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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Plex Team

About the Author

Plex Systems, Inc., a Rockwell Automation company, is the leader in cloud-delivered smart manufacturing solutions, empowering the world’s manufacturers to make awesome products. Our platform gives manufacturers the ability to connect, automate, track and analyze every aspect of their business to drive transformation. The Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform includes solutions for manufacturing execution (MES), ERP, quality, supply chain planning and management, Industrial IoT and analytics to connect people, systems, machines, and supply chains, enabling them to lead with precision, efficiency and agility.

How the Efficiency of Inventory Management Affects Your Company

Plex Team November 23, 2021

The efficiency of inventory management is crucial to any business. For retailers, accurate inventory means finished goods ready to sell. But for manufacturing companies, warehouse capacity for raw materials and finished goods must be balanced like bookends to ensure that production can take place on time and on schedule....

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A Season of Gratitude: Recognizing Manufacturers that Keep the World Running

Plex Team November 22, 2021

The last two years have certainly been challenging, but as we take time to reflect this Thanksgiving, there are so many things to be thankful for. More than ever, and for more reasons than we can count, we are especially thankful for manufacturers. Heroes in a crisis...

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Plex Systems’ Nandini Srinivasan Honored with The Manufacturing Institute’s 2021 STEP Ahead Award

Plex Team November 15, 2021

Plex is proud to announce that Nandini Srinivasan, Vice President, Quality Assurance, has been named a 2021 STEP Ahead award winner by The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers....

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The Importance of Quality Control in Manufacturing

Plex Team November 9, 2021

Few things worry manufacturing managers more than quality. When quality control is on track, it improves efficiency and cost, and let’s face it; it means far fewer headaches. But when things go awry, quality issues can drive up material and labor costs, threaten margins, and result in missed orders....

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The People Behind the Platform: Kaushala Kandasamy, Sr. Manager of Cloud Operations

Plex Team November 8, 2021

You might love the Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform, but do you know the people who make it possible? Talented Plexians have been working hard behind the scenes for decades. They’re what make this company great, but few get the chance to step into the spotlight they deserve – until now. This month, say hello to Senior Manager of Cloud Operations Kaushala Kandasamy. Tell us about your role at…

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3 Spooky Manufacturing Trends Haunting Your Halloween

Plex Team October 27, 2021

It’s too bad “trick or treat” is just a childhood phrase and not an actual choice for manufacturers. But instead of plastic pumpkin pails and pillowcases full of future cavities candy, you’re left with major production problems keeping you from meeting customer demand and company goals. It’s like being stuck in a haunted house, just with fewer fake skeletons and more work-related stress....

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Periodic vs. Perpetual Inventory: What’s the Difference?

Plex Team October 26, 2021

Get this - U.S. businesses carried $2,069.5 billion of inventory through July of 2021. That’s a 16.3% compared to 2020 when inventories were depleted during the early days of COVID. Further, business-to-sales ratio for inventory is 1.25, the lowest point since 2012 and reflective of the boom caused by pent-up demand....

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7 Food and Beverage Manufacturing Stats You’ve Never Seen (But Your Boss Will Care About)

Plex Team October 18, 2021

It’s been a wild ride for the food and beverage industry lately – supply roadblocks, workforce shortages, not to mention all the inefficiencies that existed before the pandemic. But what if you could be the person who alleviates these pain points for your company? It’s not just wishful thinking; it’s smart manufacturing that connects, automates, tracks, and analyzes your operations. This…

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Smart vs. Unsmart Manufacturing Execution System Decisions: Which Are You Making?

Plex Team October 18, 2021

Remember the day you got your first smartphone? With a single purchase, you went from flipping open a plastic device with an 8-bit screen to having untethered access to the collective knowledge of humanity right in your pocket. That experience changed your life. Discrete manufacturing is undergoing a similar revolution right now, forcing the question: will you stick with flip-phone manufacturing…

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7 Manufacturing Stats You’ve Never Seen (But Your Boss Will Care About)

Plex Team October 18, 2021

If you’ve ever wished for a magic pill that could boost the bottom line while making you look like a superstar employee, then smart manufacturing is the prescription of your dreams....

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