Plex has a neat publication for the new world of Advanced Manufacturing (see many examples in the resurgence that Greenville, SC is showing as a factory town) and where we are seeing the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Plex calls it Connected Manufacturing.
They sent me a glossy copy, but anyone can download a PDF version here
I am quoted in the publication
“Connected Manufacturing is about putting the modern shop floor with its robotics, sensors, wearables and 3D printing at the center of your business universe. Doing so allows you to deliver much smarter products, delights your customers with highly personalized offerings and turbo charges your supply chain.”
While most ERP systems have their genesis in the MRP world, most have drifted away from the shop floor and largely deliver back-office, corporate financial, procurement and HCM functionality and emphasize their cloud delivery models. Don’t expect to get from just that the massive efficiency advanced manufacturing sites are reporting.
