🚀 Shaping the Future - Issue 56

The Inflation Reduction Act has spurred significant growth in clean energy manufacturing in the United States. Numerous clean energy manufacturing facilities since the act was announced.

🚨 Advancing Digital Transformation

The Manufacturing X.0 agenda has practical, tried, and tested, examples of digital transformation MX.0 Midwest showcases regional and national manufacturing excellence in building for manufacturers of different sizes, at different points in their implementation journey.

🧠Industry 4.0: Comparing European and American Approaches

Last week’s Fireside Chat featured a conversation about the importance of not rushing into adopting new technologies without a clear strategy and purpose, and the need for a balanced approach that considers automation alongside people, society, and the environment. There has been a shift towards prioritizing technology and data sharing, sidelining the initial broader goals, leading to discussions about moving to Industry 5.0 which aims to reintegrate the human and societal aspects into the industrial framework. You can watch the full conversation below.

📚What we’ve read this week

Upsurge in US Clean Energy Manufacturing [Canary Media]

The Inflation Reduction Act has spurred significant growth in clean energy manufacturing and investment in the United States. Numerous clean energy manufacturing facilities and factory expansions have been announced, with over $70 billion in new investment since the law was signed. States in the eastern part of the country, particularly in the "Battery Belt" region spanning from the Great Lakes to Georgia, have become hubs for clean energy manufacturing. Time is of the essence for clean energy manufacturing, as there is a need to rapidly secure financing, sites, permits, and skilled workers to meet the growing demand. However, while the onshoring of manufacturing is progressing quickly, domestic supply chains are not yet capable of meeting the surging demand for clean energy technologies. The United States will still rely on imports to fulfill the need for solar, wind, and storage capacity as well as electric vehicles with the partnership between Ford and CATL being a great example.

5 Aspects of PLM That Can Be Disrupted by AI [Engineering.com]

The article discusses the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). With advancements in AI and related technologies like large language models, knowledge graphs, and semantic webs, AI is expected to significantly influence PLM development. The article suggests five ways in which AI will affect the PLM world including requirements management and traceability, reuse of data for faster new product development, virtual assistance and customer support, user experience, and planning intelligence.

When a simple calculator beats AI ! [Put People First in Data & AI]

A simple calculator can outperform AI in specific tasks such as basic arithmetic, as demonstrated in a challenge to compute 2+2. The calculator provides an immediate and accurate result with minimal energy consumption, while AI, although capable of generating plausible answers, may not provide the most accurate result and consumes more energy due to remote server processing. This example highlights the importance of using AI for complex tasks where it excels and reserving simpler tasks for more efficient tools like calculators, emphasizing a balanced approach to technology integration.

Indian As the Next Major Manufacturing Hub? [WSJ]

India is making a push to be the "plus one" for Western companies looking to diversify away from China. India is the only country with a labor force and internal market comparable in size to China's. The government has pushed to make the business environment more friendly than in the past, and democratic India is seen as a natural partner for Western governments. India is still facing challenges, including a labor force that is primarily poor and unskilled, underdeveloped infrastructure, and burdensome business regulations. Nonetheless, its manufactured exports exceeded all other emerging markets except for Mexico's and Vietnam's in 2021, according to World Bank data. India has recently made strides in electronics, with exports tripling since 2018 to $23 billion in the year through March. Apple has expanded iPhone production in India, including expediting the manufacturing of its most advanced model, and Indian officials hope this will encourage other companies to come.

In fact, Cisco is investing in opening up its manufacturing in India as part of its strategy for a diverse and resilient global supply chain. The company plans to transform India into a worldwide manufacturing hub, creating over $1 billion from both domestic production and exports. The new manufacturing facilities in India will range from testing, development, and logistics to expanding repair operations.

Stakeholder Feedback on FDA Paper on AI in Pharma Manufacturing

Stakeholders have responded to a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discussion paper on using artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced manufacturing techniques in pharmaceutical manufacturing regulation, outlining a wide range of applications for the technology. Commenters suggested areas where AI could be used in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing including Chemistry Manufacturing & Controls (CMC) development, process control and development, process design and scale, autonomous systems for drug manufacturing, producing planning, and many others. They also called for increased guidance on data collection and preparation, model development, machine learning algorithms, validation, documentation, and relationships with third-party providers as well as increased harmonization efforts between the FDA and other organizations.

👋 Get Involved

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💬 About Shaping the Future

Shaping the Future is Industry 4.0 Club’s official newsletter. We’ll be experiencing different formats over the coming weeks until we find the one that resonates the most with our members. You can help us improve by sharing feedback and suggestions. The newsletter will land in your inbox every Sunday morning; please subscribe to not miss anything and forward the email to someone you think would benefit from this.

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