“IT has become a manufacturing technology in the same way as hydraulics and pneumatics.” Today, how has AI been integrated into your industrial manufacturing strategy? Philippe Convain. I would say that it is at the heart of our approach to manufacturing. Our aim is to improve our operational performance by using these technologies, while bearing in mind that these tools must ultimately benefit users. What are the main challenges of integrating AI into your manufacturing processes? P. C. The first challenge is to do with people. AI is driving major change, particularly with regard to information, since it considerably increases transparency. Some people may see this as a positive, while others may see it as a negative. The second challenge is to remember that we are implementing very specific manufacturing processes. As such, it is vital to find the right balance between complex mathematical models and the day-to-day reality of our processes. In practice, how is AI transforming your manufacturing processes? P. C. Using industrial AI, we can perform calculations and simulations in real time. Consequently, we can predict how an ongoing process will end and intervene if necessary. This proactive approach has a positive impact on the sustainability and reliability of our processes, while optimizing their lifespan. AI also has a significant impact on the use of materials, energy, and so on. For instance, when manufacturing an extruded part, using AI can save 150 grams of material. When this is repeated a million times, this mounts up to a considerable saving. How is OPmobility scaling AI solutions and why is scaling so important? P. C. Scaling AI solutions is paramount for us. No matter how effective a solution might be, we need to be able to use it on all our sites. That is a prerequisite to ensure our overall performance is optimized. Our aim is to successfully manufacture quality products that have been optimized with AI, while maintaining reasonable prices on all our sites. That is particularly important, given that we operate in more than 20 countries. How do you see teams’ roles changing in an increasingly automated production environment that is powered by AI? P. C. The integration of AI will change the roles of our teams, but it will not replace them. Skill requirements are shifting towards greater versatility and technical expertise. Our operators must now be able to improve our processes using recommendations provided by AI. That is we are investing heavily in continuing professional development to support this transition. PHILIPPE CONVAIN Digital Manufacturing Director, C-Power Business Group, OPmobility THE EXPERT —
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