While many apparel manufacturers are still busy understanding and adopting Industry 4.0, the next
stage of the industrial revolution -Industry 5.0 is already underway. At this exponential rate of
evolution, manufacturers that fail to adapt may find themselves left behind while those who keep up will reap the benefits.
Now as Industry 4.0 moves towards Industry 5.0, how will it revolutionize the manufacturing facilities and processes worldwide?
The fifth revolution will reinvent the future of apparel manufacturing. It will help get the most out of the production facilities and open the doors to a new era of personalization for consumers. Before we dive into the implications of Industry 5.0 in manufacturing, let’s take a look at the leap from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0.
The Journey to Industry 4.0
In the history of industrial development, progress during the initial three phases occurred at a relatively sluggish pace, with substantial intervals between them. However, the shift from the third industrial revolution to the fourth was characterized by a significantly shorter transition time. Today, we find ourselves amidst the fifth industrial revolution, signifying yet another wave of transformative changes across industries.
The technological and digital change rate is so rapid that many organizations and businesses struggle to keep up. However, to unlock the maximum benefits, manufacturers must adopt technologies at scale and throughout all parts of their operations and supply chains.
The Transition from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0
Industry 4.0 is the cyber-physical transformation of garment manufacturing. Now, what does that mean?
Well… In garment manufacturing, Industry 4.0 refers to the integration of diverse technologies, such as cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence into manufacturing facilities and their processes.
According to MarketsAndMarkets reports, the Industry
4.0 market size is expected to reach USD165.5 billion
by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 20.6%.
Industry 4.0 puts smart factories at the forefront of manufacturing. These factories are armed with technologies in the form of advanced sensors and embedded software to gather and analyze data and enable better decision-making and agility.
Industry 4.0 doesn’t end at smart factories, it makes the entire supply chain smart. From procurement to manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, and logistics, it provides businesses with an exceptional level of visibility and control over previously siloed data.
Apparently, Industry 4.0 focuses on the intertwining of machines, processes, and systems to improve efficiencies, productivity, and agility. Even though Industry 4.0 has significantly improved manufacturing, it sometimes replaces humans in workflows.
While Industry 4.0 relies heavily on automation, Industry 5.0 goes a step forward and addresses the importance of including human beings in the digital transformation process.
What is Industry 5.0?
Industry 5.0 or the fifth industrial revolution represents the next wave of industrialization that focuses on the collaboration between man and machine on the factory floor to improve product and process efficiency. It emphasizes creating a mix of cognitive computing and human intelligence that lead to new services and business models.
Industry 5.0 brings back the human, social, and environmental dimensions into the loop. Its goal is to build an environment where robots and humans collaborate, enabling the implementation of concepts like mass customization, customer engagement, and empowered customers.
The three key aspects of Industry 5.0 are:
Industry 5.0 Technologies and Their Impact on Apparel Manufacturing
Industry 5.0 integrates the precision of automated technology and human creativity to achieve effective and quick outcomes. The following are the key technologies that drive Industry 5.0.
1. Cobots in Apparel Manufacturing
The term Cobots stands for Collaborative Robots that can have intuitive interactions with humans and take on simple, repetitive tasks, or dangerous tasks. While industrial robots usually work in isolation, unaware of their surroundings, and can be dangerous for people, cobots are equipped with advanced sensors and cameras that make them safe to work alongside humans.
The implementation of cobots in apparel manufacturing units to automate various parts of production may help in improving worker safety, increasing productivity, optimizing efficiency, and enhancing output quality. In a nutshell, cobots help to improve productivity, flexibility, and agility.
Applications of Cobots in Apparel Manufacturing
Below are some of the common tasks that collaborative robots or Cobots can take up in manufacturing units:
2. Digital Twins in Apparel Manufacturing
The digital twin is another technology that has transitioned from concept to reality lately. It represents the visual models of a physical product or process that can be better understood and tested.
To put it concisely, a digital twin is a replica or virtual model of a real-world item in the virtual world. They collect data on the physical world objects, run simulations, and make accurate predictions.
According to Statista, many industries, including
manufacturing, automotive, aviation, energy,
utilities, healthcare, logistics, and retail, among
others have adopted digital twins to boost
productivity and efficiency. Furthermore, the
manufacturing industry is forecast to reach a
market size worth over six billion U.S. dollars by 2025.
Digital twins use virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) to visualize objects and IoT (Internet of Things) devices and sensors to gather data from the environment. Digital twins in manufacturing represent a product or process at any given time on the factory floor. Within a manufacturing setting, these digital twins can be used to visualize a single component, a machine, an entire production line, or the entire production operations.
With digital twins, you can check how physical products or processes would respond under different conditions while leveraging real-time data from the physical world, but in a virtual environment.
In apparel manufacturing, this digital representation enables you to gain more insights and deeper visibility into production. As a crucial component of this digital framework, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) play a pivotal role. By seamlessly integrating with IoT devices and sensors, MES empowers manufacturers with real-time data, enabling proactive decision-making and facilitating predictive maintenance. This dynamic combination of digital twin and MES ensures operational continuity, identifies potential breakdowns, and propels the industry towards more efficient and effective production practices.
Implementing digital twins in apparel manufacturing units can help increase production and efficiency, mitigate downtime and errors, and avoid future challenges by analyzing real-time data.
Applications of Digital Twins in Manufacturing
Below are some ways how manufacturing companies can leverage digital twins to their advantage.
3. Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Apparel Manufacturing
Apparel production involves a huge number of variables related to the material and process. These varied parameters are often difficult to control precisely to achieve the desired output. However, artificial intelligence and machine learning make it easier to deal with a large range of datasets and establish an effective relationship between the variables and the product properties.
AI and ML ensure greater efficiency on the shop floor through production planning and scheduling, inventory optimization, and more. AI and ML-based tools allow manufacturers to analyze production data, collect insights, make predictions, and take better decisions. These technologies aid garment production speed, accuracy, automation, and quality to satisfy customer needs.
The application of artificial intelligence and machine learning in manufacturing makes it possible to automate various components in cutting, sewing, and material handling processes to reduce production costs and errors.
ML-based manufacturing forecasting utilizes big data and predictive analysis to estimate sales and future demand for new products with exceptional accuracy. AI can be used in various stages of garment production, i.e. pre-production, production, and post-production. It can be used to determine fabric fault analysis, fiber grading, and prediction of the properties of the yarn. During garment production, AI can be implemented in spreading, designing, cutting, sewing, pressing, and packaging.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning pave the way for intelligent manufacturing, enabling manufacturers to leverage fabric engineering and monitor garment manufacturing processes.
Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Garment Manufacturing
The following are some top applications of AI and ML in garment manufacturing
4. Blockchain in Apparel Manufacturing
Blockchain, widely known to play a crucial role in cryptocurrency systems, such as Bitcoin has applications in garment production as well. Due to its immutability and chronology, this technology can play a huge role in ensuring operational transparency and enhancing supply chain visibility and asset monitoring for manufacturers.
Blockchain technology provides transparency across all areas of the supply chain, right from sourcing, procurement, and supplier quality to factory operations. With a more trackable and traceable supply chain, blockchain helps ensure interoperability between manufacturers, suppliers, and vendors, improving communication and building a more transparent production cycle. It also enables manufacturers to record transactions between various stakeholders and maintain a transaction ledger. It helps mitigate manual work, reduce delays, preventing bottlenecks in the supply chain.
Blockchain-powered manufacturing units can gather valuable information and harness the full potential of other advanced technologies like IoT, AR (augmented reality), and 3D printing. Manufacturers can rest assured that their factory operations are running smoothly, and transparently, and are fed with accurate data.
Applications of Blockchain Technology in Garment Production
5. Quantum Computing
Quantum Computing will be another game-changing technology driving Industry 5.0. Though currently in the nascent stage, this technology will enable manufacturers to carry out simulations in real-time and take more factors into consideration.
It will help clothing manufacturers to conduct real-time analysis and work through complex networks of products and processes. With its ability to run calculations exponentially faster, quantum mechanics-based technology will address challenges related to apparel production, supply chain, and logistics and enable manufacturers to intelligently adapt to new conditions and environments. Additionally, this technology can facilitate new material development experiments and enhance anomaly detection with the support of AI and machine learning.
Quantum computing also has the potential to empower manufacturers to develop breakthrough products and processes that will revolutionize manufacturing.
Conclusion
Industry 5.0 is a breakthrough in the manufacturing industry that will enable manufacturers to future-proof their businesses. Manufacturers that embrace this industrial revolution at scale will be able to grow leaps and bounds and better deal with the challenges of today and tomorrow. Characterized by human-centricity, hyper customization, responsive supply chains, resilience, and sustainability, Industry 5.0 will enable manufacturing enterprises to provide a personalized customer experience.
How Solvei8 Can Help
The rapid advancement of technology and the industrial revolution is not going to slow down any time soon. To cope with the rising competition and complexities in manufacturing facilities, you need to adapt and capitalize on all of the cutting-edge technologies.
Whether you are in the process of digital transformation or you haven’t started your manufacturing unit’s digitalization yet, you will need to catch up technologically soon to outrank the competition.
Solvei8 has helped many global apparel manufacturers digitize and enhance their productivity, reduce downtime, and boost profits. If you are planning to reap the massive benefits of Industry 5.0, connect with us today. Let’s discuss the solutions that can efficiently guide and support you through the digital transformation process.
