Future factories will need automation—and people, too

When today’s hurricanes of technological change stop howling, everyone wants to know who’ll be left standing—so they can maybe pick a winner early, and survive and thrive, too.

That’s why a sizable crowd showed up to hear experts from four companies describe how they’re wrestling with developing factories of the future at this week’s Automation Fair 2025 in Chicago, from Rockwell Automation. For instance, while expanding its plant in Casa Grande, Ariz., from 1 million sq. ft. to 4 million sq. ft., Lucid Motors in Newark, Calif., is seeking to free itself from traditional technical constraints, according to Gaetano Cantalupo (second from right), Lucid’s manufacturing VP.

“We’re thinking differently and embracing innovation,” said Cantalupo. “We’re also developing a flexible ecosystem to empower people and enhance their knowledge.”

Remarkably, the panelists reported that many attributes needed for future factories are already well-known and have been in demand for many years and decades. “Implementing future technologies and future-proofing them requires flexibility,” said Ann Esbeck (second from left), chief innovation officer at Bechtel in Houston. “This is especially true if they’re going to provide customers with the automated operations they want and avoid downtime.”

The session was moderated by Matt Fordenwalt (center), senior vice president, lifecycle services, Rockwell Automation.

Envisioning autonomy

Another familiar element that’s essential for future factories, digital transformation, cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and everything else is copper.

“There’s no technology now or in the future without copper and mining, which are especially important for transitioning from fossil to alternative energy sources,” explained Rafael Bittar (rightmost), technology EVP at Vale S.A. (https://vale.com/mining) in Rio de Janeiro. “We also need to begin fixes these processes by increasing our knowledge base.”

Bittar reported there are five pillars that future mining must include:

• Intelligent operations based on more automated equipment and operations;
• More precise extraction and processing methods enabling smaller environmental footprints;
• Reduced residual materials and striving for zero-waste processes;
• Shared values and visions with local communities; and
• Increasingly autonomous drilling machines, loaders and other mining equipment.

However, Cantalupo added that achieving greater autonomy begins with closely examining each process and its components, questioning their purpose and capabilities, and asking how they likely need to change.

“We ask ‘what is a car today?’ Is it just a big engine and tires? Today, a car is just as much defined by software and the software used to manufacture it,” said Cantalupo. “We need to connect those dots and streamline them based on real data about what’s required. Of course, it’s hard to operate in a fog, so getting key data from autonomous operations is going to require added sensors, more automated valves, detecting issues and damage earlier, and linking them with other autonomous mining equipment.”

Uptime all the time

The fourth panelist, Alberto Gomez (leftmost), supply chain innovation SVP at P&G, reported it will doubtless continue managing thousands of stock keeping units (SKU) that identify its many products at its plants worldwide, so its future efforts will likely focus on:

• Acquiring information more seamlessly by minimizing data touches/interactions;
• Implementing 100% inspection processes and self-diagnosing machines;
• Deploying more automated, guided vehicles (AGV) and cameras at various production and packaging stages in its facilities; and,
• Establish more flexible work-shift patterns, and upskilling workers to higher-level positions as part of its Product Supply (PS) 2030 environmental sustainability program.  

Beyond continuing to reduce unplanned downtime, Bechtel’s Esbeck reported that many clients are seeking to close in on running more processes and equipment 24/7 and pretty much eliminate idle time. “These goals require increased focus on training, safety and increased remote access for executing more work from safe environments,” explained Esbeck. “Increased uptime also benefits from 100% inspection processes, which enable quality, on-time production, on-budget project delivery, and eventually lights-out operations.”

New roles on a roll

While digitalization, virtualization, AI and more autonomous operations will be cornerstones of future factories, Gomez and his fellow panelists agreed that people power will be crucial to their success.

“Plant-floor roles are totally changing, so users can understand and manage future machines and applications, as well as their data analytics and value-added opportunities,” said Gomez. “This is because IT roles are moving onto the plant-floor, which requires repurposing many individuals and their skills with virtual reality (VR) and other training tools. This will enable them to learn more intelligent control and automation, earn better salaries, use more flexible scheduling, achieve better results, and develop better workplace cultures.”

Though skill gaps are likely to persist in construction and other industries and locations, Esbeck reported that future processes and facilities will alter some job descriptions. However, these updated profiles may help employers attract new, IT-based talent, even as fewer students opt for traditional craft professions and trades.

“It’s important for employers to work with local schools to develop the skills they need, and one way to do it is with more automation,” she explained. “But it’s also essential to start carefully, avoid chasing shiny objects, and identify a solid business case for each proposed solution. It’s also crucial to fail and learn quickly, avoid pilot-project purgatory, and determine each solution’s complete lifecycle. Only 20% of the problems encountered in these situations are due to technology; the rest are people, so they must be addressed first. If we can get participation early, we’ll have a much better chance of acceptance and success.”

Putting the future together

Once suitable automation, autonomous systems, support mechanisms and related training are determined, future factory developers must also decide how to coordinate and combine them.

“Several years ago, we implemented centralized planning to simplify, scale up, further increase productivity, and add some AI tools to the warehouse logistics controls at our Gilette facility in Berlin, which had been at risk of closing,” added Gomez. “This allowed us to run some quality and material handling processes unattended. The original plan was to suspend the plant’s overnight shift, but it’s retained a small, skeleton staff overnight. Its success inspired other managers, and about 50 other facilities are following its example.”