How Virtual PLCs Are Changing the Way Factories Operate
Manufacturers are moving control systems off physical hardware and into virtual environments to reduce downtime, lower costs, and respond faster to production needs.As industrial automation evolves, more manufacturers are looking to virtualization—not just for analytics and…
How Generative AI Is Solving the Manufacturing Skills Gap
The manufacturing industry is in the middle of a labor crunch. As experienced workers retire and skilled talent becomes harder to find, many factories are struggling to maintain consistency, efficiency, and quality. Generative AI is emerging…
The Startup Edge: How a New Generation of Innovators Is Rewiring Smart Manufacturing
You can tell something’s shifting in manufacturing—not by the headlines, but by the way small teams are solving problems that used to be ignored. At IIoT World’s Manufacturing Day in May 2025, a group of founders…
A Source of Industry Inspiration: Inside Škoda Auto’s Manufacturing Transformation
Interview with Andreas Dick, Member of the Board for Production & Logistics at Škoda AutoŠkoda Auto, a Volkswagen Group brand, was founded in 1895—making it one of the oldest car manufacturers still in operation today. This…
The Urgent Shift in Automotive Manufacturing: Data Ownership, Shorter Lifecycles & Trust in AI
As manufacturing becomes increasingly digital and sustainability-focused, automotive leaders are confronting new pressures that reach far beyond the factory floor. In a recent interview at the MES & Industry 4.0 Summit in Porto, Dr. Thomas Kaufmann,…
Still Using Excel on the Shop Floor? Why That’s Costing You More Than You Think
Despite years of digital transformation buzz, many manufacturers still rely on spreadsheets, paper-based records, and siloed systems to run critical operations. As Augusto Vilarinho, Head of Global Sales at Critical Manufacturing, bluntly put it during the…
The Connected Factory Playbook: Actionable Insights for C-Level Manufacturing Leaders
Modern manufacturers face a paradox: despite generating more data than ever, as much as 80–95% of valuable operational data remains unused. The result? Missed opportunities, fragmented visibility, and stalled digital transformation efforts.Our new executive booklet, based on…
The Factory Floor Can’t Adapt Without This
Manufacturers are under relentless pressure to adapt—fast. But while the demand for agility is everywhere, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Most factory floors still rely on outdated systems, fragmented data, and manual…
What Generative AI Is Really Changing on the Factory Floor
Forget the hype. Generative AI isn’t replacing workers or designing entire factories — yet. But it is changing what happens on the factory floor, where complexity, variability, and labor shortages meet real-time decisions. From reducing assembly…
Modular, Scalable, Software-Driven: The New Direction of Industrial Robotics
At the Automate Show in Detroit, Christine Bush, Director of the Robotic Center of Excellence at Schneider Electric, shared a forward-looking perspective on how industrial robotics is evolving to meet the needs of a changing manufacturing…