Electronics in controls and automation kick-started the digital transformation in manufacturing. The flow of information and controls through devices with computing power enabled scalable automation in manufacturing. But the real acceleration of digital transformation started with the integration of field-level data and enterprise systems through manufacturing operations management systems (MOM). Line data began influencing business decisions and vice-versa.
With the advent of IoT, cloud computing and edge computing, the ability to handle, process and generate manufacturing data became manifold. These applications not only allow monitoring of real-time processes but also simulate and predict future possibilities. Thus, the use of digital information to aid human decision making and machine-level autonomy has truly transformed the manufacturing enterprise through digital manufacturing.