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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What Are the Benefits of Going Digital for Manufacturing Companies?

Stu Johnson March 8, 2018

Every business has its challenges. The challenges you, as a manufacturer, face today include fluctuating customer demand, supply chain planning, inventory cost control, compliance requirements—and a major technology evolution in the form of Industry 4.0....

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7 Common Mistakes Manufacturers Make with ERP Implementations

Dave Morfas March 5, 2018

We’ve learned a lot about what success looks like from implementing the Plex Manufacturing Cloud at thousands of manufacturing plants across the globe. Many of these ERP implementation lessons have come from discovering what not to do....

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How to Determine ROI and Long-Term Value for a Manufacturing ERP System

Stu Johnson March 5, 2018

Modernizing your ERP is a major investment in the long-term success of your manufacturing business. And like other manufacturers, you’re probably worried about the cost, the potential disruption to your business, and the kind of return you can expect from your investment....

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Manufacturers: Is it Time to Break Up with Your Legacy ERP?

Dave Morfas February 14, 2018

Break ups are never easy. As a manufacturer, ending your relationship with a legacy ERP system that no longer supports the agility and speed at which you do business can seem complicated. But there are many good reasons to move on. First and foremost, saying goodbye is necessary to the health of your manufacturing operations....

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Manufacturers: How Connected is Your Supply Chain Planning?

Hemant Makhija January 29, 2018

Unless you have supernatural abilities, you’re like most humans who can’t accurately predict the future. But as a manufacturer—you need an effective way to “see” into future customer demand so you can allocate the right amount of inventory, optimize production, and keep customers happy....

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Plex Customers Put Wearables and Augmented Reality to Work on the Shop Floor

Jerry Foster January 25, 2018

I’m always amazed at what Plex customers are doing when it comes to advanced technology. Manufacturers, after all, have led us through major technology revolutions that have forever changed the world around us. And our customers continue to look forward as they actively explore how to use wearable and augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) technology on the shop floor....

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Modernizing Your ERP: What Every Manufacturer Should Know

Stu Johnson January 11, 2018

If your company has an ERP and you’re struggling with lack of visibility into your manufacturing processes, lack of trust in the data, increased downtime, and rising costs—it may be time to modernize. Consumer demand is harder than ever to predict....

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Maximize Your Investment in the Plex Manufacturing Cloud with Continuous Improvement

Kristin van Duelman January 8, 2018

Once you’ve chosen, implemented, and worked with the Plex Manufacturing Cloud, you still aren’t “done” with it. Now it’s time to dig in and discover how to really maximize your investment. Just as your business continues to innovate and move forward, your Plex system will deliver updates that you can use to drive even more efficiency and results. ...

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Ready to Turn Your Biggest Manufacturing Challenges into Opportunities in 2018?

Dave Morfas December 21, 2017

Every business comes with its challenges. But, what if you could take your biggest manufacturing challenges—the ones you grapple with day-in and day-out—and turn them into competitive advantages?...

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What is Connected Manufacturing and Why Should You Care About It?

Hemant Makhija December 14, 2017

Manufacturing is increasingly becoming part of the digital economy. Even if you are doing good as a business, you still need to respond to the changes taking place in your industry: shop floor (industrial) automation, additive manufacturing, lot sizes of one, cloud computing, analytics, mobility, and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Because if you don’t, you risk losing your competitive…

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