ANG, DANIEL VICTOR C.

3858 MECE 3141 10:30-11:30 TTHS

BSMECE III HKV

IMPORTANCE OF SMART SENSOR IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE

MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY IN THE 21ST CENTURY AND THE DISADVANTAGES
OF USING SENSORS IN THE INDUSTRY

Base Sensors played a crucial role in the manufacturing industry for several years, but
were severely inefficient and caused system noise, signal discrepancy, attenuation, and HAS no
immediate feedback. In this new age of revolution, sensors are developed and transformed into
an extraordinary sensor called the “smart sensor.” This smart sensor can process complex
calculations and are comparably smaller than the base sensor. Smart sensors detect input from
the physical world such as pressure, temperature, humidity, flow, and many more depending on
where it is Used. These physical quantities are then converted to data using microprocessors and
convert the analog input to digitalized value with an embedded Digital Motion Processor or
DMP. A smart sensor is one of the foundations in today’s technological advancement; it can
receive and process data and communicate with a network of sensors and transfer data to ensure
efficiency and safety in a system.

In the 21st century, having workers do repetitive work in the factory, ie. Packaging,
installation, and many more is a dawn of the past. Nowadays, with the help of modernization and
innovation, smart sensors can now aid in automating the basics of the advanced processes that
workers used to do. With the help of smart sensors, production rate, cost, safety, and efficiency
in the manufacturing industry drastically improved. The production rate is increased as the
machines can work longer hours without feeling exhausted. Cost is reduced as there is no need to
hire many workers to up the production, and safety is at its highest as lapses in the factory are
factored out as there are no more people. Efficiency made by smart sensors is less than the ones
made by people. In addition, machines can continuously function all day without stopping,
something that people cannot do with speed and accuracy. Based form Changying Precision
Technology Company’s factory, a Chinese factory in Dongguan City replaced ninety percent of
its workforce to robotic machines embedded with smart sensors. The company had 650
employees replaced by 60 robotic arms, and the production rate massively increases by 250%
and has an 80% decrease in malfunctions and defects. Blue-collar jobs in the manufacturing
ANG, DANIEL VICTOR C. 3858 MECE 3141 10:30-11:30 TTHS
BSMECE III HKV

world is a thing of the past; using smart sensors is the way to the future for better efficiency and
productivity.

According to Morai Logistics, 43% of supply chains use smart sensors to increase
efficiency and agility of their production rate. These supply chains continually change their
previous manufacturing method to a “smart manufacturer” by integrating machine-to-machine
communication. Smart manufacturing enables supply chains to have a “always-on-a-supply-
chain” wherein there would be no production deficit due to how smart sensor’s advance platform
to transform traditional feedback into a true and tested digital insights.

As the world shifted to a new technological advancement, automated machines gradually

became the new manufacturing industry’s workforce. Automated robotics with smart sensors
proved to be more efficient in cost, productivity, and lower manufacturing work environment
accidents. In the 21st century, blue-collared jobs became the last option for individuals to have a
job. According to Oxford University and the Oxford Martin School, 47% of jobs in the US alone
can be replaced by automated machines embedded with smart sensors. With this high
replacement percentage, several individuals would be unemployed and eventually lead to a
financial crisis soon. Any industry-related jobs would have limited opportunities due to how
smart sensors can be easily calibrated and access via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. 80% of jobs under
posting, checking, computing, tabulating, and maintaining records are at risk when shifting to
smart and automated manufacturing industries. This is the pitfall of smart sensors in the
manufacturing industry in the 21st century.

CONCLUSION:

There are advantages and disadvantages to the impact of smart sensors in advancing the
manufacturing industry in the 21st century. With smart sensors and automated machinery, the
productivity rate of manufacturing industries massively increases by 250% and has an 80%
decrease in malfunctions and defects than a traditional way of the labored task. 43% of supply
ANG, DANIEL VICTOR C. 3858 MECE 3141 10:30-11:30 TTHS
BSMECE III HKV

chains integrate into “smart manufacturing” to ensure high efficiency, productivity, and
operations, and have an “always-on-supply-chain”. The smart sensor also prevents management
issues such as missed handoffs and theft and plays a significant role in recording data to
guarantee safety and production level. According to Oxford University, 80% of manufacturing
jobs are at risk when shifting to smart and automated manufacturing industries. Blue-collar jobs
in the manufacturing world is a thing of the past; using smart sensors is the way to the future for
better efficiency and productivity.

REFERENCES:

Brand, S. (n.d.). The Role of Smart Sensors in Manufacturing. Retrieved September 18, 2020, from
https://www.cmtc.com/blog/the-new-role-of-sensors-in-manufacturing

Automation and the future of work – understanding the numbers. (n.d.). Retrieved September 18,
2020, from https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/blog/automation-and-the-future-of-work-
understanding-the-numbers/

Production Soared After This Factory Replaced 90% of Its Employees With Robots. (2017, February
09). Retrieved September 19, 2020, from https://futurism.com/2-production-soars-for-chinese-
factory-who-replaced-90-of-employees-with-robots

Chaudhar, M., Mrs., & Dharavath, S., Prof. (2014, January). Study of Smart Sensors and their
Applications. Retrieved September 18, 2020, from
https://ijarcce.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/03/IJARCCE4A___a_manali_study.pdf

Chain, S., & Saunders, K. (2019, March 25). How Smart Sensors Create Agile and Efficient Supply
Chains. Retrieved September 20, 2020, from http://morailogistics.com/how-sensors-create-agile-
efficient-supply-chains/
ANG, DANIEL VICTOR C. 3858 MECE 3141 10:30-11:30 TTHS
BSMECE III HKV

Sheares, G. (n.d.). Smart Logistics and Data-driven Decision-Making Processes in Cyber-Physical

Manufacturing Systems. Retrieved September 21, 2020, from
http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=23a109da-ef48-4246-98f7-
17d127dc278f%40sdc-v-sessmgr03&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d
%3d#AN=142672269&db=bth