Manufacturing logistics and procurement – November 2023

Generative AI (GenAI) in packaging
PwC’s 2024 Global Digital Trust Insights survey finds that companies are viewing the rise of Generative AI with a mixture of scepticism and excitement. Top performers in the industry strongly agree that their organisation will develop new lines of business using GenAI.
According to Gartner, by 2026, more than 80% of the enterprises will have used GenAI application programming interfaces (APIs) or models, and/or deployed GenAI-enabled applications in production environments, up from less than 5% in 2023.

Supply chain trends
A report (3.1 MB) by GS1 analyses trends related to supply chain digitalisation, sustainability & circular economy. Additionally, the report provides a new look at key enabling technologies such as GenAI and verifiable credentials and revisits other concepts such as computer vision and robotics and automation.
PwC has published a survey focusing on five key technologies that are gaining a foothold in maintenance and asset management. Comparison of implementation levels show that mobile maintenance is a mature technique, predictive maintenance is emerging but digital twins, augmented reality and 3D printing are still new and not yet ready to be optimally applied in the field. You can download the report after filling in your details.

Standard on communication for container availability across global supply chains
ASTM International’s digital information in the supply chain committee (F49) is developing a proposed standard (WK87207) on communication for container availability across global supply chains. Through technical specifications, including unique digital load identifiers linked with containers, this practice will make communication across global supply chains more seamless.

Framework for quality assurance in logistics packaging
A University of Miskolc study (1.41 MB) entitled: ‘An Innovative Framework for Quality Assurance in Logistics Packaging’ has been published in Logistics. The researchers developed a general framework for handling all packaging-related errors through a predefined methodology. This can reduce the time required for problem-solving and increase efficiency, which is a significant competitive factor.

Autonomous transport robot merges simulation and machine learning with reality
The Fraunhofer Institute has published an article about their autonomous transport robot, O³dyn. It is one of the first inhabitants of the ‘robotic continuum’, which merges simulation and machine learning with reality. With the highly dynamic autonomous transport system, the researchers intend to significantly transform external and internal pallet handling. ‘O³dyn’ was developed as part of the Silicon Economy research project.

Soft sensor for applications in robotics
A new soft sensor developed by UBC and Honda researchers opens the door to a wide range of applications in robotics and prosthetics. When applied to the surface of a prosthetic arm or a robotic limb, the sensor skin provides touch sensitivity and dexterity, enabling tasks that can be difficult for machines such as picking up a piece of soft fruit. The sensor is also soft to the touch, like human skin, which helps make human interactions safer and more lifelike.

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