New and emerging tech

• New technologies


  • Developed to positively impact the manufacturing industry and society
• Companies are trying to save money, improve products, develop new materials and become more efficient
• Automation


  Using automatic equipment in production
• Automation


  Machinery being used to complete tasks previously done by humans
• Automated machines are programmed to carry out a procedure multiple times, eg repeatedly creating the shape of a car door using a press, to improve production time
• Automation


  • Cost of setting up machinery is high but, when they are operating, less waste is produced and running costs are lower
• Robotics


  Use of robots with artificial intelligence to collect information and improve the performance of a particular procedure
• Robotics has proven popular because of their ability to increase efficiency and handle harmful materials that humans can't, but they are very expensive
• Smart technology


  • Technology that uses a chip to store information
• Smart technology has improved the efficiency of buildings, with many factories using renewable energy sources to try to minimise environmental impact
• Modular buildings


  Buildings made of smaller, prebuilt parts put together
• Modular buildings can be erected quickly and at a low cost, and improvements in stock control mean less storage space is needed
• New technologies


  • Developed to positively impact the manufacturing industry and society
• Crowdfunding


  Websites used to advertise products as investment opportunities, where people can choose to back a project with a financial donation if they think it will be viable
• Backers


  Rewarded with free gifts, discounts or a pre-agreed part of any profits if the product is successful
• Virtual marketing and retail

  Promotion of products online and sharing experiences, reviews and recommendations has rapidly become part of the retail experience
• Algorithms


  Generate information about users' buying habits and suggest relevant retail sites for them to try using search engine optimisation (SEO)
• Platforms for advertising


  • Blogs
  • Vlogs
  • Social media
• Cooperatives


  Organisations with lots of people working together towards common goals, run and owned by members who share decision-making, profits and risk
• Cooperatives in the UK


  • The Co-operative Group
  • John Lewis and Partners
  • Nationwide Building Society
• Fair trade


  A trading partnership that ensures workers in developing countries are given suitable working conditions and are paid a fair wage
• Fair trade is not a legal obligation for companies to follow, but it has become more popular over time as it represents a growing belief that workers who produce products should be treated well</b>
• New technologies


  • Positively impact the manufacturing industry and society
• Companies are trying to save money, improve products, develop new materials and become more efficient
• Sustainable resource


  Can be replaced once used
• As a tree is chopped down, many more can be planted to ensure the use of trees can be sustained
• Finite resource


  Can only be used once and is in limited supply
• Finite resources


  • Metals
  • Plastics
  • Fossil fuels (coal, natural gas and oil)
• Non-renewable resource


  Cannot be replaced when it is used up, such as oil, natural gas or coal
• Finite resources are popular as they are easily accessible due to strong supply chains and often have benefits for manufacturing particular products or for energy supplies
• Companies have become more careful in their use of finite resources, and they now consider the ecological footprint caused by using such materials
• Non-finite resource


  Renewable energy that harnesses the Earth's natural resources
• Non-finite resources


  • Wood
  • Cotton
  • Renewable energy sources such as solar and wind
• Where trees are cut down for wood or hibiscus plants harvested for cotton, new ones can be planted in their place
• In 2016, the UK recycled 25 per cent of household waste, with the target of 50 per cent in 2020
• All other waste goes to landfill sites, which release harmful gases that pollute the surrounding air and soil
• New technologies


  • Positively impact the manufacturing industry and society
• Continuous improvement


  1. Making small changes to improve the way a company works

  2. Encourages people to work together and give regular feedback to make small improvements

  3. Can increase productivity and create team harmony
• Efficient working


  Increasing the speed of production, reducing errors and reducing waste
• Automation


  • Using automatic equipment in production