Smarter software for smarter manufacturing
As manufacturing companies face growing pressure to improve efficiency, software is becoming an increasingly important part of the production process. For SigmaNEST, a Sandvik software brand, the focus is on helping customers simplify complex workflows and make better use of data.
Episode 68
Smarter software for smarter manufacturing
In the Meet Sandvik podcast, Paul Ikeda, VP of Technology and Development at SigmaNEST, describes how the company is developing tools that support everything from programming and quoting to shop floor logistics, inventory control, shipping and receiving. The ambition is to create connected solutions that help customers run more of their operations from one platform.
From material savings to smoother workflows
A key benefit is optimization. Many customers see material as a major part of their operating costs, and even small improvements in how parts are placed on a sheet of metal can make a difference.
“It is like when you roll out cookie dough and you're trying to figure out how to get eight or nine of the cookies out of what you've rolled out. Our software together with some calculations and our nesting engine helps our customers realize they can get one more part or use one less sheet, and the material savings is really important for them,” Ikeda says.
Bridging the knowledge gap
One of the biggest trends Ikeda sees in manufacturing is the growing knowledge gap. Experienced operators often have deep practical knowledge built up over many years, but many of those operators are retiring, and fewer people have the same long path into the profession.
At the same time, younger generations may expect software to work differently. While experienced users may appreciate a detailed interface with many controls, newer users may prefer simpler interaction, guidance or even the ability to talk to the software. For SigmaNEST, the challenge is to support both the seasoned expert and the new programmer who needs help finding the right next step.
AI as a practical tool
AI is part of that development, but Ikeda is clear that it should be treated as a tool rather than a cure-all. “When applied in the right use case, AI is a very powerful tool,” he says. Used in the wrong way, it can become unreliable or even risky.
Customer reactions to AI vary, but Ikeda says the practical question is often simple: does it help? For SigmaNEST, the goal is not to use AI because it is new or popular, but to prove that it can save time, improve productivity and deliver a clear return on investment.
Keeping an open mind
Looking ahead, Ikeda compares the rise of AI to the arrival of the internet: something that brings both opportunities and challenges but cannot be ignored. His advice is to find the right moments to try it, learn from the results and treat the use of AI tools as a skill that can be developed over time.
Discover more podcasts:
- The Hidden Technology Driving the Future of Manufacturing
- When everyone has AI, what matters?
- Culture is what remains when everything else changes
In each episode of the podcast Meet Sandvik you will meet different persons that give their perspective on Sandvik. Sometimes it´s an employee telling his or her story. Sometimes you will meet experts discussing how a hot topic can affect Sandvik.