to-weight ratios, batteries that offer significantly higher energy densities as well as more efficient synthetic and catalytic processes that could help with energy generation and carbon capture.
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) (8)
In a data-fueled environment, IIoT provides the means to gather data in near real-time from seamlessly connected devices. The infusion of other technologies on this list (edge computing, 5G, AI/ML) continue to expand IIoT's reach and potential to collect and leverage all available data.
Robotics and Automation (9)
The increasingly collaborative nature of today's robots is refining how manufacturers maximize automated environments—often leveraging cobots to handle difficult yet repetitive tasks. The potential to collaborate intensifies as the AI/ML penetrate this space.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine learning (ML) (10)
AI and more specifically ML, empower manufacturers to benefit from data-based insights specific to their individualized operations. Advancing the evolution from preventative to predictive maintenance is just the beginning. AI fuels opportunities within generative design, enhanced robotic collaboration and improved market understanding.
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