{"id":8790,"date":"2020-09-24T09:10:28","date_gmt":"2020-09-24T16:10:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qad.com\/blog\/?p=8790"},"modified":"2021-04-28T08:08:30","modified_gmt":"2021-04-28T15:08:30","slug":"taking-packaging-manufacturing-to-new-levels-with-digital-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qad.com\/blog\/2020\/09\/taking-packaging-manufacturing-to-new-levels-with-digital-technology","title":{"rendered":"Taking Packaging Manufacturing to New Levels with Digital Technology"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”8791″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]When it comes to the packaging industry, the \u201cdigital technology\u201d term often conjures up visions of 3D software, eye-catching labels or unique packaging design that makes engaging <\/span>digital\u00a0marketing tools<\/span><\/a> for con<\/span>sumers. But to keep up in t<\/span>oday\u2019s rapidly changing business environment, <\/span>packaging manufacturers<\/a> must move beyond the concept of digital printing in order to realize the <\/span>real transformation<\/span><\/a> digital technology brings to manufacturing<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today\u2019s uncertain times have packaging manufacturers working harder than ever to efficiently manage their assets, costs and customer demands to keep their businesses on track. Packaging manufacturers are being pushed harder than ever to gain more productivity and value from their existing assets, which means ensuring the <\/span>fixed assets<\/span><\/a> are in tip-top shape and used as productively as possible. This is all while keeping production on schedule and making on-time shipments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now is the time to progress packaging manufacturing capabilities by harnessing the power of digital technologies and shifting old siloed business models into more adaptive models that are built to rapidly respond to and plan for increasing disruptions and business transformation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Digitally Connected Manufacturing<\/span><\/h2>\n

Some manufacturing industries have already implemented connectivity, <\/span>machine learning (ML)<\/span><\/a>, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud-based management with their factories and assets. They have visibility of <\/span>real-time manufacturing data<\/span><\/a>, time-saving automation and can monitor inventory and work-in-progress levels continuously for increased efficiency and savings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Among packaging manufacturers, however, many organizations have yet to embrace a connected digital solution. <\/span>They struggle to move on from legacy systems and spreadsheets \u2014 which are prone to errors and lack syncing across organizations \u2014 to more adaptable technology solutions with data-centric capabilities. Yet the benefit of this connectivity is complete, real-time visibility, allowing every internal user access to detailed data on every aspect of the process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To create a <\/span>connected digital <\/span>environment, <\/span>start inside the four walls of the manufacturing plant with an enterprise <\/span>system that offers instant data visibility in real-time. Collect this information in a data lake where the data can be analyzed and accessed in multiple ways to generate real business value. Then connect the enterprise with technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and collaborative platforms to take traceability tasks, plant maintenance and overall integration to a whole new level and break down data silos. In addition, every application can access the <\/span>data lakes<\/span><\/a> and embedded analytics via mobile applications to maximize the benefits across your manufacturing teams.<\/span><\/p>\n

Using Data for Growth<\/span><\/h2>\n

Digitally connected manufacturing processes generate huge amounts of data which can be analyzed in real-time to identify issues, prioritize impacts, and make appropriate decisions to mitigate risks and improve performance. <\/span>With a connected digital system in place, packaging manufacturers are provided access to end-to-end information on inventory, incoming shipments, sales orders, production assets availability, finished product inventory, customer-order shipments and more. The benefits include:<\/span><\/p>\n