The inaugural Talking Industry LIVE keynote address will be an interactive, engaging and informal podcast style discussion by Mike Hague-Morgan, Executive Director of Autocraft Solutions Group, and Dr Megan Ronayne, Head of Industrial Technologies & Manufacturing at Innovate UK KTN. Robotics and automated systems will form a critical part of the future UK manufacturing economy. As the ninth largest manufacturing economy in the world, the UK languishes as the 27th largest adopter of robotics. Brexit and COVID-19 have exposed weaknesses in our supply chains. Industry is facing the tightest labour market we have seen in modern times. These challenges could be addressed, in part, by faster adoption of robotics and automation. How can we accelerate this adoption and develop a competitive UK manufacturing sector? OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) is the gold standard for measuring manufacturing productivity. Simply put, it identifies the percentage of manufacturing time that is truly productive. But worryingly, most UK manufacturers are running below a score of 60% and almost half are scoring under 40%.Everyone is busy, and the problem with being too busy is a complacency towards everyday issues. Focus becomes directed only to visible issues causing downtime to plant and machinery. But what about hidden downtime, that mounts up and causes cycle times to drift? Artificial intelligence and machine learning offer opportunities for increasing business performance, agility, and growth. Business leaders are determining how these techniques can integrate successfully with human intelligence and what they will deliver as they evolve. Despite this, there are questions regarding the ease of implementation, adoption, operation, and trust associated with these types of technologies. What is the current state of artificial intelligence in manufacturing, the challenges and barriers to adoption? What opportunities are offered for manufacturing, to the national net-zero goal?
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