Where to Start with Robotics and Automation? A State Manufacturers’ Toolkit Has Answers

If manufacturers have learned anything during the last several years, it is that the stakes of doing business have been permanently raised. Prior to 2020, the manufacturing environment was characterized by a focus on quality, cost competitiveness, worker safety and protecting the environment. Over the last couple of years, manufacturers have faced additional imperatives – including how best to operate amid COVID-19, severe labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, steep inflation and geopolitical instability. During this time of turbulence, emerging technology has ushered in what is commonly referred to as Industry 4.0 or the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This technology – which includes mobile devices, augmented reality, data analytics and artificial intelligence – is rapidly transforming the way manufacturers do business.