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6 Advancements in Industrial Automation different workflows, they must be able to identify their connection status and communicate that information to other modules so it's clear what components are available for repurposing. Breaking Free of the Conveyor Belt Ultimately, modularity will make it possible to reconfigure processes as needed without having to physically reconfigure the factory floor. Instead, automated guided vehicles will move products where they need to go, navigating the manufacturing cells in the most efficient sequence possible. This level of flexibility opens the door to accommodating a wider variety of end products on a given set of equipment. As customer demand changes and products become more customizable, decentralized manufacturing systems could shift quickly to match changes in demand. Systems that can support multiple parallel manufacturing sequences or have microstations execute different tasks offer opportunities to optimize production volume and variation as needed. If demand spikes for a particular product variant, for example, the factory could reconfigure to produce a high volume of that single variant and then transition back to producing lower volumes of multiple variants when demand recedes. That flexibility is not only good for efficient production. It could also help make factories more sustainable by allowing them to use existing machinery for a wider array of tasks—or repurpose it entirely to suit a new product's workflow. Before manufacturers can take this next step in architectures, however, they need the ability to convey data and power flexibly throughout a decentralized system. This degree of automation might require integration of wireless technology such as 5G to extend existing networks of decentralized manufacturing stations so that fleets of vehicles can interact with them. It could also require specialized power systems to maximize efficient operation and minimize downtime of the vehicles themselves. In addition, they will need sensors to detect and convey the context needed to integrate the vehicles' decision-making with the other devices on the factory floor. Bridging the Gap to Radically New Architectures Much of the technology needed to bring this more flexible future to life already exists in some form in a variety of industries. Electric vehicle technology in the automotive industry and fleet technology in the commercial transportation sector will offer valuable lessons for developing and managing fleets of automated vehicles on the factory floor. Advancements in the energy sector will provide lessons about energy transmission and the electrical infrastructure that will power the elements of decentralized manufacturing architectures, even as manufacturers increasingly embrace renewable power sources that are making conventional power connectors obsolete. Sensors How It Works: Industrial Motors for Smart Factories