The rapid advancement of technology has seen major shifts in various industries across the globe. In this process, the engineering sector is also one of the fields where it has greatly seen the transformation in workspace practices and makes engineers to get adopted with technological innovations. The best mechanical engineering colleges in TamilNadu highlight that as technology continues to grow, there will be a skill gap and engineers need to fulfil it in the upcoming years. Here are some of the technological innovations which have a great influence in the engineering sector and its benefits.
Robotics:
One of the evolving fields which significantly influence the areas of engineering sectors with its applications that includes manufacturing, construction, healthcare and many more is robotics. The survey says that robots will take over 25% of the engineers’ work that they currently perform.
From automating the manufacturing process with the robot-controlled production lines to managing quality control procedures, the robotics field has a wide range of implementations.
The advantages of robotics in engineering sectors are,
- Automation makes manual work easier that includes welding, painting and assembling in the manufacturing field.
- Robotics can inspect the products and check whether they meet quality standards.
- In the construction field, you can see automation tasks like bricklaying, demolition and concrete pouring.
The disadvantages of robotics are the financial challenges, high start-up costs and the demand for hiring skilled professionals to operate and repair the technology.
Augmented Reality:
In recent times, the involvement of augmented reality is impacting the engineering sector at greatest heights, particularly in aerospace and automotive engineering. Though augmented reality has not reached its potential, the emergence is the key for driving the engineering industry.
Still it is in early stages because of the talent shortages as survey says where augmented reality is closing the skill gap in the industry and also expecting to be turned out as an engineering tool in the near future.
How augmented reality is applicable in engineering?
Engineers can make use of AR technology for identifying and rectifying design faults, enhancing spatial intelligence, professional training, safety regulations and sustainability efforts in reducing the physical prototypes.
- It is easy to visualize 3D models of designs.
- It enables remote maintenance and repair assistance via wearable AR devices.
- Visual inspections are easy with this tech and able to showcase if there are any defects or tampers in real-time.
Thus, we can say that AR technology provides huge benefits to various engineering disciplines which includes electrical, mechanical and industrial.
Disadvantages of AR technology:
- Since it is bulky and expensive it is difficult for engineers to operate.
- Highly prone to bugs and glitches when using AR applications.
- Eye strain and health related issues like fatigue are the high concerns which badly affects the employees and users.
- Similar to IoT and AI, this augmented reality also has privacy and security issues
Internet of Things (IoT)
One of the innovative technologies revolutionizing engineering sector operations is the IoT. This tech has influenced both personal and professional lives of people with the network of physical objects or gadgets embedded with sensors for exchanging data with other devices and systems.
IoT has been incorporated in various fields where it can optimize manufacturing processes, enable real-time monitoring of systems and offer data-driven insights for engineers. And the integration of IoT will rise in the upcoming years and become engineering must tools to generate insights.
- IoT can monitor the machine condition in real-time which will be able to predict when maintenance is required.
- IoT helps in minimizing the costs after analyzing the energy consumptions and provides options to save energy.
- IoT in the supply chain helps to track the location of goods and easy to optimize the process.
- IoT in smart manufacturing is interconnected with the machines, robots and systems that make operations smooth and quicker.
The benefits of using IoT in engineering companies are to enhance the efficiency, safety and quality control. It offers the option to access the IoT devices remotely and permits for real-time monitoring. With the support of IoT sensors, it is easy to detect the risk situations earlier.
IoT devices have disadvantages too. It is vulnerable to cyberattacks, weak security might lead to hacking and data breaches. Secondly, data overload, connectivity issues and implementation costs are the negative implications of IoT.
AI and ML:
The most innovative technologies in the 21st century which have rapid development are artificial intelligence and machine learning. Similar to robotics, artificial intelligence offers various advantages for engineering companies which are able to streamline and automate the manual tasks. This allows engineers to concentrate on other essential tasks like product design and quality control.
Now, engineering companies take full advantage of machine learning and AI applications that include,
- Predictive maintenance with the use of AI algorithm
- Generative product design
- Detects any product faults in real-time using the ML algorithm.
- AI-driven management systems for maximizing energy use.
- AI helps to forecast and analyze the data in supply chain management.
The disadvantage of AI in engineering companies is high concern on job displacements and many engineering professionals turned out unemployed. Second, there are ethical concerns which are AI-based decisions, they are susceptible and may find unfair outcomes.
To conclude, the above mentioned are some of the trending technologies in the engineering sector which continue to evolve. The best mechanical engineering colleges in Coimbatore highlight how today’s sectors leverage the full potential of AI, IoT, VR and engineers’ contribution in revolutionizing the process.
