Manufacturing is one of the most important industries across the world. We don’t often think about it, but every product we use was created or manufactured somewhere by someone.
We often use everyday items including your microwave, car, bed or even toothbrush and don’t realize they are all available to you thanks to manufacturing.
Manufacturing workers make up 9% of the American workforce, that’s over 12 million people!
Manufacturing started as a system of developing and producing man made products. This was done in a factory which often had dangerous and unregulated working conditions. The positions required fixed skill sets and no experience. It often involved tedious and repetitive work.
It wasn’t until the industrial revolution in the 18th century that the manufacturing industry took a turn from all handmade products to the use of some automated machines. The industrial revolution gave us inventions like the steam engine, the spinning jenny, and the power loom. The industrial revolution not only changed the production process but caused a dramatic shift in the market.
The decreased costs of goods and production time lead to high demands over a multitude of markets. This is where we saw companies employ children and working conditions decrease as they struggled to keep up with the increasing demand.
Luckily, as time went on machine inventions continued to help manufacturing processes become more efficient and safer for workers. The automotive industry is known for creating the assembly line and really pioneering the way for manufacturing to become what it is today.
Today, manufacturing is done mostly by machine. There is little work within factories done by hand. This doesn’t mean, however, that manufacturing jobs have been eliminated. As we mentioned before, manufacturing makes up a huge part of the American workforce. The job simply looks different than they did when manufacturing first started. Many workers are thankful for this.
Manufacturing jobs today require skills in technology. Workers have gone from tedious labor intensive jobs to overseeing automation through machines.
Advancements in manufacturing have also allowed for much more customization. The assembly line was successful in producing the exact same car over and over again. Today we are using machines to create customizable products opposed to mass produced one size fits all products.
With all that said, the average manufacturing worker has had to go from limited skill sets to masters of critical thinking and be well versed in technology use.
The manufacturing industry as a whole, now relies on technology to continue to move forward and be successful. This is why it is especially important for manufacturing companies to have adequate technical support.
Technology is rarely used without bugs, user error, or room for improvement. Manufacturing systems can fail or be vulnerable to cybersecurity threats. Since the industrial revolution manufacturing has been trying to keep up with the demand of the market and today, technology malfunctions can be detrimental to that goal.
At Expedient Technology Solutions, we have been partnering with manufacturing businesses to provide technical support around Dayton, Ohio. Our managed IT services allow us to partner with manufacturing companies and the systems they have implemented and keep them running smoothly.
Manufacturing will continue to move forward and be on the cutting edge of technology advancement for a long time to come. For help in assuring your manufacturing company is on the right track, contact us today!