Cummins digitizes global factories with AI, IoT, and human-machine collaboration
Cummins, a global automotive and power technology manufacturer, is transforming its 90+ worldwide factories to create a 'factory of the future.' In response to evolving market demands, including the transition to electric power systems and the need for smarter products, Cummins launched an internal digital accelerator to drive technological innovation across its operations and workforce. The company is deploying a ‘technology raft’ including industrial Internet of Things (IoT), AI, cobots (collaborative robots), and analytics software to modernize manufacturing and ensure worker safety. Virtual and augmented reality tools are being piloted for next-generation workforce training. The initiative aims to improve automation, quality, and efficiency, while also making manufacturing roles more attractive to a younger, tech-savvy workforce. Ergonomics analytics, smart sensors, and human-robot collaboration remove workflow bottlenecks and reduce safety incidents. Workforce development focuses on upskilling both existing staff and recruiting new talent, with partnerships and community outreach to fuel the industrial talent pipeline. This large-scale project creates new benchmarks for digitally enabled, safe, and efficient manufacturing in the automotive industry.
- Organization
- Cummins
- Industry
- Automotive
- Location
- United States
- Published
- January 2019
Reported outcomes
Strategic outcomes
Why do we believe this deployment?Customer identity, provider attribution, maturity, and source checks
- Customer
- Cummins
- Provider
- Microsoft
- Maturity
- Production
- Linked source
- techtarget.com
Manual processes required automation and digital augmentation for global operational efficiency
Primary read
Use case focus
Showing 3 of 3
- 1Digital Factory Transformation
- 2Human-Robot Manufacturing Collaboration
- 3Industrial IoT-driven Process Optimization
- Changing market demands and shift to electric power systems required Cummins to rapidly rethink manufacturing processes.
- Fragmented skills base—manufacturing needed digitally skilled workers and new talent pipelines.
- Worker safety and repetitive task injuries drove the need for advanced analytics and ergonomic solutions.
- Manual processes required automation and digital augmentation for global operational efficiency.
- Deployed industrial IoT sensors, AI, and analytics software in factories for real-time process optimization.
- Implemented cobots for safe and efficient human-machine collaboration on production lines.
- Piloted ergonomic analytics and exoskeleton technology to reduce repetitive strain injuries.
- Developed workforce training solutions with virtual and augmented reality to prepare employees for new manufacturing paradigms.
- Launched digital accelerator for factory modernization and ongoing tech adoption.
- Enhanced global factory efficiency and production quality with digitally enabled processes.
- Improved workforce safety and reduced injury rates using real-time analytics and cobots.
- Attracted and upskilled new talent with modern training (AR/VR), supporting long-term recruitment.
- Established an industry benchmark for integrated digital manufacturing.
Sources & evidence1
- Customer explicitly identified
- Deployment status explicitly supported
- Technical implementation details available
AI-generated summary. Verify important details with the linked sources before relying on this case.
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