As the manufacturing industry grapples with ongoing labor shortages, high turnover rates, and increasing demand for skilled workers — all presenting obstacles to growth — companies are turning increasingly to smart manufacturing technologies. In fact, the 2024 “State of Smart Manufacturing Report” from Rockwell Automation notes that 95% of survey respondents are already using or evaluating smart manufacturing technologies. That’s up considerably from 84% in 2023. Technology investments, as a whole, are up 30% year over year, according to the report.
Robotic process automation (RPA) is emerging as a key solution to bridge the workforce gap, but to optimize efficiency and precision. It also provides a quick return on investment, falling within the top 10 technologies showing the biggest ROI over the past year, according to the Rockwell Automation report.
