Connected worker capabilities are now part of the Plex smart manufacturing platform, designed for manufacturers to address worker shortages and improve safety and productivity.
Plex by Rockwell Automation has added connected worker software to its roster of smart manufacturing capabilities.
The new Plex Connected Frontline Workforce (CFW) application is intended to help manufacturers better manage problems they face around a diminishing workforce and expertise. The CFW capabilities are embedded in the Plex Manufacturing Execution System, a part of its SaaS smart manufacturing platform.
The new capabilities include guided and interactive work instructions for manufacturing processes and equipment maintenance, according to the company. This includes 2D and 3D modeling to better understand how processes work. The connected worker service is also integrated with Microsoft Teams.
One important aspect of connected worker applications is capturing the skills and knowledge of more experienced workers to be used to onboard and train less experienced ones, according to Anthony Murphy, vice president of product management at Plex.
Rather than automate low-skill repetitive work or aid in worker productivity, Plex's goal for its connected worker application is to bring new workers in and retain them long-term, Murphy said.
"There's this piece of trying to capture the skill and the knowledge that's in the heads of people who have been around for 20-plus years," he said. "They can impart that to the next generation and make it a little less ephemeral."
The CFW application was developed in-house by Plex with input from customers, Murphy said. Embedding the application as a core product offering means that customers don't need to implement third-party connected worker applications.
Connected worker apps address challenges
There are indications that manufacturers face significant challenges with labor and skills gaps. In the Caddi-sponsored "American Manufacturing Pressure and Productivity Index," just over half (56%) of the 330 U.S. manufacturing leaders surveyed indicated that a lack of access to skilled labor is the top pressure on manufacturing strategy and performance. Other pressures for manufacturers included equipping current employees to step into strategic roles (50%) and digitally transforming operations (45%), according to the survey.
These are some of the reasons why there's an expanding market for connected worker applications for manufacturers, according to analysts. The connected worker market was valued at $3.19 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $21.73 billion by 2029, according to a report from consultancy Adroit Market Research.
"The whole connected worker segment is huge because it touches so many of manufacturing's big challenges," said Paul Miller, an analyst at Forrester Research.
Connected worker applications can support just-in-time training for employees, simplify field information capture, connect frontline workers to documentation and data, improve safety and incident reporting, and guide workers through complex tasks with digital work instructions, Miller said.
ERP vendors set connected worker trend
Digital transformation, Gen Z workers, training issues and labor shortages have all contributed to making connected worker capabilities a trend in enterprise manufacturing systems, said Predrag Jakovljevic, an analyst at Technology Evaluation Centers.
Several ERP vendors are adding functionality through recent acquisitions of connected worker applications, including IFS acquiring Poka in 2023, QAD buying up Redzone in 2023 and Epicor purchasing eFlex Systems in 2022, Jakovljevic said.
Other enterprise manufacturing vendors offer similar capabilities, he said. These include Microsoft Dynamics 365 Remote Assist and Dynamics 365 Guides, which use HoloLens mixed reality devices; Dassault Systèmes, which provides Delmia Work Instructions Planning stemming from its 2022 acquisition of Diota; and PTC with its Arbortex and Vuforia applications.
The whole connected worker segment is huge because it touches so many of manufacturing's big challenges.
Paul MillerAnalyst, Forrester Research
"Other ERP players may seek partnerships or acquisitions with connected workforce solution providers like Rever, Atheer or Tulip," Jakovljevic said.
The Plex connected worker capabilities are important for manufacturers as they face an aging workforce, talent gaps and increasing digitization of systems, agreed Holger Mueller, an analyst at Constellation Research.
"Workers will be working closely with machines to augment, accelerate and automate," Mueller said. "Success requires continuous training, task guidance, work instructions and visualization capabilities."
There's also a need for innovation in human capital management (HCM) capabilities in manufacturing, such as scheduling workers and managing shifts, he said.
"Without these abilities, it's hard to get the talent and capacity in the manufacturing halls," Mueller said. "Couple that with rising compliance needs and certification, modern HCM is finally reaching the shopfloor."
Jim O'Donnell is a senior news writer for TechTarget Editorial who covers ERP and other enterprise applications.
