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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Small to Mid-Sized Manufacturers: It’s Time to Take Advantage of the IIoT Opportunity

Dave Morfas March 15, 2017

Manufacturers across all industries are investing in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)-enabled devices and according to TATA Consultancy, they’re already reaping benefits: an average of 28.5…

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What Automotive Manufacturers Need to Drive Success in Today’s Complex Markets

Stu Johnson February 21, 2017

Complexity in automotive manufacturing is growing. The systems that support your business are likely just as complex—70 percent of manufacturers see an increase in complexity in their organization’s…

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HK Metalcraft’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology Approach: A Family Legacy

Plex Team January 3, 2017

Joshua Hopp is the fourth-generation owner of a manufacturing business that specializes in precision metal stampings. His father, Raymond, installed a company-wide ERP system back in the 80s when no…

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Techonomy Detroit: The Transformational Power of Tech

Jerry Foster October 29, 2015

Recently I had the privilege of participating in Techonomy Detroit, a gathering of business, civic, nonprofit and academic leaders, where I was able to take a step back from my daily focus on the…

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Plex Insight: Internet of Things Brings Increased Manufacturing Intelligence

Jerry Foster August 20, 2015

For FloraCraft, the world’s largest fabricator and supplier of foam products for the craft, floral, display and special event industries, one-tenth of a penny determines a product’s profitability…

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China Serves as Potential Model for Post-Coronavirus Manufacturing Resurgence

Jerry Foster March 26, 2020

Over the weekend, China announced it would be reopening its tourist attractions. It’s an encouraging turnaround for the country, which has experienced more than 80,000 confirmed cases since the…

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Data Analytics Use Maturing Among Manufacturers

Anurag Garg March 12, 2019

The face of manufacturing looks very different in 2019 than it did 10 years ago; increased competition, downward pricing pressures, tougher supply chain requirements, ageing infrastructure, and a…

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Two Low-Cost Technologies are Transforming Plant Floors

Plex Team December 7, 2015

Manufacturing facilities are filled with expensive equipment. Multi-million-dollar investments can make, or break, a company’s ability to compete and grow. But in today’s connected shop floor…

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Big Questions About Big Data

Plex Team October 8, 2013

Big data is everywhere. It seems everyone is talking about it, but there’s still so much confusion around it. To top it off, more data is coming in every day, faster than before, and in formats not…

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Making Sense of MES and MOM

Stu Johnson August 20, 2019

If you’re serious about improving your manufacturing operations and have shopped around for systems to help you achieve your goals, you’ve probably run into two commonly used terms: manufacturing…

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Canada APMA 2019: Survival of the Fastest—and Most Adaptive

Mike Hart July 9, 2019

I recently had the privilege of speaking at Canada’s Automotive Parts Manufacturer’s Association (APMA) Annual Conference and Exhibition in Windsor, Ontario and what struck me was the amount of…

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Romeo Power Innovates for a Clean, More Sustainable Future

Lori Zoellner June 11, 2019

Romeo Power is a battery technology company looking to create an emission-free future. The company designs more energy efficient, lighter lithium-ion battery packs that take electric vehicles (EV)…

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How to Create the Next Generation of Manufacturers

Kaitlin Rebella May 30, 2019

Us technologists solve problems...we can always wait for politicians or lawyers...but why wait? Inventor and entrepreneur and FIRST® founder Dean Kamen closed his keynote at PowerPlex 2019 with…

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Manufacturers: The Future Workforce Starts with First

Dave Morfas April 25, 2019

It’s no secret: the future of manufacturing depends on workers. And right now, manufacturers are facing an astounding worker shortage. Experts predict the skills gap may leave an estimated 2.4…

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North American Auto Manufacturing Suppliers: Why You Need to Digitize Your APQP Processes

Stu Johnson March 9, 2017

To be compliant with some automotive OEMs, you must show that you meet advanced product quality planning (APQP) standards—or you can’t compete. If you’re like a lot of the automotive industry…

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3 Must-Do Steps for Manufacturers to Cut Costs and Still Grow

Dave Morfas February 6, 2017

Squeezing every dime out of operations in the name of optimal efficiency is a key strategy for today’s manufacturers. But running a bare-bones business makes it difficult to handle the increased…

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5 Tips on Selecting an ERP from Manufacturers Who've Been There, Done That

Hemant Makhija January 24, 2017

If you are in the midst of choosing an ERP system, we understand your struggle. You’re trying to please executives and end users alike. You have dozens of possible platforms to consider. And it’s…

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How to Build a Solid Business Case for a Quality Maturity Program

Plex Team October 18, 2016

“Quality is Job One” was the mantra Ford put forth in the memorable 1980s advertising campaign, and improving quality still ranks number one on executive agendas at many manufacturing companies in…

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What’s Next for Wearables: Google Glass and Ring Scanners Find Practical Uses in Manufacturing Operations Management

Jerry Foster July 30, 2015

Why wearables? We’re at an unprecedented time in technology evolution, where things like battery capacity, processor performance, display quality, cloud computing, wireless communication and sensor…

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Guest Post: Can You Afford Unprofitable Customers and Products?

David Turbide April 17, 2013

During a visit to a local manufacturing company, I learned that the company had recently undergone a difficult transition. After taking a close look at their business and their customers, it had…

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