Ep. 212 - Real Applications of AI in Manufacturing and What Still Needs Work

AI is making headlines across every industry, but how much of it is actually being used on the manufacturing floor?

In this episode of Manufacturing Hub, Vlad and Dave return to the whiteboard to explore practical and real-world applications of artificial intelligence in manufacturing. From pre-operations to live production, this session covers how AI is being used today across CAD tools, BOM generation, predictive maintenance, system optimization, and machine vision. We also talk through the risks, the limitations, and what still requires human judgment.

We begin with design tools and programming before the machine even starts. Then we move through how AI is being used during operations for tasks like work order creation, failure detection, and PLC coding assistance. We explore real use cases for predictive maintenance and ask the tough question: what value are companies actually getting from this technology? Later in the episode we shift into optimization strategies. How can AI help increase throughput or reduce energy costs based on historical data? What does it take to apply these methods in mid-market factories, not just Fortune 100 environments?

We also dive into quality inspection and machine vision. These applications are among the most mature in manufacturing today, and we break down examples like barcode inspection, defect detection, and using AI to adapt based on customer complaints. Throughout the episode we share insights from the field and address audience questions about generative AI, simulation tools, and where human expertise still matters most.

Referenced in this episode
Phoenix Contact case study from Episode 173: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoQjowwDi2M
Siemens and Microsoft Copilot initiative
Emerson, Bentley Nevada, and GE predictive maintenance platforms
University of Tennessee Reliability and Maintainability Center: https://www.rmc.utk.edu
UR and Spectral vision systems seen at Automate 2025
Teledyne and Cognex AI-based machine vision tools
Cone GAVIN and Siemens Process Simulate
Joltek – consulting for manufacturing strategy, automation, and digital transformation: https://www.joltek.com/

This is Episode 212 of Manufacturing Hub, your go-to resource for conversations between real practitioners in industrial automation and manufacturing. Join us live every Wednesday at 4 PM Eastern and follow along on YouTube, LinkedIn, and all major podcast platforms.