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

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 manufacturing. Due to a number of contributing economic, political, and market factors across the globe, there’s a significant revolution that’s underway within the manufacturing industry. ...

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Digital Transformation: Manufacturers Need a Practical Approach—Not Hype

Dave Morfas June 2, 2017

Technologists love to learn, write, and prognosticate about new terminology, technology trends, and ideas that will impact the future. But as I once heard someone say, “innovation without practical impact is a science project,” and this holds true for digital transformation, a topic deservedly getting a lot of coverage these days....

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PowerPlex 2017 - Innovation in Action

Jane Clabby May 17, 2017

As PowerPlex 2017 wraps up this week, I find myself reflecting on the many great conversations I had with smart, interesting people who are working on making things. I was surrounded by innovation — businesses making innovative products, organizations with a rich history that have continuously evolved by innovating over time, and people who are doing new and unique things with Plex to…

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Why the Cloud Is Key to Smart Manufacturing

Dave Morfas April 28, 2017

If you’re still relying on manual processes or disconnected legacy systems to run your business, you’ll be spending too much time and effort to gain the visibility you need to remain competitive. SaaS-based cloud ERP is now a strategic choice for manufacturers who want to take advantage of the connectivity and scalability to improve their business. ...

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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 operational efficiency, higher quality, and cost savings. In fact, manufacturers who have begun their IIoT journey are achieving realistic, incremental enhancements to support their business strategies. ...

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Cut Your Manufacturing Costs with Cloud ERP

Dave Morfas March 31, 2017

Manufacturers who have embraced SaaS cloud ERP view this model as central to their ability to compete.1 And for good reason. The cost benefits make cloud ERP a compelling strategy—even to those who still believe they are better off “owning” the software. Below are examples of manufacturers who have lowered costs with cloud ERP:...

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Gain a Competitive Advantage by Connecting Your Manufacturing Business

Hemant Makhija March 2, 2017

One of the reasons more manufacturing companies are moving their ERP and manufacturing execution system (MES) to the cloud is the ability to connect people, processes, machines, systems, and applications easily. What once was primarily an IT discussion has now become a business expectation—connect everything for a holistic, single version of truth for the enterprise....

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3 Keys to Digital Transformation for Your Manufacturing Business

Dave Morfas January 19, 2017

Digital transformation is a topic getting quite a bit of press lately. The term is very broad, but in the real manufacturing world there are lots of you doing some incredibly transformative and innovative things with your business....

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Proof Positive: Modern Manufacturing Strategies Should Include Cloud ERP

Plex Team January 17, 2017

Modern manufacturing is too complex for manual processes, and relying on disparate systems to run your business drains precious time. In fact, thirty-eight percent of manufacturers say they face serious delays in decision making because of lack of timely information.1...

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Advanced Manufacturing Technology: Why You Might Be Farther Ahead Than You Think

Jerry Foster December 21, 2016

Technological capabilities are advancing exponentially, and business leaders everywhere are asking the question, “How do I take advantage of all these new capabilities without losing focus on my core business?” Manufacturers are no exception. ...

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