Rockwell Automation subsidiary Plex Systems has announced a new, modularised version of its smart manufacturing platform. The new version of the Plex platform is designed to increase speed and flexibility of implementation and faster return on investment.

The modularised platform allows to start digital transformation from a number of different starting points. Plex instances quality management (QMS) or manufacturing execution (MES) systems as possible likely starting points with the modularised platform, and then from there add capabilities, such as production monitoring, asset performance management, or supply chain planning.

With this approach, companies pick the starting point that best meets their needs and then can scale into additional connected solutions over time. Plex enables new capabilities to be activated versus “installed” and for data and governance rules to flow throughout the system.

One of the new modular solutions includes New Product Introduction and Management This module allows management to reduce time to market and cut development costs. Companies can manage the product and program lifecycle – from concept to completion – and track new and existing products, including updates, retirement, and obsolescence.

Another of the new modules is Labour and Workforce Management. The helps optimise labour schedule and costs while preserving delivery schedules through effective labour management, clear skills-to-required production capabilities, reduction of onboarding time, and programs for employee health and safety.

A further module is Advanced Quality, which allows active management of supplier quality and compliance with integrated continuous improvement toolsets and extend quality processes throughout the full supply chain to promote a holistic quality culture both inside and outside the four walls of the organisation.

“Plex was built from the ground up for manufacturers with flexibility and scalability in mind, as evidenced by our cloud-first multi-tenant architecture. Modularisation takes this a step further with numerous starting points for companies at any stage to begin or expand their digital transformation journey,” said Nathan Pieri, chief product officer and vice president, applications, Rockwell Automation. “We took an outside-in look at understanding customer challenges and aligned our approach to help them manage their entire lifecycle and deliver positive business outcomes every step of the way. By providing manufacturers with easier points of entry and an elastic building block approach, companies can focus on their immediate Industry 4.0 transformation needs with options to add more capabilities as they need them, all seamlessly within our secure manufacturing cloud.”

“This approach solves a major need for manufacturers, addressing prioritised pain points immediately while providing a simple path to broader capabilities as needed. Plex is distinctive in its multi-tenant SaaS approach, enabling modular capability expansion without complicated integrations,” said Reid Paquin, Research Director at IDC.

“The new modular approach, from production monitoring to full ERP and everything in between, ensures we can help customers quickly solve their most pressing pain points with one, many or all of our innovative smart manufacturing solutions, meeting them where their needs are and supporting them as they grow,” commented Ron Pascuzzi, chief customer officer, Plex Systems. “Plex’s customer-led approach to our product strategy is affirmed by offering a fast path to start their digital transformation journey.”