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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2019 PMA IoT Experience: What Metalformers and Fabricators Can Do with Shop Floor Data

Mike Hart July 11, 2019

I was surprised while speaking at the IoT for Manufacturers event held by MetalForming Magazine, how many people raised their hands when I asked who was attending their first IoT conference: nearly…

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6 Myths About an Industrial IoT Implementation

Stu Johnson June 18, 2019

As more manufacturers take a serious look at the benefits of Industrial IoT, understanding what an implementation will involve becomes important. But before we get into the list of myths about an…

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Hype vs. Reality: What’s Really Happening with Industrial IoT in Manufacturing?

Stu Johnson June 6, 2019

Reading any of the major technology media outlets, you will find stories of big manufacturers that are heavily investing in Industry 4.0 projects. Stories like these would make anyone believe that U.…

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PowerPlex 2019: Navigating Frenetic Change - How Manufacturers Can Thrive During Technology Disruption

Kaitlin Rebella May 16, 2019

Ever think about how far we’ve come since AOL was introduced? Plex CTO Jerry Foster does. As the leading innovator at a manufacturing cloud software company, Jerry knows firsthand how technological…

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Why Should You Care About Industrial IoT?

Stu Johnson May 7, 2019

You are a manufacturing supplier that prides yourself on quality performance and on-time delivery. You’ve invested heavily in production equipment and have the best people to help your run the…

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2019 PMA Leadership Conference: Forming Our Future

Stu Johnson April 2, 2019

One thing became very clear to me attending the 2019 PMA Leadership Conference, there is no shortage of challenges facing the manufacturing industry right now. Tariffs are making raw materials so…

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Manufacturing and the Digital Thread to Industry 4.0

Stu Johnson January 29, 2019

Change is not a word that many people think of when it comes to the manufacturing industry. Words like precise, quality, reliability, efficiency are more commonly associated with manufacturing. But…

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Future of Manufacturing Roundtable: The future is bright, but comes with growing pains

Kaitlin Rebella December 4, 2018

Plex Systems recently brought together industry analysts and its customers for the second Future of Manufacturing Roundtable (FoMR). This collaborative day seats manufacturing technology leaders on…

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Manufacturing Industry Enthusiasm Off the Charts at IMTS 2018 and Hanover Messe USA

Dave Morfas October 9, 2018

Not only did the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) and collocated Hanover Messe USA break records by setting an all-time high for exhibitors and attendees, but these events also…

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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…

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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…

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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.…

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The Path Manufacturers Should Take Toward Industry 4.0

Plex Team June 5, 2018

The benefits of Industry 4.0 are crystal-clear. So, why aren’t manufacturers making it their top priority to embrace everything this new approach entails? In other words, why has adoption been so…

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Industrial Automation and IIoT: What’s Next for Manufacturers?

Stu Johnson April 23, 2018

The question you probably get asked a lot by technology folks is what is your Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) strategy? I’d like to suggest that this is the wrong question. If these technology…

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Technology Advancements Impacting Your Manufacturing Business Right Now

Dave Morfas November 13, 2017

There are major technology advancements that have made today’s economy more connected than ever before. Whether you recognize these technologies or not, they will have an impact on your business.…

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Connectivity, Automation, and IIoT Power the Modern Shop Floor

Dave Morfas October 12, 2017

Manufacturing starts on the shop floor. It’s where material moves, product is created, ultimately, where the work gets done. Every day, new devices and equipment are providing manufacturers with new…

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4 IIoT Use Cases That Show Real Business Impacts for Manufacturing

Dave Morfas September 7, 2017

By now, you’ve heard about the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). You may have even talked about it with your team but, if you’re like a lot of small to mid-sized manufacturing companies you are…

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Industry 4.0: How Advancements in Manufacturing Technology Are Transforming the Industry

Peter Pearce July 7, 2017

In the United States, economic growth has been a bit sluggish in the past decade. When you look at global economic growth, there's one common factor with all that causes the economy to grow. It’s…

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Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Provide Endless IIoT Opportunities

Kaitlin Rebella May 26, 2017

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has a potential economic impact of $1.2-$3.7 trillion a year in 2015. Because of this enormous opportunity, many of metro Detroit’s technologists are talking…

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Real-World Examples of IIoT in Manufacturing

Dave Morfas April 11, 2017

As a manufacturer, any new technology must have operational meaning, purpose, and application for you to consider it. The buzz around the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) promises improved…

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