Track the 8 Wastes of Lean in Real Time with Plex

In modern manufacturing, efficiency is the key to staying competitive. For shop floor supervisors, operations and quality managers, accountants, and site leaders, the challenge is to streamline processes and reduce waste. With this growing demand for speed, quality, and traceability, having real-time visibility into every stage of production is critical. Yet many manufacturers still rely on delayed reports and disconnected systems, limiting their ability to respond quickly to issues on the floor. In this post, we explore how Plex by Rockwell Automation empowers manufacturers to reduce waste, improve quality, and make smarter decisions with real-time data at their fingertips.

The Problem: Lack of Visibility and Real-Time Data

Manufacturing executives often struggle with visibility into metrics that impact operational line waste, scrap, yield loss, quality defects, rework, and unplanned downtime. The question is, who has access to this data, and is it visualized in real-time? Without real-time visibility, shop floor teams are left reacting to monthly variance reports from accounting, rather than proactively addressing issues as they arise.

The Solution: Real-Time Tracking with Plex by Rockwell Automation

Joseph M. Juran once said, “Observing many companies in action, I am unable to point to a single instance in which stunning results were gotten without the active and personal leadership of the upper managers.” Taiichi Ohno, the father of the Toyota Production System, emphasized the importance of identifying and eliminating waste. Plex by Rockwell Automation offers a solution that delivers real-time tracking and analysis to quantify the eight forms of waste, providing the visibility needed to drive efficiency.

Addressing the 8 Wastes of Lean

Plex by Rockwell Automation stands out with its unique features designed to tackle the eight wastes of lean:

• Defects: Real-time integrated quality control across all points of operation, from receiving inspections to production and shipping, with proactive exception management and alerts.
• Overproduction: Controlled by scheduled jobs to produce only what is needed, when it is needed.
• Waiting: OEE tracking of all work center downtimes, integrating with line PLCs to analyze downtime stoppages.
• Non-utilized Talent: Employee skills training modules ensure continuous investment in employees, empowering them to succeed.
• Transportation & Inventory: Supply Chain Management with intelligent machine learning forecasting to manage seasonal needs and optimize inventory.
• Motion: Capacity planning and finite scheduling to optimize business operations and minimize downtime.
• Extra Processing: Embedding quality into the fabric of the organization, ensuring every process adds value.

Case Study: Portland Bottling Company

Portland Bottling Company, a 100-year-old business, transformed its operations by adopting industry and quality 4.0 standards with Plex. The result was increased efficiency, real-time access to data, and automated notifications for quality defects, purchase orders, and work requests. The inherent trackability throughout their entire process, from lot tracking to inventory movement, showcased the power of Plex in driving operational excellence.

ROI and Cost Analysis

Investing in an ERP system like Plex by Rockwell Automation can lead to significant cost savings. By reducing waste, improving quality, and optimizing processes, businesses can see incremental savings in their cost of goods and overhead controls. The real-time data and visibility provided by Plex enable proactive decision-making, leading to better resource utilization and reduced downtime.

Make Efficiency the Fabric of Your Business

Adopting an ERP system like Plex by Rockwell Automation goes beyond implementing new technology—it’s an opportunity to drive meaningful change across your organization, from improving efficiency to strengthening quality practices. As the demands on modern manufacturers grow, now is the time to evaluate whether your systems are keeping pace.

Ready to take the next step? Contact us today to start a conversation about how Plex can support your business goals.