Brian Durant, president of Cayuga Community College, discusses the impact of AI on manufacturing and how CCC can help local employers need
Sergeant Deborah Jeanne
Artificial intelligence (AI) appears to be part of much of what we do, from leisure to business.
In manufacturing, AI is helping to address workers shortages and reduce corporate overhead in countless ways.
AI can help both the HR side of the business and the manufacturing company of the product.
“AI is already a manufacturing driver and will continue to grow over the next few years,” said Brian Durant, PhD, Educational Dr. and President of Cayuga Community College. “Most manufacturing companies have connections throughout Central New York, and the Finger Lakes region is already using AI. This could be for marketing and sales, identifying potential employees, preparing training, or sustainability efforts.”
However, AI is used in more ways than it relates to manufacturing. As Durant observes, AI helps create more efficient manufacturing companies.
“It can automate large, complex processes, optimize workflows and improve product quality,” Durant said.
Eliminating workflow bottlenecks and creating more products with lower overhead is a simple thing to increase profitability for manufacturers.
AI can also help improve product quality. Durant said product inspections and data analysis to identify defects and product defects will also be enhanced through the use of AI.
The equipment breakdown costs manufacturers around $50 billion nationwide per year. Regular equipment maintenance can help prevent these problems. Durant said AI can help manufacturers prevent some of these issues by using AI to schedule maintenance on predicted equipment based on the AI they predict when equipment needs maintenance.
Robotics in manufacturing can improve accuracy and quality, and reduce the need for people to do common work. According to the McKinsey Global Industrial Robotics Survey, 25% of industrial companies' capital expenditures are for automated systems. Co-robots (Aka “Cobots”) help to work with people and perform manufacturing tasks.
Durant said AI is “a fast-growing portion of a sector that can benefit industry partners across the region.”
To meet the demands of skilled manufacturing workers and those developing AI, Cayuga has a variety of technology and manufacturing related programs.
Cayuga runs a school in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The Fulton Campus has advanced manufacturing labs to meet the needs of local employers such as Micron, Novelis and Huhtamaki. Additionally, Cayuga began construction of a workforce development centre in Auburn, providing career and community support in part to support the growing manufacturing sector in the region.
“An advanced manufacturing laboratory will play a pivotal role in preparing our current and future workforce to continue our proud manufacturing tradition in Oswego County and central New York,” Durant said. “At the Institute, students enjoy exceptional teaching and hands-on learning designed to provide the experience needed for their careers.”
Cayuga is also partnering with local companies to create custom training programs for specific equipment and processes.
