How Omron’s “Three I’s of Automation” Create a Roadmap for the Factory of the Future

MC Omrons Three Is of Automation Create Roadmap for Factory of the Future 1 400

June 6, 2022

 

What will the factory of the future look like? This is the question that many professionals in the automation and manufacturing industries are seeking to answer. While most proposed descriptions are lofty yet lacking in concrete details, there are also many attempts to extrapolate from cutting-edge technologies that already exist. What we need to do is connect the grandiose vision with the minutiae, and its sweeping (and yet unrealized) capabilities with today’s real-world applications that sit right on the boundary between practical and experimental. Omron’s “three I’s of automation” – integrated, intelligent, and interactive – offer us a way to do this.

Integrated Technologies Are Key for Interoperability

At Omron, they make sure that all their technologies are designed to work seamlessly together as complete, end-to-end factory automation solutions. This is important not just for mitigating the performance-hampering impact of using technologies from multiple platforms, but also for ensuring interoperability for their customers.

Automation customers are seeking greater levels of interoperability between devices comprising a total solution so that they can focus on their strengths of designing and producing products rather than managing the automated system. Omron robots and vision systems, for example, can be tied together with laser marking to simplify error proofing.

Integration will be a key driver of the factory of the future because it enables customers to pivot faster in response to changing consumer demand. Flexible manufacturing is more effective when technologies are fully integrated and modular.

Intelligent Technologies Help Manufacturers Make Better Business Decisions

Recently, a lot of attention has been paid to “tribal knowledge” in manufacturing since the nuanced and qualitative know-how of experienced professionals nearing retirement is central to concerns about the industry’s labor shortage. With so many experienced manufacturing workers retiring all at once, it can be difficult to get new hires up to speed.

Intelligent automation devices can help solve this problem by aggregating and storing the knowledge that would otherwise go out the door with retirement-age professionals. Machine learning algorithms can recognize what constitutes abnormal machine behavior, allowing inexperienced workers to discover a potentially urgent issue and initiate repairs.

Machine learning also helps manufacturers make more informed decisions based on trends that even the most experienced workers might not see. In the factory of the future, autonomous systems will identify subtle trends, make informed decisions, and communicate these decisions to other devices without necessarily needing human input.

Interactive Technologies Improve Usability and Safety

Omron’s vision for the factory of the future rests heavily on the concept of harmony between humans and machines. In this view, intelligent devices aren’t meant to replace human workers, but rather to enhance their skillset by taking care of repetitive tasksheavy lifting, and applications that involve hazardous materials and hard-to-reach areas.

Technologies that are designed to be interactive, like the Omron TM Series collaborative robot, include safety measures that let operators work alongside them without incident. These devices also have user-friendly features that allow even a new hire to easily set them up for a new application.

Interactive technologies are an essential component of a flexible, future-ready manufacturing environment because they make it easier for companies to accommodate changing market demands as well as the varying needs of their workforce.

DCS Omron Get to Know Omrons Top Three Trends in Sensor Innovation 2 400

 

 

 

Interested in learning more about Omron’s vision for the factory of the future? Check out Omron’s Episode 11 podcast, featuring special guest Mike Chen, by clicking here

 

Source

 

Related Articles


Latest Articles

  • How Omron’s VHV5 is Making High-Performance Barcode Reading Effortless

    July 10, 2025 Omron’s new VHV5 Ultra-High Performance Barcode Reader is designed for barcode reading applications in industries like automotive, food packaging, and logistics. It offers unparalleled ease of use, automated intelligent setup, and superior performance. Ease of Use One of the standout features of the VHV5 is its user-friendly design. The reader simplifies the… Read More…

  • MOXA Next-Generation LAN Firewalls: Enhancing Industrial Security and Reliability

    July 7, 2025 Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure have become an all-too-familiar reality. While no longer shocking headline news, their effects are far-reaching, disrupting essential services that people and organizations rely on daily. From power grids to transportation systems and water treatment facilities, these infrastructures are at the heart of modern life and are highly vulnerable… Read More…


Featured Article

Revolutionizing Material Movement with Autonomous Mobile Robots

Revolutionizing Material Movement with Autonomous Mobile Robots

In today’s fast-paced manufacturing and logistics industries, the need for efficient and flexible material movement solutions has never been greater. Traditional methods like conveyor systems, forklifts, and manual pushcarts have served us well, but they come with limitations.

That’s why Omron is thrilled to announce the launch of their game-changing MD Series of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs). Read more


Products

  • mGuard Secure Cloud Version 3.1 is Released from Phoenix Contact

    July 10, 2025 The mGuard Secure Cloud from Phoenix Contact allows secure remote access to machines and systems worldwide. Version 3.1 is now available with immediate effect. This version of mGuard comes with numerous new features, including China VPN+, which enables reliable and officially approved VPN connections to China. The new version also supports additional router… Read More…

  • SEW-EURODRIVE Now Offers GearOil by SEW-EURODRIVE in Heavy Industry Gear Units

    July 9, 2025 Optimized Lubrication—Engineered by SEW-EURODRIVE, Now Available for Many Large Industrial Drive Applications SEW-EURODRIVE is proud to announce that GearOil by SEW-EURODRIVE is now available as an option with its heavy industry gear units. This synthetic lubricant, formulated and tested by SEW-EURODRIVE engineers specifically for SEW-EURODRIVE gear geometries and thermal loads, is now offered as part… Read More…