Manufacturing Today Issue - 249 June 2026 | Page 18

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analytics, AI integration, and seamless connectivity across modern automotive production environments.
“ The future of advanced manufacturing is being shaped by trends in automation, vision systems, AIdriven sustainability, cybersecurity, and the shift toward Industry 5.0, where technology and human capability work together,” James affirms.“ Automation continues to accelerate across every sector. Vision systems are moving from simple inspection tools to intelligent decision-making systems. With AI, they can now detect defects, guide robots, and adapt to new variants instantly, transforming quality assurance and reducing waste. Additionally, AI is becoming one of the most powerful enablers of sustainability. It delivers measurable impact in three core areas: waste reduction( fewer defects, rework, and scrapped parts), productivity improvements( smarter processes, predictive insights, and faster decisionmaking), and cost efficiency( optimized
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