Making things smarter is all the rage in manufacturing these days, be it the machines on the assembly line, or the overall plant itself. Rolls-Royce Deutschland (RRD), however, is going one step further.

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, manufacturers of medical devices, monitoring systems and personal protection equipment continue their quest to make products that enhance the lives of all patients.

In the 1990s, lean manufacturing revolutionized how we organized and ran assembly lines. Now, manufacturing is undergoing another revolution - only this time, it's digital.

The Internet of Things (IoT) continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Businesses of all shapes and sizes, including manufacturers, are taking advantage of the technology's ability to network, collect, share and act on data from their operations and their customers.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming a manufacturing and mainstream technological superstar - a rare achievement indeed. Consider some recent Internet stories highlighting AI's applicability to everyday life.

The "D" word has become one of the hottest trends in the manufacturing world. State-of-the-art sensors attached to assembly tools and production equipment are capable of collecting a constant stream of data.

Industry 4.0 isn't anything new for the manufacturing engineers at Glidewell. The Newport, CA-based manufacturer of crowns, bridges and other dental products has been applying the concept since before it had a name.

From forest fire prevention and border patrol to tax inspection and counterterrorism, the applications for aerial drones are multiplying daily. Now, there is a new use for them: transporting car parts.

Science fiction writers are often heralded as great visionaries and predictors of future technology. But, "serious" writers, so to speak, also have their prophetic moments, even if by accident.

Schneider Electric's factory in Lexington, KY, has been mass-producing electrical equipment for more than 60 years. But, the low-mix, high-volume assembly plant is not sitting back and living in the past. Instead, it has become a state-of-the-art showcase for the future of digital manufacturing.