EUAudio: Recent Episodes
EU Automation
EUAudio provides automation professionals with a seamless way to listen in on the biggest manufacturing trends, anytime, anywhere. Covering the industry’s most relevant topics from environmental issues to predictive maintenance, cyber security to supply chain management, each series is carefully curated allowing listeners to develop their knowledge and skill set along the way. Your journey to becoming an automation expert starts here.
Due to its ability to create complex shapes without material waste, additive manufacturing has become one of the most popular manufacturing techniques in the production of small specialist components. In this episode of EUAudio we delve into whether the technology can realistically tackle the challenge of automation component obsolescence.
The concept of digital inventories has emerged as an alternative to the shortcomings of large physical inventories. In this episode of EUAudio, we look at why the transition from physical to digital inventories is a complicated one and what the future might hold for manufacturers looking to adopt this technology.
Developing a solid business case for additive manufacturing is often the biggest challenge, mostly due to the high costs involved in setting up a production line. In this episode of EUAudio, we weigh up the flexibility and adaptability of additive manufacturing techniques and why more must be done for it to be consistently used in mass production.
Effective obsolescence management is more important now than ever before. This episode of EUAudio looks specifically at why a proactive approach to obsolescence can help medical device manufacturers prevent past issues from resurfacing and hindering progress in the sector.
In this episode of EUAudio, our manufacturing podcast, we explore obsolescence in the nuclear industry and why implementing a proactive approach can result in an array of benefits to a facility. The earlier that any obsolescence issues are identified, the more possibilities there are for avoiding costly implications.
This episode of EUAudio explains why a proactive approach to obsolescence management allows manufacturers in the military sector to plan in advance, sourcing spare parts where it is most convenient and minimising downtime due to unexpected breakage. In this highly regulated sector, managing obsolescence effectively can mean avoiding additional costs in getting a system back up and running quickly.
Despite all the benefits they offer, many manufacturers are still reluctant to adopt smart materials. In this episode of EUAudio, we look at the reasons behind their cautious implementation, what engineers must consider when choosing a smart material and how industry can learn to embrace them.
Innovations in fibre technology are creating opportunities for the use of smart materials in industrial applications. In this episode of EUAudio, we look at the make-up of bicomponent fibres and the various ways they are being utilised across a range of sectors and industries.
According to the UN, every year around 50 million tonnes of electronic waste is generated globally. Do smart materials offer industry a solution to this spiralling concern? This episode of EUAudio looks closely at shape shifting materials and the range of benefits they create for manufacturers looking to combat the world’s mounting e-waste crisis.
In industrial manufacturing, reinforcement learning is used in processes where complex decision-making skills are required, especially where machines need to cope with changes in dynamic environments. This episode of EUAudio looks at how this method can be applied in order to increase productivity.
Deep learning requires very high computational power, relying on fast processors, dedicated graphics cards and ample amounts of computer memory. Manufacturers who can successfully apply this method to their production lines and supply chains will reap the benefits in problem-solving and increased productivity.
In a manufacturing environment, two main models of machine learning are used – supervised and unsupervised learning. Choosing the right machine learning method and perfecting the algorithms will involve a lot of trial and error and will take time and effort. This episode of EUAudio aims to help ease that process.
When a warehouse isn’t well organised, errors can occur and some businesses worry that introducing automation can be an expensive process requiring them to update and upgrade all of their legacy equipment. This episode of EUAudio discusses how plant managers can increase the efficiency of their inventory management processes using affordable automation.
How can manufacturers improve productivity on the factory floor without spending a fortune? In this episode of EUAudio, we look at advancements that SMEs can make even if they don’t have the budget to facilitate large-scale investment.
Legacy equipment wasn’t designed for the mass machine-to-machine communication necessary to create a smart factory. In this episode of EUAudio, we look at how SMEs can attain the goal of creating a smart factory without the financial burden of replacing all their machines and equipment.
Everyone realises that training is a valuable resource, especially in an industry where human error can be expensive and dangerous for both the individual and the businesses reputation. The question is not whether or not manufacturers should upskill their workforce, but rather what training programme will add the most value to the company. So, how do you calculate that?
The idea of a skills gap initially gained traction immediately following the 2007-8 financial crisis. Around the same time, another concept started to emerge in the start-up and venture capital scene — the valley of death. Could it be that the skills gap and the valley of death influence each other? If so, what can manufacturers do to break this vicious circle and spur innovation?
For many manufacturing businesses, legacy equipment forms the backbone of the factory. Technicians who’ve worked with specific types of equipment for decades are a great resource for manufacturers, but when they retire, they take their hard-earned expertise with them. Younger workers will be eager to embrace emerging technologies, but what about trusted legacy equipment?
2019 marked the 50th anniversary of Concorde’s first flight — it took off from Toulouse, France for its first test flight on March 2, 1969. Although no longer in operation, the development of Concorde led to the progression of pioneering technologies, which still help today’s aerospace engineers develop new high-speed aircrafts.
Concorde was certainly ahead of its time, but some of the problems its designers encountered still exist today, such as those encountered when using commercial off-the-shelf products.
The Condor Cluster was a supercomputer built out of 1,760 Sony PlayStation 3s running on the Linux operating system. Built to analyse high definition satellite imagery, the Condor Cluster was in operation for just a few months before Sony disabled the use of Linux on the PS3, leaving no means to procure functioning Linux replacement units.
Over the last decade, manufacturers debated the pros and cons of traditional robots and cobots; often struggling to decide which to adopt in their facilities. Here we explore how the lines between the two will fade in the new decade, as each evolves and gains the benefit of the other.
To most people, man and machine seamlessly working hand-in-hand is like something out of a science fiction film. However, it is steadily becoming commonplace in the modern manufacturing facility. Here we examine the rise of collaborative robots in the manufacturing industry and considerations site managers must make when adopting them into their facility.
There is rarely, if ever, a one-size-fits-all approach to manufacturing. It is important that site managers know what considerations to make when choosing an industrial robot to automate their processes.
History teaches that energy transitions are not easy. For decades, whale oil was considered indispensable for a variety of applications, until it was gradually replaced by the cheaper and more efficient kerosene. This transition led to the extinction of industrial whaling, one of the world’s first multinational businesses.
Some manufacturers are still recovering from the repercussions of the 2008 crisis, but economists predict that another global recession could impact industry in 2020. Meanwhile, natural disasters and global warming are proving that we need to do more to preserve our resources. In times of economic instability and environmental concerns, the idea of turning production scrap into usable energy is appealing to many manufacturers.
To reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and minimise their carbon footprint, an increasing number of companies are implementing low-carbon microgrids. Just like traditional microgrids, low-carbon ones can help firms meet their energy demands without depending solely on the national grid. Unlike traditional solutions, however, these eco-friendly microgrids are almost zero-emission.
Until now, typically the worst threat that manufacturers faced from ransomware was the inconvenience of downtime and lost production while the company worked to get its systems back online using backups. Cyber attackers played a numbers game, relying on a small number of victims to pay the ransom. However, a new trend sees attackers leak the sensitive data if victims don’t pay.
According to a study by the Ponemon Institute, UK companies lose an average of nearly £3 million for every data breach they experience. While manufacturers often struggle to guard against cybersecurity threats, automation can help them protect themselves by making processes more robust.
According to the 2019 Official Annual Cybercrime Report, a business falls victim to a ransomware attack every 14 seconds. As manufacturers connect more equipment to the Internet of Things, ransomware and other security breaches pose a more serious threat to productivity.
Unplanned machine downtime costs the world’s manufacturers over $50 billion a year, with a major cause of this being unexpected equipment failure. How can modern sensor networks reduce unplanned machine downtime in the manufacturing industry?
In the classic film series Back to the Future, the risks and rewards of acting based on the knowledge of future events are explored through the adventures of Michael J. Fox’s Marty McFly. Manufacturers can reap the rewards of predicting the future by using machine learning to implement a predictive maintenance strategy and save substantial amounts of time and money.
In the film Minority Report, the foreknowledge of three psychics is used to predict crimes and apprehend the future offenders, stopping the crimes before they occur. Predictive maintenance strategies are not too dissimilar to this, in that they stop problems before they arise, saving both time and money for the company.
Evidence shows that components obsolescence is increasing rapidly. According to recent research by IHS Technology, in the year 2000 alone, component manufacturers issued 1,164 end-of-life (EOL) or product discontinuance notices, and the figure spiked to 5,506 by 2014. Though IHS forecasts that the number of such notices is going to decline, it’s always best to be prepared.
When an obsolete component breaks, manufacturers might struggle to find a replacement. This is especially true in highly regulated sectors like pharmaceuticals or food processing, where like-for-like replacements are not an option and the exact same part has to be sourced. Second-hand parts might seem like a great solution, but they come with a variety of risks.
Did you know that the term ‘computer’ originally described a job title? Before being electronic machines, computers used to be people who did mathematical calculations for companies or governmental authorities. Human computers played a vital role at institutions like NASA, but with the advent of electronic computers, their job became obsolete. The same happens to a lot of automation components, made obsolete by more modern and efficient alternatives.
Where do your products come from? Sometimes we only consider how far a product travelled from the warehouse to our front door. However, the journey from raw material to production, storage and delivery can cover several countries and continents, increasing carbon emissions and causing environmental issues.
People are doing what they can to help the environment. However, creating an impact takes more than installing a solar panel or swapping to energy efficient lightbulbs. Manufacturers should consider how making small, impactful changes in their facility can actually make a difference in the environment.
We all know that plastic is negatively impacting the planet, but do we know the extent of the problem? According to a study by Sciences Advances, of the 8.3 billion metric tons of produced plastic, 6.3 billion has become plastic waste and only nine per cent has been recycled. Industries must now think more about how they can reduce their contribution to the issue, particularly in manufacturing.