One-third of manufacturers aim to improve operations using IoT, says study

Troy, Mich.-based Plex Systems, a provider of cloud ERP and MES for manufacturing, has announced the results of its annual "State of Manufacturing Technology" survey, which measures global manufacturers’ current technology use and future implementation and adoption plans.

This year’s survey shows that automation, integration, and connectivity are among the most important goals for the next five years, with 60 percent of manufacturers planning to use technology to enhance plant floor integration and automation; 48 percent intending to increase business process automation; and another third working to increase both plant/enterprise integration and supply chain connectivity.

A third of respondents said they plan to use the industrial internet of things (IIoT) within the next five years, a 20 percent increase from last year's survey. Outside of adoption plans, there was a general increase in confidence in IIoT, with 95 percent believing that it's not "hype," a 7 percent increase from 2017. This reflects overall market expectations, with the manufacturing industry expected to be the No. 1 industry to capitalize on IoT, according to the McKinsey Global Institute.

Creating a mobile workforce is a priority for today's manufacturers, with 80 percent currently using consumer mobile devices in their manufacturing operations. Another 84 percent are using hand-held scanners today. The shop floor also is increasingly connected to manufacturers’ systems of record, with 38 percent using IP-enabled tools and machines, 29 percent leveraging sensors, and 21 percent using Bluetooth devices.

The use of on-premise technology has dropped by 21 percent in the last three years, and 87 percent of manufacturers that use a cloud-based system of record are confident in their organization's future revenue growth, compared to just 66 percent confidence among their peers.

To download the report, visit https://www.plex.com/resources/white-paper/state-of-manufacturing-technology-2019.html.