The Plastics and Rubber Institute of Sri Lanka, and the Sri Lanka Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Rubber Products, together with the assistance of the Export Development Board, conducted a two- day virtual workshop on Advanced Technology/Smart Manufacturing For The Rubber Product Industry In Sri Lanka, in December 2020. Despite the fact that the country was just raising its head from the deleterious aftermath of the first and second waves of Covid -19, the participation was beyond all expectations, thus indicating the weightage placed in keeping abreast of modern trends and moving with times by the industry community and the professionals and I presume that this is the current trend throughout the world.

As a member of the organising committee of the event and more as a hands-on person of the technologists of the not so modern generation, I realised that I was a curious and a rather passive observer of the currently fast unfolding industry scenario. The array of topics presented by local as well as overseas experts on their respective specialties was impressive. They covered Smart Energy Monitoring, IOT Built Industry Automation, Big Data Processing and applications, Conditioned based Monitoring for Maintenance, 3D/4D Printing, Virtual Product Design and Testing, Finite Element Analysis, and Product Failure Analysis.

It made me guessing with fascination, how much the information utilisation scenario in the manufacturing industry has metamorphosed during the past few decades since the times of two great discoveries/inventions, of Charles Babbage and Arthur. C. Clarke, that paved way for the evolution of the Information and Communications revolution. Charles Babbage (1791-1871) was an extraordinarily talented scientist, mathematician, economist and engineer. He is best known today - as he was in his lifetime - for inventing two types of cogwheel calculating machines, the forerunners of the modern computers. It was Arthur C. Clarke. after the crest of World War II, from his base in Stratford-On-Avon, England, as a young officer in the Royal Air Force, who dabbled in science fiction writing, floated the idea of global communications satellites in a 1945 letter to the publication Wireless World. It will be of interest to learn that the latter made Sri Lanka his second home and contributed in no small way to the development of ICT and astronomy in our country during the sixties and seventies.

As I gathered, with my rather limited knowledge of ICT, that the common features, of the modern-day innovations are generating a vast amount of real time data on all key aspects of the value chain, and interfacing between the value adding activities. Automation and reducing the dependability on the human factor has been another significant trend. Another key driver has been the necessity for reliability, agility and robustness in delivering products and services to the customer in the ever-changing customer preferences, which are again fueled willfully through product promotion and creation of new needs through massive adverting campaigns and mass communications. Companies are increasingly embracing the innovative technologies, to enable business growth, wealth accumulation, contribution to the national economies, which has helped in achieving improved quality of life, particularly in the traditionally termed developed countries.

Right through his anthropogenic evolution, Homo Sapiens or the “thinking man” has been characterised by the use of his brain to find easier and faster ways of doing things, which was an absolutely vital advantage for his survival in the primitive hostile environment. Commencing with use of stone tools, discovery of fire, and iron, this trend has continued throughout the history of mankind. During the more recent period of the last three centuries, which culminated in the Industry 4.0, some key landmarks, which reflect the quest of the mankind to better lives, through increased and efficient resource utilisation can be identified.

Revolutions

This process began in Britain in the 18th century and from there spread to other parts of the world. Although used earlier by French writers, the term Industrial Revolution was first popularised by the English economic historian Arnold Toynbee (1852–83) to describe Britain's economic development from 1760 to 1840. The first industrial revolution came with the advent of mechanisation, steam power and water power. This was followed by second industrial revolution which revolved around mass production and assembly lines using electricity. Henry Ford’s conveyor belt system was put into motion in December 1^st of 1913 in his Detroit manufacturing plant. Fully mechanised, or partially mechanised, assembly lines allowed Ford to offer a vehicle for a working family. One of his goals was to have a car that every family could own.

The car that every family would soon come to own was the Model T. His manufacturing plants would go on to produce over 15 million Model Ts and this is due almost entirely to his assembly line. In order to achieve a production of the Model T at such a high rate, he needed to break down the process of assembling the car to make it as efficient as possible to produce, while still being financially accessible.

The third industrial revolution came with electronics, IT systems and automation, which led to the fourth industrial revolution that is associated with cyber- physical systems. Some of the principles of which were the topics of the December Workshop. Generally speaking, Industry 4.0 describes the growing trend towards automation and data exchange in technology and processes within the manufacturing industry, including:

•  The internet of things (IoT)
• The industrial internet of things (IIoT)
• Cyber-physical systems (CPS)
• Smart manufacture
•  Smart factories
• Cloud computing
• Cognitive computing
• Artificial intelligence

This automation creates a manufacturing system whereby machines in factories are augmented with wireless connectivity and sensors to monitor and visualise an entire production process and make autonomous decisions. Wireless connectivity and the augmentation of machines will be greatly advanced with the full roll out of 5G

The fourth industrial revolution also relates to digital technologies that can create virtual versions of real-world installations, processes and applications. These can then be robustly tested to make cost-effective decentralised decisions. In short, this should allow for digital transformation and  for automated and autonomous manufacturing with joined-up systems that can cooperate with each other.

Black spots

It can thus be unanimously agreed that the emerging technologies have already resulted in tremendous benefits for mankind and that they have vast future potential in changing the entire human civilisation. While appreciating and accepting the usefulness of the technologies, I cannot refrain from contemplating on the black spots in the white cloth. The disadvantages of the digital technologies have been well documented throughout the world and some of these, include, data security, digital media manipulation, job insecurity, over reliance on gadgets, addiction, depersonalization, and social alienation, and stress related physical and mental illnesses and the list is not exhaustive. Diminishing of the human touch is considered by many, as a matter of grave concern, and its effect on the personal, ethical, family and social has already begun to reveal its dark side.

As an adaptive measure of the new normal mentality that followed the Covid-19 pandemic, “Social Distancing” intruded our day to day activates over the past one and half years. However, on thinking reflectively, it will be evident that Social Distancing actually had its beginnings in the first three industrial revolutions, while it got aggravated in the recent years. Dilemmas and debatable questions as to whether  dehumanisation is still progressing and what will be the outcome, if the current rate of rapid technology trend continues? These will become key challenges for the sociologists and sociopsychologists and the modern HR specialists. Prioritising automation and sub optimisation of the human resource, in the disguise of improving operational efficiency, as a business strategy of maintaining sustainability, could turn out to be short lived.

Over dependence on technology at the expense of losing the much-required human touch and interpersonal relationships, can be witnessed in many of the day-to-day activities, such as internet or online banking, bill payments, buying at super markets, home deliveries, and on-line webinars. I have personal experience of the short comings of on-line lecturing for students and on virtual workshops, which can only be utilised as a stop gap measure. As a person of the “old generation,” I find it an exhilarating experience to walk to the local bank, greet good morning to the staff, and having a friendly chat with the familiar cashier, while getting my transaction done. Some may equate such practices to lack of time management and productivity. Human interaction of this kind holds a special position in countries such as India and Sri Lanka, which has rich religious and cultural heritages, and adopting the new technologies as a panacea for improving all the aspects of efficiency and productivity in an effort be stay competitive can only be a short-term strategy.

It was Robert Frost, the American poet (1874-1963), who once philosophically remarked, “don’t ever take fence down, until you know why it was put up”

Obsolescence due to ineffective use or total non -use which we witness with machinery and equipment, may be applicable to the humans as well. It is said that the human body has about one hundred, vestigial organs, including the appendix, which have become nonfunctional, during the evolutionary process as a result on non-use and obsolescence. (TT)

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Dr William Mars, Founder and President of Endurica, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Rubber Division, American Chemical Society (ACS) Melvin Mooney Distinguished Technology Award. The honour recognises exceptional technical competency demonstrated through significant and repeated contributions to rubber science and technology.

Dr Mars is widely regarded as a pioneer in elastomer durability, having developed critical plane analysis methods and fatigue life simulation techniques that are now employed throughout the global tire and rubber industry.

The award will be presented during a special event at the Global Polymer Summit (GPS), scheduled for 28–30 September in Louisville, Kentucky. As part of a science and technology awards symposium at the summit, the Endurica leader will deliver a special lecture.

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Linglong Tire, the Chinese manufacturer, is to invest an estimated USD 270 million in a new tyre factory in Egypt, as part of a strategy to expand its footprint across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The company has established Linglong Tire Egypt Co, Ltd to run the Shandong Linglong Tyre Co Overseas (Egypt) Investment and Construction Project. The registered name remains subject to confirmation by local authorities, which are reviewing a missing company registration certificate.

The factory will be built in Borg El Arab, 45 km south of Alexandria, on a site covering approximately 251,460 square metres. Construction is expected to take two years and will include the plant itself, along with civil buildings, infrastructure, landscaping and other support works.

Once operational, the site is expected to produce about 6m car tyres a year, generating annual sales of approximately USD 175  million and a net profit of around USD 35 million.

Linglong said the investment was designed to serve both the Egyptian market and its core markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where the automotive sector has grown steadily in recent years. Egypt's location, at the intersection of Asia, Africa and Europe and close to the Suez Canal, was cited as a factor in the decision, alongside access to local ports and logistics networks that could help lower supply-chain costs.

The Egyptian plant would complement Linglong's existing production sites in China, Thailand and Europe, adding capacity to a global network that already includes five factories in China and one each in Thailand and Serbia. The company said the project supported a wider strategy involving automation, research and development, and more sustainable production methods.

The investment still requires approval from the relevant authorities in China and Egypt. Linglong said the project could be modified, delayed or discontinued if the necessary permits were not obtained.

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Liberty Tire Recycling facilities throughout North America took part in the Recycled Materials Association's (ReMA) annual Safety Stand Down Week, underscoring the company's sustained dedication to worker safety and well-being. Teams set aside regular duties to engage in training sessions, hazard awareness conversations and reviews of established best practices aimed at reinforcing a safety-first culture.

The week's programming spanned the company's entire network and featured toolbox talks, site-specific safety discussions, CEO-sponsored facility inspections with managers and employees and examinations of safe operating procedures. These activities gave workers room to spot potential hazards, offer observations, raise questions and strengthen the systems underpinning a safer workplace.

Beyond this annual event, Liberty maintains year-round safety measures that include regular stand downs, five-minute safety talks, near-miss reporting, safety work orders, Liberty Learning LMS training, engineering upgrades, standard operating procedures and employee development programmes. Joining industry peers in the ReMA initiative let the company reaffirm continuous improvement across every facility.

Safety is treated as a shared responsibility and an ongoing journey. Liberty Tire Recycling, a leader in tyre recycling and circular economy solutions, expressed appreciation to all participating team members for keeping safety central to daily operations while supporting ReMA's broader push for industry-wide safety excellence.

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DT Swiss has refreshed its mountain bike (MTB) wheel range with redesigned asymmetric alloy rims, following more than 10 years of leadership in the alloy MTB segment. The EX 511, XM 481 and XR 391 have each received updates featuring premium aluminium alloy, welded rim joints, wider horns to limit tyre damage and a humped tyre contact surface for better support, yielding stronger and more durable rims.

Across the range, every new rim now uses an asymmetrical profile that balances spoke tension more evenly and extends wheel life. Distinct construction traits are tailored to cross-country, all-mountain and enduro use, so riders can select a rim suited to their preferred discipline.

The EX 441 is built for unplanned lines, combining its asymmetric shape with wider horns and an optimised structure for stability and impact resistance. It comes in multiple sizes with either 28 or 32 spoke holes.

For mountain exploration, the XM 431 pairs a strong aluminium build with a refined profile and wider horns for greater impact resistance, plus a redesigned contact patch for improved lateral tyre support; it is offered in 27.5 or 29 inches. The XR 421, meanwhile, uses a lightweight asymmetric, flatter construction with a 28 mm inner width optimised for tyres up to 2.7 inches, giving cross-country riders confidence and speed lap after lap.

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