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Mint Jutras, an ERP industry analyst firm, may have said it best: “All SaaS is cloud computing, but not all cloud computing is SaaS.“ There are huge benefits with systems made for the cloud versus those that are simply hosted in or converted to the cloud, and understanding those differences is important in an environment where software vendors do everything they can to confuse buyers....
Read MoreWho is Avon Gear? Headquartered in Shelby Township, Michigan, Avon Gear Company manufactures precision-machined components and subassemblies for heavy industrial equipment manufacturers. The company has experienced steady growth since its beginnings in 1974 and continues to look for ways deliver quality products to its customers....
Read MoreManufacturing has always been driven by innovation, from the first production line to modern sensors and robotics. Today, wearables and other connected tools are poised to transform how things are made. A central force in this transformation is cloud ERP—which now reaches all the way from materials in the supply chain to the employees and equipment on the plant floor to the hands of the customer…
Read MoreI always welcome conversation about this statement – “ERP is much cheaper to run if I just own the software instead of renting it in the cloud.” It’s an opportunity to expose the true cost of legacy software ownership. TCO analysis is too often limited to comparing one-time license costs to ongoing subscription costs, ignoring more significant ‘ownership’ costs that add up....
Read MoreUncertain economic times have one of two effects on the manufacturing psyche. Many companies hunker down and ‘weather the storm’ by limiting technology investment until the chaos subsides, trying to time their investment to high-growth periods. Very difficult to do....
Read MoreUncertain economic times have one of two effects on the manufacturing psyche. Many companies hunker down and ‘weather the storm’ by limiting technology investment until the chaos subsides, trying to time their investment to high-growth periods. Very difficult to do....
Read MoreOne of the things I liked best about the recent PowerPlex 2016 conference was hearing first-hand feedback from customers. Many stories centered on the increased productivity and efficiency that a connected plant floor offers and how the Plex Manufacturing Cloud enables that connectivity....
Read MoreThis event was the second annual PowerPlex session devoted to women. This year’s panel included a cross-section of strong, articulate, and successful women in executive positions who had great advice for women pursuing careers in technology and manufacturing. ...
Read MoreAt every trade show we attend, someone comes up and says, “I just don’t trust that the cloud is secure or reliable.” This myth comes from years of misinformation and, frankly, perceptions created by software vendors that have poor cloud solutions and are desperately playing catch-up....
Read MoreThis year’s PowerPlex conference April 25-28 in Detroit, Michigan had 1,200 attendees—that is to say, 1,200 “makers of things”— the largest gathering of cloud manufacturing professionals in the world. Each attendee’s badge told us, “we make automobile braking systems” or “we make beer” or “we make innovative ideas,” highlighting the manufacturing focus of Plex, as well as the company’s customers…
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