Connected Factory Operations

Achieve 10–20% Higher Utilization Through Connected Factory Operations

Manufacturers progressing in digitization are increasingly connecting machine data, production processes, and planning systems to achieve consistent improvements in performance, efficiency, and decision-making.

Increase machine Utilization and throughput
Reduce unplanned downtime and material waste
Align production execution with planning and energy usage
Enable timely, data-driven operational decisions through real-time manufacturing data
Ensure accurate shop floor data integration so that operational performance is consistently reflected in ERP systems, supporting reliable planning, execution, and traceability.
Unified Platform

A Unified Platform for Production,
Planning, and Performance

In many manufacturing environments, production data, planning systems, and operational processes remain loosely connected. This often limits factory performance improvement, leading to delayed visibility, reactive decision-making, and inconsistencies between planning and execution.

Leading manufacturers are addressing this by improving manufacturing operations optimisation through a connected data foundation across machines, processes, and enterprise systems—creating a more consistent and reliable view of operations.

Machine Visibility Icon

Machine Visibility

Visibility from machine-level activity through to process performance and planning outcomes

Production Performance Icon

Production Performance

Real-time understanding of production performance alongside energy usage

Plan Alignment Icon

Plan Alignment

Closer alignment between production plans and actual execution

Faster Decisions Icon

Faster Decisions

Faster, more informed decisions across operational and management teams

CI Foundation Icon

CI Foundation

A stable foundation for continuous improvement initiatives

Solution Areas

Consolidated Solution Areas

01

Production Planning & Capacity Optimisation

Operational Need

Production planning is often based on static assumptions rather than current shop floor conditions, resulting in inefficiencies and frequent adjustments.

What Leading Manufacturers Do

  • Align planning with real production capacity and constraints
  • Continuously update schedules based on live data
  • Apply production planning optimisation practices using accurate operational inputs

Outcomes

Improved delivery reliability
Reduced planning errors and last-minute changes
Better capacity utilization on the shop floor
02

Manufacturing Execution & Work-in-Progress Control

Operational Need

Limited visibility into production flow makes it difficult to manage work-in-progress and respond effectively to disruptions.

What Leading Manufacturers Do

  • Real-time tracking of production and WIP with MES
  • Maintain clear visibility across lines, shifts, and processes
  • Ensure traceability across the full production lifecycle

Outcomes

Greater control over daily operations
Faster identification and resolution of bottlenecks
Stronger quality assurance and compliance readiness
03

Real-Time Monitoring & Process Intelligence

Operational Need

Performance issues are often identified after they have already impacted output, due to delayed or incomplete data.

What Leading Manufacturers Do

  • Monitor equipment performance continuously
  • Track downtime, cycle times, and process conditions as they occur
  • Focus on OEE improvement in manufacturing through consistent measurement

Outcomes

Reduced unplanned downtime
Improved process consistency
More effective and structured improvement initiatives
04

Energy & Production Intelligence

Operational Need

Energy usage is rarely analysed in direct relation to production activity, limiting opportunities for optimisation.

What Leading Manufacturers Do

  • Monitor energy consumption at machine and line level
  • Relate energy usage directly to production output
  • Analyse patterns to identify inefficiencies

Outcomes

Lower operational costs
More efficient use of energy resources
Improved sustainability tracking and reporting
Why This Matters

From Data Collection to Operational Control

Many factories already collect significant amounts of data, but struggle to translate this into timely and consistent action. As a result, decisions are often based on incomplete or outdated information.

By strengthening shop floor data integration and ensuring consistent data availability, manufacturers can move beyond passive visibility towards active control of performance.

Higher machine utilization and overall throughput

Reduced downtime and production losses

Lower levels of scrap and rework

More accurate and dependable production planning

Faster, evidence-based decision-making across teams

ERP Integration

Align Shop Floor Activity with ERP Systems

What This Solves

A persistent challenge in manufacturing is the disconnect between what is planned in ERP systems and what actually happens on the shop floor. This highlights the importance of effective ERP integration in manufacturing, particularly in environments with complex operations.

Typical challenges include:

Gaps between planned and actual production

Delayed or incomplete reporting

Inaccurate forecasts and inventory imbalances

What Becomes Possible

When production systems and ERP environments are aligned:


Production data is updated in near real time

Planning and scheduling are based on accurate information

Inventory and material flows are easier to manage

Operational and financial data become more reliable

From machine level activity to business-level decisions, with consistent data flow across systems.
ROI SECTION

Measured Impact on Factory Operations

Manufacturers that improve access to real-time manufacturing data and align production systems with decision-making processes typically observe measurable gains.

Machine Utilisation
10–20%
↑
Machine utilisation
Downtime
10–25%
↓
Downtime
Scrap & Rework
5–10%
↓
Scrap & rework
Energy Consumption
8–15%
↓
Energy consumption
Faster Response
3–5×
↑
Faster response


These outcomes are achieved through improved visibility, coordination, and manufacturing operations optimisation.

PERSONA SECTION

Relevant Across KeyOperational & Technical Roles

Consistent factory performance improvement depends on having a clear and current view of operations — relevant to every key stakeholder.

Persona Icon
Plant Manager

Consistent factory performance improvement depends on having a clear and current view of operations.

With improved visibility and data alignment, it becomes possible to:

  • Monitor utilization, downtime, and performance in real time
  • Identify issues early and act before they escalate
  • Reduce production losses through timely intervention
  • Improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
Move from reactive issue handling to structured operational control.
Persona Manager Icon
Production Manager

Managing daily production effectively requires accurate, up-to-date information from across the shop floor.

With better-connected data, you can:

  • Track output, cycle times, and disruptions as they occur
  • Align execution more closely with production plans
  • Reduce manual reporting effort
  • Make quicker, better-informed decisions
Shift from delayed visibility to real-time production oversight.
Persona Manager Icon
Digital / Industry 4.0 Lead

Driving manufacturing digital transformation requires a consistent and scalable approach to data and system integration.

With a connected operational foundation, you can:

  • Integrate machines, production systems, and enterprise platforms
  • Support use cases such as predictive maintenance and optimisation
  • Deploy across different environments as needed
  • Scale initiatives without repeated rework
Move from isolated pilots to a structured, scalable digital strategy.
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Explore how improved shop floor data integration, stronger alignment with ERP systems, and access to real-time manufacturing data can support more reliable, efficient, and scalable operations.