Optimizing Production: Improving productivity and efficiency for sustainable manufacturing

The manufacturing industry has seen a major shift in recent years. The convergence of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT), coupled with increasing environmental concerns globally has introduced new challenges for manufacturers. While previously, investments were focused on driving out costs and ramping up productivity, these two factors alone are no longer enough. To succeed, manufacturers must consider a broader range of issues that extend beyond efficiencies in the workforce and their supply chain.

The advent of one of the biggest buzzwords today – artificial intelligence (AI) has also opened doors to new possibilities in smart manufacturing. According to the annual State of Smart Manufacturing (SOSM) report, which surveyed over 1,500 manufacturers across 17 countries around the world, 95% of manufacturers are using or evaluating smart manufacturing technology in 2024. 83% of respondents also anticipate using generative AI (GenAI) in their operations in 2024.

Following the sustainable manufacturing sentiments around the world, 98% have sustainability and environmental social and governance (ESG) policies in place, a testament to the collective effort for greener manufacturing. Meanwhile in Asia Pacific, quality control tops the chart when it comes to leveraging AI and machine learning technologies, with 43% of manufacturers citing quality control as their primary driver for investing in smart manufacturing technology.

These numbers prove that the industrial landscape is changing fast, and manufacturers need to find new and more efficient ways of working to ensure they can remain at the forefront of their respective industries. To optimize production, they need to invest in smart technologies like manufacturing execution systems (MES) and data analytics tools that can provide deeper levels of insight for a holistic and sustainable digital future.

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Whether it’s sourcing materials, managing supply chains, machine health monitoring, asset performance, quality control, or adhering to strict regulatory requirements and service level agreements (SLAs), manufacturing is a layered, and often complex process. As such, there are often uncertainties that are overlooked.

As the adoption of technology accelerates, the MES is quickly becoming the foundational layer that oversees the production process. MES provides real-time production management, driving enterprise-wide compliance, quality and efficiency. It achieves full transparency so that stakeholders can clearly identify areas of concern, syncing the top floor with the plant floor.

An example is Plex MES, a multi-tenant cloud-based SaaS production platform that ties production and inventory with end-to-end detailed traceability. This means that organizations can connect people and systems, automate processes, and track data, while capturing and analyzing even the most detailed information across the supply chain.

Cider maker Revolution Group , for example, used Plex MES to help meet its required quality standards. The organization got rid of its 50 different spreadsheets, replacing them with Plex MES to trace their entire operations, from raw material to finished goods. In just one month after implementing Plex, the company reduced its inventory carrying costs by 10% and cost of goods sold by 17%.

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Data is the source of truth in this technologically driven environment. If properly leveraged, it has the power to transform a business. However, with large amounts of data floating around, many organizations are unable to effectively use the data they have on hand.

This is because for data to be usable, it needs to be cleaned, contextualized, and properly governed.

When data is contextualized and made securely available, it can provide valuable insights that potentially influence business leaders in their decision-making.

Rockwell Automation’s Industrial DataOps solution FactoryTalk® DataMosaix™ is a collaborative data management practice that breaks down silos and optimizes the availability and usability of industrial data.

FactoryTalk DataMosaix brings together IT, OT, and engineering technology (ET) data into one platform, acting as one source of truth for manufacturers. Pulling together data across the network, organizations can simply take any information they need quickly and efficiently. With essential connectors like Power BI and Grafana, users can easily create dashboards without having to write code. This democratizes data for everyone, so that manufacturers don’t have to rely on their technical teams for organizational insights.

With sustainability and ESG being top of mind for manufacturers, the ability for Industrial Data Ops solutions to extract meaningful insights from existing data can help businesses align their operations better, even discover gaps that operators may not previously have been aware of. In turn, this could result in lower CO2 emissions, a safer workplace, and even significant cost savings over time.

There are also tools for specific industries, like the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, for example, where consistency and quality are critical. From the ingredients to operations and cost control, all of these factors work like pieces of a puzzle before a final product is delivered. A single hiccup in the supply chain can be detrimental, resulting in massive losses, product wastage, and a hit to the brand’s reputation.

Rows of milk bottles on a conveyor belt, showcasing modern dairy production.

Batch Performance Analytics software can help organizations gain insight into each batch process, measuring their outcomes against preset key performance indexes (KPI) that’s set by any computer running the software. Through the software, manufacturers can quickly identify process gaps, fine-tune recipes, and consistently refine the process, as they get reflected on the factory floor.

With platforms like Batch Performance Analytics, businesses can experience a more seamless and flexible production process, with around an 18% reduced production cost, 10% improved yield, and 12% improved first-pass quality.

To solve the challenges of today, businesses need to stay abreast and work alongside specialists who can support them on their digital transformation journey. Simultaneously, they need to be prepared to embrace change, and prepare the workforce with new skill sets that will complement these new technologies.

To optimize production and keep operations sustainable for the long run, organizations will need more than the technologies alone. Rockwell Automation can support manufacturers wherever they are in their digital transformation journey. Through our Connected Enterprise^® vision and expertise, broad product and service portfolio, and a global PartnerNetwork^™ ecosystem, we can bring structure to data, connect systems both internally and externally, and ultimately, deliver timely, business-critical insights.

Find out more about how we can help you optimize production here.