Tech Roadmap: Smart Factory Technologies (2024)
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Executive Summary
This Tech Roadmap report clarifies the business value, pace of innovation and maturity phase of 25 smart factory technologies. Verdantix conducted a fact-based assessment of the maturity, innovation, future prospects and business value of each solution. Operations and facilities managers responsible for selecting technologies for manufacturing operations should use this report to identify the technologies that can add value. The technologies identified range from those in Research and Development, such as quantum computing, to Mature technologies, such as enterprise asset management (EAM) software and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Technology buyers can use the Tech Roadmap methodology to identify new technologies for pilot projects and to develop technology strategy plans. Risk-averse firms should focus on the potential of technologies with proven business value that are in the Growth or Maturity phases of the technology life cycle. Innovators and early adopters should take note of Launch phase technologies.Key questions answered by the Tech Roadmap analysis
Tech Roadmap analysis aligns with operational optimization and automation
Tech Roadmap for smart factory technologies
Defining the market for smart factory technologies
Methodology overview
Identifying the five market phases of technology maturity
Three technology life cycles differentiate business value
Technology adoption and success influence positioning
Pace of innovation determines the time to the next life cycle phase
Smart factory technologies in Phase 1: Research and Development
Nanotechnology for material enhancement and nano-scale machinery
Quantum computing for material science and engineering
Text to 3D generative AI design
Smart factory technologies in Phase 2: Launch
Augmented reality (AR) for remote assistance
Blockchain for supply chain
GenAI copilots
Operational technology (OT) cyber security
Virtual reality (VR) for training and simulations
5G and advanced connectivity
Smart factory technologies in Phase 3: Growth
Collaborative robots (cobots)
3D printing
Computer vision for quality and inspections
Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs)
Edge computing
Digital twins
Energy management software
Industrial DataOps
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platforms
Manufacturing execution systems (MESs)
Production planning and scheduling software
Predictive maintenance software
Smart factory technologies in Phase 4: Maturity
Enterprise asset management (EAM) software
Real-time location systems (RTLS)
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems
Supply chain management (SCM) software
Figure 2. Tech Roadmap for smart factory technologies
About the Authors
Henry Kirkman
Senior Analyst
Henry is a Senior Analyst in the AI Applied research team at Verdantix, specializing in enterprise AI platforms, agentic systems, industrial AI, document AI and graph database...
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Josh Graessle
Senior Manager
Josh is a Senior Manager at Verdantix, covering industrial transformation, with a focus on manufacturing operations management, industrial design and engineering, and asset ma...
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Lucas Sala
Consultant
Lucas is an Analyst at Verdantix, conducting research into the application of AI in industrial operations, focusing on GenAI copilots, predictive analytics and digital twins. ...
Malavika Tohani
Research Director
Malavika is a Research Director at Verdantix, guiding research that explores how digital technologies and services are reshaping industrial operations to become safer, more ef...
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