How Industry 4.0 is Becoming a Day-to-Day Reality for Plastics Manufacturers
Passing fad, the latest buzzword or the future for plastics manufacturers?
Evidence gathered by IQMS, a leading manufacturing ERP system and MES software (manufacturing execution system) provider points to Industry 4.0 becoming a day-to-day reality for manufacturers in the sector whilst meeting both plastics manufacturers and machine makers at various events across the globe.
By merging manufacturing automation and data exchange through technology, manufacturers can integrate computing and shop floor machinery to develop smart factories, which not only help increase productivity, but drive higher cost efficiency and enable organisations to make better business decisions.
Commenting on IQMS’ observations, Steve Bieszczat, IQMS’ Chief Marketing Officer said:
“Automating not only the shop floor builds quality and predictability into the manufacturing environment; it also reduces staff resourcing costs and helps our customer compensate for the shortage of skilled manufacturing workers. We have noticed that the demand among plastics manufacturers for solutions that deliver the automation and data capture of Industry 4.0 has never been stronger. Our MES and shop floor automation software increasingly popular for both existing and prospective customers.”
IQMS MES software tracks and gathers detailed manufacturing information in real-time and delivers it either to their EnterpriseIQ ERP system as a complete solution, or it can also integrate with a manufacturer’s existing ERP, including SAP, JD Edwards and Oracle.
Shop floor machinery has met the digital age
IQMS has worked with machine manufacturers and customers alike to capture data from the shop floor and then integrate that data with IQMS ERP and MES software to develop more efficient manufacturing processes and deliver real-time insights.
Integrated machines and software are working in parallel to drive plastics manufacturers’ processes and working well.
Digital moulding technologies are driving the direction of the industry
IQMS has observed an increased increase in hydraulic injection moulding machines driven by greater digital control which has cut energy waste so that they now rival the energy efficiency of electric moulding machines. This coincides with hydraulic machines retaining their traditional advantages, including greater clamp force, faster injection rates, and high durability.
Track-and-trace approaches are becoming industry-wide best practices
Once regarded as the preserve of highly regulated markets only (medical products, food and beverage, automotive, and aerospace for instance), track-and-trace technology is now being used by plastics manufacturers across a wider and wider range of sectors.
This technology pulls data from shop floor machinery and gives manufacturers the information they need to minimise the impact of defective parts on production and recalls; reduce waste and meet auditing and compliance demands.
Proximity is a certified IQMS reseller and provides IQMS implementation services and support across the UK, Ireland and Europe. Get in touch with the team on the below:
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