Technology is the set of all knowledge used to improve the quality of life and facilitate people's daily lives. And, despite the fact that it encompasses a large number of terms, we can make a distinction between the different types of technology, which we will discuss in this article.
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fixed technology
Fixed technology is one in which its usefulness is specific to a single product, so it cannot be used in any other. Therefore, the use of this kind of technology It is very limiting, since you need a large infrastructure to carry it out, and it cannot be reused or modified in its final phase.
Features of fixed technology
Despite being a very limiting technology, it has several more than interesting features:
- Specialized process, as we have said previously, this product is manufactured to satisfy a single need, which is why its design is 100% oriented to meet said need. Therefore, the result will be more satisfactory than in other technologies.
- They can only be used for the purpose for which they were created. This sometimes has certain advantages, since thanks to this they can offer the user a variety of possibilities so that they can choose the one that best suits their needs.
- Difficulty when modifying elements, which guarantees high-caliber execution in its final phase.
Types of fixed technology
In addition to these characteristics, it should be noted that this technology is divided into: concrete and abstract product.
- Specific product. As its name clearly indicates, when fixed technology is applied to a specific product it will limit it to using it for a single purpose. Therefore, no type of technological change could be made.
- Abstract product. This type of product is related to specific manufacturing processes. For example, advice on technical issues.
Examples
Finally, today we can find various examples of this type of technology:
- Oil refinery
- Steel factory
- Petrochemistry
Flexible technology
Flexible technologies are those that, due to their characteristics, can be reused in other types of industrial processes. The main characteristic of this technology is that it improves productivity for the company.
Features of flexible technology
In addition to the previously mentioned characteristic, we can also highlight:
- Great adaptability, since the products can be reused, making their use in other projects extremely affordable.
- It helps to increase productivity, since some of the products used in its creation have already been used previously, so the investment is lower, which means that the company can allocate more funds to human capital, which will lead to a productivity increase.
- The launch speed is greater than in other technologies, as we have said previously, this technology reuses some products, so the launch will be faster, since the testing is less. In addition, no time or money is invested in innovation.
Examples of flexible technology
Flexible technology is one of the most used technologies today, and it is used, for example, in:
- Microwave, this appliance has several uses, one of them is to heat food or its use in processes with non-ionized radiation.
- Microprocessors, since it can currently be used in tablets, computers or mobile phones.
- Medications, drugs that are developed for humans are sometimes reused to administer to animals.
- 3D simulation, this is the great example that gives its name to this technology, since it is an invention known to all people, and which has a wide variety of uses: cinema, robotics, flight simulation, etc.
Soft technology
This type of technology refers to all that administrative, commercial and organizational knowledge that cannot be touched.
Characteristics of soft technology
Soft technology is important within a company, and its characteristics to highlight are:
- They seek to improve the functioning of the organization.
- They adapt a series of strategies to the company so that it can improve in its different areas.
- It is a type of intangible technology.
- They optimize the functioning of organizations.
- Without soft technology, hard technology would not exist.
Examples of soft technology
Some examples of services that use soft technology are:
- Marketing
- Computer software services
- Human Resources
Hard technology
This term is the complete opposite of the previous one, and is that hard technology groups together all those products and services that are tangible.
Features of hard technology
Without soft technology, hard technology would not exist, but this does not mean that it is not important, since it has characteristics to take into account:
- It must be new
- Should be low maintenance
- Effective
- Meet people's needs.
- No contaminating damage.
- It combines with the economy of obsolescence.
- Not everything tangible belongs to this technology.
examples of hard technology
This type of technology is used in objects that we are familiar with, such as:
- Steam boat
- Compass
- Mobile Phone
- Printer
Pros and cons of soft technology and hard technology?
Both types of technology are efficient in their respective fields, although like everything in life, it has its pros and cons, which we will discuss below:
- Pros of soft technology: it positively helps in the quality of life and does not produce any type of waste that is harmful to the environment.
- Advantages of hard technology: it helps increase productivity and allows products to be made with great technological innovation.
- Cons of soft technology: it is a very expensive type of technology and also requires the existence of hard technology to be carried out.
- Disadvantages of hard technology: energy costs are high, and they also use a large amount of natural resources.
computer technology
Equipment technology is one that is developed by the manufacturer itself, which is why they are usually in charge of converting an undeveloped product into the final product. Therefore, within this technology there are three subgroups: plastics industry, textile industries and rubber industries.
Features of equipment technology
It is one of the most used types of technology, since it is characterized by:
- Have low production costs.
- Great efficiency.
- It has no negative effect on the environment.
Examples of computer technology
The uses of this technology are focused mainly on technical work such as:
- Tool layouts
- Maintenance manuals
- Construction plans
operation technology
This term is based on observation for a long time, to later apply what is seen in other types of technology.
Features of operation technology
From this type of technology we can highlight:
- Improves the quality of processes within an organization
- It represents a low cost for the company, since it is betting on a type of technology that it already knows will work.
- Too much investment in time and research.
product technology
This type of technology is based on the creation of an innovative product to satisfy a specific need. There are many examples of product technology but we can highlight the following:
- dried plums
- Dehydrated figs
- Peaches
clean technology
Clean technologies aim to have the minimum negative impact on the environment.
Features of clean technology
The most notable features are:
- Optimization of the use of human resources.
- They are innovative, since they aim to reduce global warming.
- They help sustainable development.
Examples of clean technology
Therefore, this technology model is used, for example in:
- Low consumption lamps
- Unleaded petrol
- Water treatment
What is the best type of technology?
Currently, the answer to this question is very different, since everything depends on the situation of the company, since some invest a large amount of money in research, others prefer to be the producers... But in general terms the best types The technology to be used would be those that do not affect the environment and that can be reused. Therefore, the technologies that fulfill this function are clean and flexible.
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