Technology Trends for Sustainable Growth in the Engineering Industry
Technology is reshaping the entire world, particularly the engineering industry. With each new technological invention, new possibilities emerge for the engineering industry. We see a change in everything from how a product is conceived and designed to how projects are managed.
The inception of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, 3D printing, and rapid manufacturing has revolutionized all domains of the engineering industry. With rapid technological development, the engineering industry and the business community are expected to witness sustainable growth. Here are some of the most recent technological trends engineers must embrace to stay competitive in today’s rapidly changing world.
AI and Robotics Deployment
AI and robotics are general terms for the ever-expanding world of machines equipped with learning capabilities, human-like behavior, and the ability to make decisions based on real-time data from the environment and pre-defined procedures. AI and robotics are rapidly improving, providing many potential benefits for the engineering industry, particularly electrical engineering. Using AI and robotics in the electrical engineering industry has allowed engineers to design machines and simulate their functions.
Electrical engineers are the pioneers of future technology. Robotics has become essential in nearly all machines, and electrical engineers are the brains behind this job. Electrical engineers can convert ideas and designs into workable machines, from autonomous uncrewed vehicles to digital signals, digital navigation systems, and natural language processing (NLP) devices.
Electrical engineers essentially have a mastered degree with an emphasis on designing, developing, and evaluating electric devices. Educational institutions also offer online electrical engineering masters that focus on the fundamental principles of advanced electrical engineering while providing flexible course hours for working individuals.
AI and robotics are constantly evolving, and this technology holds the potential to shape the future. What we’re seeing now as tools to help engineers simplify projects and design new products may redefine the entire industry in years to come.
Cloud CAD
Businesses and the tech industry rapidly shift to cloud computing for almost anything. Cloud storage, remote computing, and minimum downtime are major advantages of cloud technology.
The engineering industry is reaping the benefits of cloud technology through cloud CAD services. Cloud CAD allows teams of engineers to work in a collaborative environment to design and manufacture products. Central file storage and workspace assist engineers in sharing their ideas, incorporating suggestions, and refining product designs. Instead of designing various components on individual systems, engineers can design the entire product in a shared space. Rapid manufacturing or 3D printing will be easily done in the near future through cloud CAM technology.
Deep Learning
Deep learning is an advanced subdivision of AI that makes machines learn by example. A machine learns to classify objects directly from real-time videos and images, text, and sounds. With deep learning, it will be possible for machines to perform better than humans in several areas of business services and manufacturing. In driverless automobiles, deep learning helps recognize road signs, identify bumpy tracks, and differentiate between certain objects like pedestrians, poles, traffic lights, etc.
Deep learning will take customer services to a new level in direct messaging, phone calls, and email responses. It’s the key to voice control in consumer devices like security systems, tablets, smartphones, TVs, and autocabs. In aerospace and defense, deep learning can help identify objects through satellites, determine optimal fleet routes, and identify active conflict zones for troops. Additionally, deep learning will help diagnose various diseases, conduct medical research, improve manufacturing, and assist impaired people.
Real-Time Innovation
Technology is rapidly changing the engineering industry. With more real-time data coming in through sensors, devices, and information technology, engineers can now use AI-powered algorithms to improve existing product designs or machines within weeks instead of the years-old conventional product design and manufacturing lifecycle. Instead of focusing solely on innovative technologies, engineers can enhance the capabilities of existing systems and equipment through software updates or by introducing new sensors to the existing system.
Engineers can create new products through regular updates. For example, an automotive company can use technology to identify gaps in previous vehicle models and introduce updates via downloadable tools that customers can receive regularly. For example, various popular car manufacturers regularly send technology upgrades to customers that integrate into the existing car system.
Optimizing Design with Product Data
Growing silos of data received from airliners, vehicles, and railways help the engineering industry take initiatives related to product design improvement, upgradation, and innovation in existing technologies. Engineers now incorporate sensors in nearly all products to get real-time product data and perform advanced analytics. The Internet of things has allowed aviation control to optimize flight plans, monitor flight traffic more effectively, and change routes according to weather conditions. Air traffic control also shares more data with planes to improve safety and efficiency.
Engineers in the automotive industry are exploring possibilities to receive real-time data from automobiles and track internal error codes to determine the common causes behind frequent problems. Future technology trends will focus on extracting real-time information from manufactured products through IoT and making incremental design improvements in manufacturing equipment, technology infrastructure, medical equipment, and the transport industry.
Customer-Centered Product Design
The new product design and development era now focus on designing customer-centric products. Technology has provided the right platform for engineers and manufacturing companies to work closely with their customers and design products that fulfill their customers’ needs.
While manufacturers don’t involve their customers in technical design, many involve their customers in product testing and design finalization. This is particularly important when manufacturing or designing industry-level equipment. Manufacturers offer virtual simulators so experts and customers can see the product design and run it in a virtual realm before going into production.
Virtual Site Inspection
AR and VR technology and the Metaverse have opened new avenues for the engineering industry. Real estate and construction companies are among the first industries to reap the benefits of AR and VR technology as they can now inspect the conduction sites virtually using small metaverses. While this allows customers and engineers to inspect the site virtually, it also helps engineers work remotely without being physically present at the construction site. In addition to simplifying inspections, virtual measures can improve quality and safety.
Designing and Manufacturing Digital Twins
The idea of digital twins is not new. However, with the inception of virtual spaces, designing and manufacturing digital twins is getting a lot of appreciation in the engineering industry. A digital twin is a digital version of something in real life, be it a product, a building, a society, infrastructure, or equipment. Digital twins provide a detailed insight into a product or project’s performance.
If there’s a need to change or improve the performance of the existing product or project, digital twins can reflect the changes made to the product. This makes it simpler and easier for engineers to test-run the changes. Digital twins have been a massive success in aircraft and automobile engineering, and it’s all set to revolutionize how engineers design and test solutions for existing or new products.
Final Thoughts
While technology has revolutionized the entire modern world, it has provided enormous benefits to the engineering industry and will continue to do so in the future. AI, deep learning, cloud CAD, virtual simulation, and digital twins have streamlined the design and manufacturing process and simplified engineers’ work. The technologies mentioned in this article are not only in place but also promise to make the engineering industry more productive.