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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Innovation and Technology

Plex Manufacturing Blog

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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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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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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5 Steps to Gain Organizational Buy-In for Your ERP Project

George Trudell December 7, 2017

When your company has determined that it’s the right time to look at an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, the first question that typically pops up goes like this: “Is our investment justified?” In other words, you’ll need to go about getting buy-in across your company because ERP touches every facet of your company. From our experience, this effort involves a few steps that are…

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Mobility in Manufacturing Offers New Opportunities on the Shop Floor

Dave Morfas November 21, 2017

The days of documenting inventory or production data on paper, collecting it, and manually collating it are over—at least they should be. Unfortunately, many manufacturers still rely on manual processes, when the combination of mobility and cloud provide a better alternative....

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Mobility Puts Power at Manufacturers’ Fingertips

Dave Morfas November 16, 2017

A recent industry study validated the importance of mobile devices in manufacturing, uncovering that 90% of manufacturers already use mobile phones, laptops and scanners, and an additional 30% plan to deploy consumer tablets. Mobility is simply part of the current and future connected manufacturing environment. But why?...

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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. Your competition may already be ahead of you in taking advantage of these, but you can put yourself in the driver's seat to steer your business in the right direction....

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Here’s How to Build Your Team of Plex Champions

Kristin van Duelman October 23, 2017

The Plex Manufacturing Cloud enables you to dramatically reduce the burden on your IT staff, infuse quality throughout production, and gain an incredible amount of visibility and control. It essentially becomes the technology foundation for transforming 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 opportunities for innovation and connection. In its four years, the 2017 State of Manufacturing Technology Report surveyed more than 150 manufacturers and reveals how manufacturers are leveraging…

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