A blog by Oleg Shilovitsky
Information & Comments about Engineering and Manufacturing Software

3 things I learned from HAX Hardware Trends: Economics, Data and Automation

3 things I learned from HAX Hardware Trends: Economics, Data and Automation
Oleg
Oleg
28 July, 2017 | 2 min for reading

After 120 years since Henry Ford built his first experimental car in a workshop behind his home in Detroit, we have reached a very interesting point in this new hardware revolution. The manufacturing eco-system enables a completely new wave of hardware companies and new product manufacturing by distributed teams.

HAX Hardware reports brings a very interesting analysis of trends in manufacturing and product development. Check the slide deck and video here (https://hax.co/hardware-trends/). HAX made analysis of about 200 hardware startup investments and how these new companies are reinventing product development.

Here are my favorite 3 topics.

1- Enterprise data collection

Data is a new oil. Enterprises are focusing on data collections from sensors and other systems. It will allow to build intelligent decision making systems. The value of data is huge and it was proven by global web and consumer companies over the last decade and half. And it is company to enterprise now to change PLM paradigm from data control to data intelligence

2- Dark Factories

Automation is coming to factories. 60 people instead 600 in the example above. Henry Ford would be dreaming about such level of productivity. However, it raises lot of questions about process improvement and data management. Automated process requires significant effort in planning and manufacturing process control.

3- Manufacturing Geography.

Economical conditions moved manufacturing from country to country over the past 200 years. Innovation that enabled Henry Ford manufacturing to begin in 1890s is getting more distributed and global these days.

What is my conclusion? Manufacturing is changing. Economics, Data and Automation will play a key role in future manufacturing innovation taking it to a completely different level – global, intelligent and flexible. Until very recently, PLM technologies were mostly focused on data control and process automation. Future manufacturing innovation will be raising questions about new role of Product Lifecycle Management in new global manufacturing networks. Just my thoughts…

Best, Oleg

Want to learn more about PLM? Check out my new PLM Book website.

Disclaimer: I’m co-founder and CEO of openBoM developing cloud based bill of materials and inventory management tool for manufacturing companies, hardware startups and supply chain. My opinion can be unintentionally biased.

Picture credit HAX Hardware Trends 2017

Recent Posts

Also on BeyondPLM

4 6
5 August, 2022

There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to choosing the best PLM systems and solutions for...

4 November, 2010

I read David Dillon blog post on SolidWorks Geeks – File Name and PDM. This short write-up made me think about...

21 January, 2010

I was reading Tech Clarity insight “Evolving Role of ERP and PLM“. The topic of PLM and ERP is not...

12 December, 2021

For the last decade, PLM and information technology have become the foundation for building a competitive edge. PLM expanded and...

8 August, 2016

What can be easier than to put label on a piece of information online. Labeling (or tagging) became widely used...

1 May, 2012

I’m in Detroit today to attend Aras PLM user conference – ACE 2012. I’ve heard in the halls before conference...

2 June, 2010

I had chance to read an article in SD time – Organization works to blend application, product life-cycle management. Author...

18 May, 2009

At the beginning of the year, I blogged about Business Intelligence and its potential connection to Product Development and PLM...

15 November, 2013

Social is one of the topic that keeps trending these days among enterprise companies. The last few years demonstrated lots...

Blogroll

To the top