Smart Manufacturing Blog

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Industrial Manufacturing

Plex Manufacturing Blog

Breakthrough Technologies Impacting Manufacturing and the Way We Make Things

Stu Johnson September 25, 2018

Technology has seen rapid advancements in the past decade—and it only seems to be happening faster as each year passes. When it comes to breakthrough technology, manufacturing certainly has seen its share, most recently due to trends like Industry 4.0 and transformative connectivity made possible by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)....

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4 Things You Need in a SaaS-based Manufacturing ERP and MES Solution

Todd Weeks September 18, 2018

As more businesses move to SaaS (software-as-a-service) applications, some manufacturers still have some uncertainty about data safety and security, as well as uptime and reliability in the cloud. If moving your operations to the cloud seems foreign to you, or if you aren’t sure how to evaluate cloud versus on-premise ERP and MES systems, just remember these four things: availability,…

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Fastener Manufacturers Focus on On-Time Delivery to Stand Out

Dave Morfas September 11, 2018

Metal products like screws and bolts are often seen as a commodity but if you can become a preferred supplier to large OEMs, the opportunity is ripe to take advantage of higher margins. Finding reliable suppliers is a lengthy and tedious process for large OEMs....

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“What Is Your IIoT Strategy?” Is the Wrong Question

Stu Johnson August 20, 2018

Manufacturers need to do more! Competitors are doing more--and perhaps at a lower cost. Customers expect more--and may demand a discount assuming that you're continuously improving. The recent technology trends seem to miss the fact that it’s your business strategy that's the thing. Not technology for technology sake. ...

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3 Principles for XR in Manufacturing

Barrie Vince August 6, 2018

It’s no secret that most manufacturers are focused on value-added activities, and often have little resources for technology research and development exploration—unless its dedicated to the development of new products. Decisions to invest in capital to run the business are not taken lightly....

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What Makes Plymouth Foam an Industry Leader? Innovation and Family

Lori Zoellner July 23, 2018

Back in 1978, foam products weren’t commonplace in Plymouth, Wisconsin. However, Tecwyn “Tec” Vance Roberts, a local engineer, realized that area industrial and commercial builders could benefit from a foam insulation product. Seeing this opportunity in the market, Tec set out to bring it to them....

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LiveWorx: Augmented Reality, IIoT, and the Future of Manufacturing

Stu Johnson July 16, 2018

If you’re wondering whether augmented reality (AR) is on the horizon for manufacturing, you can stop. It’s here, and it will change the way manufacturers use technology to benefit their businesses. By bringing together the digital and physical, AR has the power to dramatically change many manufacturing business processes such as training and asset management. ...

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A Collaborative Approach Spells Success in the Plex Manufacturing Cloud

Kaitlin Rebella July 10, 2018

Diversified metal component manufacturer JD Norman Industries has a goal to grow. With its main strategy being mergers and acquisitions, that means its manufacturing technology team must rely on an integrated ERP/MES solution that scales with the company, connecting each new operation to the enterprise....

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Manufacturers: Risk is an Opportunity, Not a Cost Driver

John Dancoe July 9, 2018

As a fastener manufacturer, delivering high quality ensures (among other things) that scrap rates are kept low and first pass yield remains high. But did you know that it could also influence which business you’ll win next?...

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How a New Manufacturing System Improves Employees’ Lives

Lori Zoellner July 2, 2018

When A&K Finishing, a provider of plastic paint solutions for the automotive, office furniture, electronics, and commercial industries, selected the Plex Manufacturing Cloud as its system of record in 2016, the team expected to see improvements in their scrap rates, inventory management and quality control....

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