Smart Manufacturing Blog

Welcome to your source for all things smart manufacturing. Whether you’re looking for expert insights, hard data, or actionable tips for your plant floor, we’ve got you covered every week of the year.

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Plex Team

About the Author

Plex, by Rockwell Automation, is the leader in cloud-delivered smart manufacturing solutions, empowering the world’s manufacturers to make awesome products. Our platform gives manufacturers the ability to connect, automate, track and analyze every aspect of their business to drive transformation. The Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform includes solutions for manufacturing execution (MES), ERP, quality, supply chain planning and management, Industrial IoT and analytics to connect people, systems, machines, and supply chains, enabling them to lead with precision, efficiency and agility.

Every worker. Every step. Transform your operational efficiency with Guided Work Instructions.

Plex Team August 19, 2024

Maximized production capacity and high quality, made possible by knowledgeable and engaged workers. Sounds great, doesn’t it?...

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How an Advanced ERP Improves Standard Production Costing and Profitability

Plex Team August 13, 2024

With turbulent supply chains and an ever-shifting industry landscape, there’s no way to know your precise manufacturing costs in advance. However, you can rely on standard costing to provide reasonable estimates – if you have the right tools to tackle the task. Advanced enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems can provide cost visibility, resource planning, and real-time analytics to make…

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You Can't Climb the Whole Mountain at Once

Plex Team July 30, 2024

Adopting new technologies within your manufacturing operations is a lot like climbing a mountain. You can only go so far so fast – and pushing too hard without the right support can leave your systems overwhelmed. Instead, you need to plan your approach carefully and adjust as you go. Luckily, choosing the right tools at the right time will let you adapt just fine.In smart manufacturing, modern…

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The Edge of Tomorrow: Edge Computing Reshaping Manufacturing

Plex Team July 29, 2024

In the vast expanse of a modern factory floor, the rhythms of production echo beneath the vigilant gaze of towering machinery. Workers and robots perform in a well-choreographed ballet of precision and speed. This industrial symphony is orchestrated by a frequently overlooked catalyst of contemporary innovation – edge computing....

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The Edge of Tomorrow: Unveiling the Potential of Edge Computing

Plex Team July 26, 2024

The landscape of technology has continually evolved. From the early mainframes of the 1950s and the initial days of server rooms to the expansive possibilities of the cloud, we have always pursued the next technological plateau. Our journey has now taken us to the edge—a place where technology converges to create a new horizon: edge computing....

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How to Win a Food Fight with the Competition: Yield Management & Materials

Plex Team July 15, 2024

Almost everyone loves French Fries. They go with many other foods and are a staple in restaurants around the world. But while many people enjoy them, most never think of what’s involved just to bring those fries to your plate. The process to deliver fries that meet customer expectations is complex. The size of the potatoes can cause excess waste if too small. Blemishes and spots can create…

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How to Win a Food Fight with the Competition: Quality & Compliance

Plex Team June 18, 2024

Have you ever sat down at a local restaurant and ordered your favorite meal, only to discover a change in the recipe or ingredients has completely altered the taste? You’re now a thoroughly unsatisfied customer – even if there are plenty of good reasons for menu changes behind the scenes....

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Interactive Work Instructions Redefine What Workers Can Achieve

Plex Team June 12, 2024

Even with the most carefully designed manufacturing processes in place, the actual outcome of your operations rests with your team on the floor. They rely on work instructions to carry out both unique and routine tasks – referencing a variety of documents and resources. But what happens when work instructions become a burden instead of a benefit?...

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Unlocking Supply Chain Success: 6 Tips for Seamless Implementation

Plex Team May 29, 2024

Supply chain planning solutions offer incredible opportunities over their predecessors. Today, most are cloud-based, automatically updated, and easy to customize to specific industries. The best solutions provide advanced analytics to deliver real-time insights and reporting to those who need them. ...

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Overcoming Challenges to Becoming a Supply Chain Leader

Plex Team May 21, 2024

Complex manufacturing environments can be difficult to navigate. Pressures unique to each industry, constant fluctuations in demand, and disruption on an unprecedented scale make these settings even more challenging.  Over time, these issues can take their toll on supply chain management. ...

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