Plex study: Industrial Internet of Things is driving manufacturing innovation, collaboration and productivity

by Talk Business & Politics staff ([email protected]) 141 views 

The 2016 Plex State of Manufacturing Technology Study has found that the industrial Internet of Things (IoT) is driving manufacturing innovation, collaboration, and productivity. The annual report, which this year shared insight from close to 200 manufacturing organizations, found more companies are seeing benefit from the use of cloud and consumer technology.

Key findings on cloud technology include the following:

  • 64% of respondents better managed fluctuating customer demands
  • 55% achieved stronger management of their global supply chain
  • 48% found introducing new products was easier for them to manage
  • 98% noted that connectivity to systems, machines, suppliers and customers delivers value to their business today

Furthermore, consumer technology is making plant floor connectivity easier and more affordable.

“Plant floor mobile solutions have historically been limited to expensive, proprietary, ruggedized devices,” the report states. “Affordable consumer mobile products, combined with cloud connectivity, make it easy for manufacturers to connect people and systems throughout the plant. As a result, 64% of respondents are using consumer tablets on the plant floor; 10% have decreased the use of laptops; and respondents noted significant growth in their deployment of iOS devices (up 9% year-over-year; 70% total) and Android devices (up 24% year-over-year; 56% total).”

Full details from the report are available at this link.