Here are five new trends from FABTECH that may help give metals manufacturers a competitive advantage.

1. THE FABTECH FIVE: 5 Trends for 2015
Five Developments to Watch in 2018
5 Competitive Advantage
Trends in Metals Manufacturing

2. At FABTECH, Travelers manufacturing industry managers Erika
Melander and Brittani Austin explored new trends that may help
give metals manufacturers a competitive advantage, such as
Industry 4.0 technology and more energy efficient equipment.
Here are five trends to watch in 2018.
THE FABTECH FIVE
5 Competitive Advantage Trends

3. Overall
Equipment
Effectiveness
(OEE)

4. 01: Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), the percentage of productive manufacturing time, is a
key performance metric. Being transparent with this data may allow manufacturers to secure
contracts that demand specific performance levels.

5. Control
Retrofitting

6. 02: Control Retrofitting
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) allows connected machines to share real-time data via
the cloud. Manufacturers can reduce incidents, resolve issues faster, and improve productivity,
but they must also manage cloud-related cyber risks.

7. Energy
Efficiency

8. 03: Energy Efficiency
A focus on more energy efficient technology and processes may provide metals manufacturers
with additional savings that contribute to the bottom line. Efficient hydraulic forming technology
can reduce energy consumption, while pre-programmable forming processes can decrease set
up time and allow for increased speed of operations and output.

9. “Easy-Teaching”
Robots

10. 04: “Easy-Teaching” Robots
From more intuitive user interfaces to machine learning, Industry 4.0 technology is making it
easier for workers to learn how to use and to reprogram equipment for shorter production
runs. It also helps workers cross-train, giving manufacturers backup operators in the facility.

11. Robotic Welding

12. 05: Robotic Welding
Advances in robotics enable automation of welding and other highly-skilled and/or dangerous
jobs that manufacturers report difficulty filling.