People are the overlooked resource

It’s easy to get caught up in all the technology around modern manufacturing, particularly as it mirrors so closely the changes in society as a whole. With the increase in artificial intelligence and the reliance on devices, it’s easy to forget the importance of the human machine amid all of this technology. Keith Barr, president and CEO of CFE Media content partner Leading2Lean suggests in the September issue that in an era of technology, humans may be the most important asset. "Manufacturing 4.0 also will be an era of dynamic workplaces that challenge workers," Barr writes. "It will return human workers to an integral part of manufacturing. It will attract new workers to manufacturing; workers with ambition and new skills. Human talents, the ability to analyze, reason, adapt, and create, will be essential to move manufacturing forward."

Bob Vavra, content manager for Plant Engineering, CFE Media, bvavra@cfemedia.com.

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