Digital Manufacturing

At Oshkosh Corporation, we take great pride in the advanced products we make. We take just as much pride in pioneering better ways to make them. Our Digital Manufacturing team is continually innovating new solutions and proactively connect our people, process and equipment through real time-data to amplify the efficacy of our highly sophisticated processes. From advanced robotics systems that reduce production time to augmented reality solutions that enhance team member training, our digital manufacturing innovations improve the efficiency and safety of our production lines—and improve the products that roll off them.

A culture of collaboration

The best ideas come from collaboration. That’s why we aren’t just focused on advancing our own business—we’re committed to driving innovation across our industry and beyond. We’re actively partnering with leading minds in R&D and academia to imagine a safer, more efficient and more productive future for manufacturing around the world.

Black background with white digital icons with the Oshkosh logo, ICAMS logo and Auburn logo.

Partnering for progress

Oshkosh Corporation launched a partnership with Auburn University, participating in two programs to advance the field of digital manufacturing.

The first is the Interdisciplinary Center for Advanced Manufacturing Systems (ICAMS), which connects prominent universities, industrial partners, government agencies and research centers committed to pushing the boundaries of digital manufacturing. Oshkosh will assist in defining the direction of digital manufacturing research, which includes areas such as artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, machine learning, physics-based digital simulations, supply chain integration, cybersecurity and curriculums for the Digital Workforce of tomorrow. Other programs include PhD student’s dissertation research and DOD funded digital automation research with a Tech Startup company.

Leveraging technology to build the workforce of the future

When it comes to manufacturing, our most important asset is our people. Today, many companies are facing labor shortages and major shifts in the demographics of our incoming workforce. Experienced team members with finely-honed skillsets are leaving the workforce and the incoming workforce has different expectations, including new learning and engagement preferences. Through our augmented and virtual reality technology, we’re providing information and virtual experiences needed for our workforce of the future to do their jobs safer and more efficiently.

 

 

Transferring knowledge to the next generation

We’re creating new ways to train the next generation with technology experiences they use every day to strengthen our connection of people, equipment and processes through real-time data. One way is by using virtual reality to train our team members on specialized tasks to provide a risk-free way to learn, with real-time feedback. We’re also leveraging wearable cameras to capture key tasks and use that video to create an on-demand library of visual work instructions which is a more effective way to learn. Using these approaches, we’ve reduced our onboarding time by up to two weeks, have experienced fewer defects and leverage these approaches to efficiently move production from one facility to another.

Wearable technologies

We’re committed to the safety of all our team members, especially those in front-line manufacturing roles. As part of that commitment, we’re constantly exploring new ways to actively protect our team, including wearable technology. Implementing wearable technologies within our production environments allows us to gain accurate, real-time information around team member safety and environmental risk, helping us ensure our people stay safe and our production lines keep moving.

Making production safer and smarter

When it comes to our manufacturing facilities, safety is always top of mind. We’ve implemented a wearable device program in certain JLG facilities to carefully evaluate manufacturing practices and reduce the risk of workplace injury. We’ve since repurposed these wearables to support COVID-19 social distancing and contact tracing efforts across those enabled locations, providing frontline team members the information they need to stay safe on the job. Now, we’re exploring new uses for wearables across our facilities as part of our ongoing effort to keep facilities safe and efficient.
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