themerlanos

In today's manufacturing landscape, knowledge workers —professionals equipped with specialized skills—are central to achieving operational excellence. As management visionary Peter Drucker noted, "The most valuable asset of a company is its people." This post explores the significance of fostering knowledge workers through effective actions, particularly via visual management, and illustrates how tools like Open Assignments and Activity Manager facilitate this process. (Plex ERP) Enhancing Efficiency Through Visual Management Knowledge workers drive efficiency and innovation in manufacturing. Visual management plays a pivotal role in clarifying tasks and responsibilities: Clarity:  Visual management systems reduce ambiguity and enhance focus.  Engagement:  By utilizing visual tools, employees feel invested in their roles. As  Jean-Marie Dru   remarked, "Imagination is the engine of strategy," indicating that an engaged workforce is crucial for achieving organ...

"Our financial auditor found that 15 users in the Buyer position can also post inventory adjustments. How did this happen? " Sound familiar? Most manufacturers using Plex ERP focus the Compliance System on ISO 9001, IATF 16949, or customer audits. But what if you could use the same system to catch segregation of duties (SoD) violations, Principle of least privilege (PoLP) violations, and Role Based Access Control ( RBAC) configuration drift before they become audit findings? Here's how I discovered the Compliance System's secret superpower—and how you can use it to audit Plex user security. Tool #1: Compliance System – Your Audit Evidence Engine Most people use it for: Documenting Quality Compliance Standard like  ISO TS 16949,etc. What it really does: Creates a  living, controlled security standards with checklists, reviews, and attachments for your own security compliance audits. Compliance Standard: "Plex Security & RBAC Compliance"...

  In the high-stakes environment of a manufacturing shop floor, we often prioritize efficiency, repeatability, and compliance. We build systems designed to minimize variance and keep the machines humming. However, when we lean too hard into "the way it’s always been done," we risk stagnation. Albert Einstein once famously said: "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing." On the surface, curiosity sounds like a luxury for the lab or the design studio. In reality, it is the most powerful engine for continuous improvement (Kaizen) and operational excellence. Here is how to take Einstein’s philosophy off the pedestal and put it to work on your shop floor. 1. Transforming the Shop Floor Culture Curiosity is the antidote to the "Checked Out" worker. When operators are encouraged to ask why a certain tolerance is necessary or how a specific lubricant affects tool wear, they shift from being manual laborers to b...

  In today's fast-paced business environment, efficiently managing inventory is crucial for customer satisfaction and operational success. Plex ERP provides robust solutions that streamline the inventory check process during order entry, ensuring that businesses can quickly assess their available inventory. This article delves into how the Plex ERP can assist in checking inventory during the order entry process. Recalculating Available Inventory When entering sales orders, it's essential to understand the status of your inventory. Plex ERP allows users to recalculate available inventory directly on the Order Line Rapid Entry screen. Here’s how to do it: Access the Sales Orders Screen : Start from the main dashboard and navigate to the sales orders section. Adjust Filters and Click Search : Refine your search criteria to locate the desired sales order. Select a Sales Order : Click on the order you wish to review. Open Order Line Rapid Entry : On the Action Bar, select the ...

"Digital tools do more than optimize workflows; they bridge the gap between insight and execution.  By putting live data in the operator’s hands, you turn passive observers into the frontline of your continuous improvement strategy.  - Gabriel Merlano" In today's fast-paced manufacturing landscape, the shop floor is a goldmine of information. Every machine cycle, every operator interaction, every material movement generates data. Yet, for many manufacturers, this valuable stream of insights remains just that—data—rarely transforming into the actionable intelligence needed to drive real-world improvements and boost the bottom line. Are you struggling to bridge the gap between raw shop floor data and strategic operational decisions? You're not alone. Fragmented communication, delayed reporting, and a lack of real-time visibility are common pain points that hinder efficiency and stifle growth. But what if you could not only capture these insights but also empower your te...

  Manufacturing operations today demand real-time agility, precision, and seamless connectivity between systems, people, and processes. Plex Mobile, developed by Rockwell Automation, addresses these critical needs by putting enterprise-level control and information sharing directly into the hands of shop floor employees through intuitive mobile technology. The Business Case for Mobile Manufacturing The manufacturing landscape has fundamentally shifted from paper-based processes to digitally connected operations. Traditional methods of documenting inventory, production data, and quality metrics on paper, collecting it manually, and then collating it have become not just inefficient but competitively disadvantageous. Manufacturers operating without mobile solutions face several critical challenges: Operational inefficiencies result from disconnected systems requiring manual data entry, increasing error rates and consuming valuable time that could be spent on value-added activities. Q...