Artificial intelligence helps processors leverage data

As Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing marks its 10th anniversary, the staff is looking back on the events and issues that shaped our coverage over our first decade. Read more of our 10 Trends for 10 Years here.

By Karen Hanna

“As industries face increasing pressures to reduce costs and improve production rates, AI technologies provide solutions that streamline operations and boost productivity.” 

That sentence is brought to you by ChatGPT.  

But if you’re on the shop floor, it won’t be the only time today you encounter artificial intelligence.  

The torrent of data now available every cycle — sometimes every millisecond from equipment as diverse as dryers, hot runners and blow molding machines — is overwhelming for us mere mortals.

But AI can help you make sense of it — while optimizing the work of the people already in your plant. 

If you’re sleeping on AI, don’t. Your competitors could be using it to iterate designs, squeeze more jobs out of their machines, steer clear of supply chain disruptions, manage maintanence or even train the next generation of workers. There are sensors that automatically monitor and optimize melt conditions and software innovations for recognizing materials and directing robots to pick out particular objects from recycling streams. 

In a recent Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing podcast, Doug Anger, engineering manager for training provider RJG Inc., warns AI can make mistakes, so it can’t replace human judgment. But it is an important tool in helping us make smarter decisions so much faster. 

Or as ChatGPT says, “By investing in AI technologies, businesses often see a measurable increase in ROI.”