The application service provider (ASP) industry is moving toward relationship networks and focusing on core competencies. “According to the gospel of Cisco Systems, companies inclined to exist together within an “ecosystem” facilitate the imminence of Internet-based application delivery”.
Let’s take a look at home some common manufacturing applications are used in a hypothetical factory.
Process visibility applications are one of the most common types of manufacturing applications. Process visibility apps allow manufacturers to track WiP, measure cycle times, and log who did what, when. As a result of these applications, engineers can make more informed decisions about workcell layout, process design, and operator training.
In the machining department on the other side of the factory, a machine monitoring application measures uptime and downtime. It gives a real time readout of throughput, enabling the engineer to better balance lines and route production.
All the while quality assurance applications make sure that defective parts are caught before they trigger a costly rework loop. Modern manufacturing is increasingly dependent on applications. And not just one application here, another there. Applications are used throughout a factory. The result is a densely webbed network of machines, IIoT devices, information, and human action — all facilitated at a fundamental level by applications.