Rockwell subsidiary Plex Systems has launched a new solution for manufacturers to gain greater visibility into real-time plant floor data. Plex Production Monitoring is an evolution of the widely-deployed Plex Mach2 solution originally created by Kors Engineering, which Plex acquired earlier this year.

Plex Production Monitoring is an out-of-the-box solution that connects to plant floor machines through either a PLC or an edge device. The solution is designed to be implemented in a few days and provide manufacturers with scoreboard creation and customisable views for operators, supervisors, and the front office. It can analyse and display measurements such as downtime, scrap, quality, and production cycles.

Plex Production Monitoring is designed to capture many measurements, providing more visibility and control over plant floor operations. Plex instances the example of measuring Six Big Losses which gives operators the ability to identify micro-stoppages, reduced speeds, or reduced yields. With this information, operators can address these often-undetected inefficiencies as they occur to drive continuous improvement.

“Plex Production Monitoring has made an incredible impact for us from the plant floor to the front office. We have reduced scrap and increased our performance as well as systems reliability,” said Janice D’Amico, Executive Manager of Business Systems and IT at Thai Summit America Corporation. “The clear presentation of this critical information allows our operators to drive higher throughput and efficiency, making them part of the problem-solving team here at Thai Summit America.”

“Manufacturers are under tremendous pressure to reduce cost and improve quality, so the need for a smart manufacturing platform has never been greater,” said Nathan Pieri, Global Vice President of Product Strategy and Execution at Plex Systems. “Plex Production Monitoring delivers robust machine connectivity, OEE reporting, and the visibility needed to continuously improve their production operations.”

“Making the shift towards a digital manufacturing facility can be done in phases,” said Reid Paquin, Research Director at IDC. “Solutions like this from Plex that provide real-time visibility can serve as a great starting point for organisations looking to progress down their digital manufacturing journey.”