Although many people think of Augmented Reality as a game—ride the Tour de France or ski the Himalayas, augmented reality has genuine practical applications for challenging supply chain tasks.
Manufacturing
Process and discrete manufacturing
IoT: From Hype to Adoption – Part Two
We continue our look at how small and medium manufacturers and wholesale distributors are implementing IoT. Here, we examine how they are incorporating IoT into products and using it to create value-added services. We conclude with a discussion on the enablers including analytics, unified billing and revenue recognition, ERP system requirements, brownfield integration, and IoT security.
IoT: From Hype to Adoption – Part One
Small and medium manufacturers and wholesale distributors are trying to determine where IoT fits into their business strategies, within the constraints of limited budgets, inhouse expertise, bandwidth, and technical resources. This requires prioritizing many potential IoT initiatives. In part one of this two-part series, we look at three areas that manufacturers and distributors are implementing IoT: 1) on the plant floor, 2) in supply chain and logistics, and 3) in service and repair.
X-Factory: Part Two
PTC’s X-Factory shows a path to Industrie 4.0. Here we examine the assembly, testing and packaging, warehouse, production management, and solution integration for X-Factory.
End-to-End at E2open
At the recent E2open Leaders’ Forum, we learned more about their vision, approach, and roadmap to providing a comprehensive end-to-end platform and network. Recent acquisitions have punctuated the differences in strategy from other network platform providers.
How Infor is Helping to Realize Human Potential
At Inforum 2018, we learned more about the third phase of Infor’s evolution, addressing the future of work, AI, and human potential. Their Control Center announcement was of particular importance in the emerging race to implement autonomous supply chain capabilities. We also take a look at the role that HCM and Talent Science plays.
Direct Materials’ Strategic Role
We examine the strategic role of direct materials procure-to-pay (P2P) and compare and contrast with indirect goods P2P.
Digital Displacement?
Digitalization is providing the collaboration, integration and visibility we in supply chain always dreamed of. But it won’t be easy getting there. There will be significant and disruptive changes in technology, business models and personnel in order to thrive–and survive–in a connected world.
IoT and AI with SYSPRO
Some vendors’ AI and IoT offerings are comprised of tool sets (build-it-yourself) and/or obscure modeling systems usable only by experts. In contrast, SYSPRO’s latest ERP release includes pragmatic and ready-to-use AI and IoT applications for manufacturing.
The Rise and Fall of the Demand Planner
In our continuing series on Thinking Machines, we discuss the role of the Demand Planner as an essential protagonist within the corporation. The Demand Planner is a star in the supply chain, interacting with all levels within the enterprise. But now, could the Demand Planner be replaced by AI?
Will AI Bring Another Gilded Age?
AI has the potential to make society better, but history has shown us the potential for these kinds of major economic transformations to cause society-wide upheaval and disruption as well. A lot will depend on the response of our governments in helping people make the transition to new skills and jobs.