As a technology adviser for the Made Smarter Adoption Programme in the North West, I advise and support manufacturing companies with the adoption of new technologies. This includes sharing insights from my specialist area, automation and robotics.
Recently I was asked to be a judge at the Robotics & Automation Awards 2024. I wanted to be involved because they spotlight the latest developments in robotics and automation in a wide variety of industries. Being a judge allows me to see how different technologies are being applied in new ways to provide innovative solutions to problems, while also celebrating the achievements with the individuals in the teams.
The experience ensures that I keep my finger on the pulse of the existing and emerging technologies available to SME manufacturers who engage with Made Smarter.
When I am judging I look for practical applications which demonstrate benefits in the real world, have clear business cases, and show how companies have worked together to achieve these benefits.
To me, innovation in robotics and automation means the development of a new solution to a real world problem, one that enables people to produce things faster, safer, more sustainably or at a lower cost. It needs to be pushing the boundaries of what is thought possible or combining different technologies in a new way, all while having a practical end goal in mind.
Crucially, innovation is as much about the people as it is about technology. It's vital to remember and recognise the people involved in every aspect, be that the effort that goes into the development of the solution, through to the end users who will interact and benefit from it.
Many SMEs are at the start of their automation journey, and it’s always exciting to see the first machine or robot go into a company. When employees have been involved from the start, they embrace it and make the most of it, continually looking to improve and develop how they work.
More generally, it’s fascinating to see the developments outside of manufacturing, like at Boston Dynamics or Disney’s research into robotics, because they’re addressing different problems but they help to progress our understanding of things like motion control and interaction with people. These can feed into new solutions in manufacturing and other sectors, generating tools which wouldn’t have existed otherwise.
My experience of the Robotics & Automation Awards 2024 has shown me that across a wider variety of industries, robotics and automation are going to be key to addressing issues facing companies such as staff shortages, material costs and availability, energy costs, and sustainability or decarbonisation. Implementing automation allows employees to focus on the more interesting tasks where they can add value, while the machine supports them, helping them to be more productive and improving their job satisfaction.
Being part of these awards has shown me that the development of new technologies continues to move at a rapid pace, and we’ll see more and more innovative use of automation across all industries.
To learn more about automation and read about some of the companies we have supported with technology adoption visit our expert blog.
You can also read more the Robotics & Automation Awards 2024 here.