It wasn’t that long ago that maintenance systems were an afterthought to control systems. Today, sensors and software focused on maintenance run on edge-based equipment in parallel with control systems, letting manufacturers plan for processing and maintenance in an orderly and sensible way.
Moving from an automated plant to a smart factory is a leap forward but well worth the effort to enable a fully connected and flexible system—one that can use a constant stream of data from connected equipment and production systems to learn and adapt to new demands.
As the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry accelerates in the digital era, rapidly changing and less predictable consumer behavior is redefining how competitive advantage is established and maintained.