AM Workshop

The Factory of the Future: New connections between machines, production processes, systems and people

November 18, 2016 |

The factory of the future for the plastics Industry calls for a future of agile, affordable manufacturing fueled by technology enablers such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), 3D printing, cloud computing, mobile devices, social collaboration and big data. This will marry the world of production and networking in a connected environment. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) will become even more central to production in this environment. The ERP system will become the backbone to the network; connecting smart machines, logistics systems, production facilities, sensors and devices as products and machines communicate with each other and exchange commands as products move the production line. 
To prepare for the factory of the future the Plastics Industry needs to move away from pre-built interfaces and rigid processes to the world of highly connected systems that conduct operations at the production line level, while providing critical information to seamlessly flow from the shop floor to the top floor giving business decision makers the real-time data they require. The factory of the future will be enabled by technologies such as ERP systems that fully integrate with manufacturing execution systems (MES). As a result, it will be possible to track and document the transformation of raw materials through to finished goods. Because the interaction is so dynamic, this allows for last minute changes to production, so plastics manufacturers can respond flexibly to disruptions, order changes, or supplier failures as necessary. It is crucial that plastics manufacturers address whether their existing ERP environment can support this level of integration with MES as they embark on their journey towards the factory of the future. Attend this webinar to learn about the enabling technologies that and help you start your journey into the Factory of the Future now. 

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AM Workshop
AM Workshop