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From Editor's Desk
in Vol. 27 - May Issue - Year 2026
The Value of Practical Knowledge in a Digital Age
Andrzej Wojtas (Ph.D.)
In recent years, industry has experienced an unprecedented wave of digitalization. Simulation software, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and digital twins are becoming increasingly common tools in manufacturing. Engineers can now model processes before a single component is produced, predict failures before they occur, and optimize production lines using vast datasets. The potential of these technologies is remarkable.
However, amid this digital progress, one essential factor must not be overlooked: practical experience.
In many production environments, the most valuable insights still come from technicians and engineers who have spent years working directly with machines, materials, and processes. They understand subtle variations that may not appear in a dataset—how a machine behaves on a humid day, how a material responds to slight process adjustments, or how a seemingly minor parameter change can affect the final result.
Digital tools are powerful, but they are most effective when combined with practical knowledge. Data alone rarely tells the full story. It requires interpretation, context, and judgment—qualities that often develop only through hands-on experience.
This is particularly important in industrial environments where processes involve complex interactions between materials, equipment, and operating conditions. Even the most sophisticated model depends on assumptions, and real-world conditions do not always behave according to theory.
At the same time, a generational shift is occurring across many industries. Experienced specialists are retiring, taking decades of accumulated knowledge with them. Preserving this knowledge and transferring it to younger engineers and technicians is becoming a major challenge.
Companies that succeed in bridging the gap between digital technology and practical expertise will be best positioned for the future. The goal should not be to replace experience with technology, but to combine the strengths of both.
In the end, the most advanced factory is not simply the most automated one. It is the one where digital tools and human expertise work together—where technology enhances the judgment, creativity, and problem-solving abilities of the people who operate it.
Andrzej Wojtas (Ph.D.), Chief Editor of MFN, E-mail: andrzej@mfn.li
