Are you unsatisfied with the current performance of your manufacturing plant? If “not,” it might be the right time to implement new technology. If your plant uses old machinery, software, or just targets to upgrade to new technology, such as artficial intelligence, implementing new technology can be pretty challenging because of resistance from staff, technology compatibility, and compliance to legal requirements, among others. To overcome these challenges and successfully implement new technology in manufacturing, here is a comprehensive guide that you can use.

Benefits of Adopting New Technology in Manufacturing

Before looking at the main steps of implementing new technology, it is paramount to understand the associated benefits. Here are the ten main benefits to expect:

• Increased efficiency of your operations.
• Cutting costs of operations.
• Makes your business more eco-friendly.
• Helps to expand the range of what you can produce.
• An excellent way to enhance the safety of your facility.
• Allows you to streamline the processes of warehouse and stock control in your facility.
• It is an important cog in the preventive maintenance of your facility equipment.

A Step-by-Step Guide for Implementing New Technology

When implementing new technology, whether it is related to material handling, production equipment such as motors, or safety of operations, it is crucial to have the bigger picture in mind. What are the end results? This is why you should start by determining whether you actually can implement it on your own or bring onboard a professional. So, here are the main steps to follow:

Step One: Determine the Technology to Implement

We are living in the era of technology where new inventions are hitting the market every other day. So, you should determine what technology is required in your facility. A good way to do this is carrying out a comprehensive facility audit to identify which areas are lagging and require a boost to help the organization achieve its goals and objectives. Remember that most of these technologies require some financial commitment, which implies relooking at the entire budgeting process. Some technologies that you might want to consider include:

• Simulation technologies.
• 3D printing/additive manufacturing.
• Nanotechnology.
• Industrial robotics.
• Horizontal and vertical system integration.
• Internet of things (IoT).

Step Two: Determine the Targeted Goals and Form an Implementation Team

As we mentioned earlier, adopting new technology involves a lot of costs. For example, implementing the internet of things (IoT) might require installing new computers, programs, and programmable logic controllers. Therefore, you have to look ahead and determine the deliverables. So, what do you anticipate? Here are some deliverables that you might aim at:

• Increasing production output by 50%.

• Cutting down the number of reported injuries.

• Reducing the emission by, say, 30%.

• Cutting down the cost of production by 30%.

These are only a few of the possible targets. The next item, which is so crucial, is assembling an implementation team. If the technology touches on every department, it might be good to pick a representative who will oversee implementation in every section. However, you can target the team of a single department if it is the only one that will be impacted.

Once you have picked the team, subject it to comprehensive training to ensure all the components of the changes are understood. This means that when they are finally deployed, it will be easy to diagnose and address all the bottlenecks that might be experienced along the way. It will also be good to work with an expert or several when deploying the technology to help with early installation and implementation.

Step Three: Train Other Employees about the New Technology

Now that you have a knowledgeable team in your facility, it is paramount to also train other staff about the new technology. Although this depends on the new technology, getting everybody on board is very important for the change to bear the expected results fast. Here, you might want to consider on-job training or run separate programs to equip them with new technology.

To make the new technology work more effectively, consider hooking the training with new skills and also including some incentives. For example, you might want to implement a wage increment for all employees who undergo the training. This way, they will be able to appreciate the change and work towards improving it.

Step Four: Review the Progress of the New Technology and Implement Appropriate Changes

Once the new technology has been launched, the next thing is following the results to ensure they are in line with the targets. For example, are the pumps and motors in the production line working well and delivering higher capacity? Has the new technology helped to reduce machine vibration? Is the new production target being achieved? These are only a few questions that you need to ask and counter-check them with the implementation program.

To ensure you are on target, it might also be good to work with an expert when carrying initial reviews after adopting the technology. If the targets are not being achieved, establish why and implement more changes. For example, the staff might require additional training, or the raw materials might need changing.

As you can see, implementing new technology is a process that requires keenness and commitment from all stakeholders. Therefore, you need to plan for the long term. Remember also to put a lot of effort on organization culture changes. With the right technology, you can enhance operational efficiency and rapidly grow the organization to the next level.