A Buyer’s Guide to Production Monitoring Software for Small-to-Medium Sized Manufacturers

Production monitoring software helps manufacturers track performance, reduce downtime, and optimize processes. In a competitive market where everyone promises efficiency and real-time data, picking the right software for your small-to-medium sized manufacturing operation is a challenge.

This guide will walk you through essential considerations, features, and best practices for choosing the right production monitoring software for your business.

A production monitoring system is a platform that gives you real-time insights into manufacturing operations. It tracks machine utilization, production rates, quality control, and other key performance indicators (KPIs). The software achieves this by collecting data from sources like sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and manual inputs and translating that into dashboards and reports that give manufacturers a holistic view of their shop floor.

For small-to-medium manufacturers, production monitoring software can offer significant advantages, including:

Consider the following essential features when you evaluate production monitoring offerings:

A good production monitoring system should provide real-time data collection from machines, production lines, and manual inputs and give you a broad look at your whole factory. This gives you complete clarity on production metrics and helps you make quick, informed decisions.

Intuitive dashboards that display production status, machine utilization, and efficiency metrics like flight path and OEE make raw data useful. Customizable reports will help you track trends over time and give you performance insights.

If you want to capture granular machine performance data, you need IoT devices. These smart sensor and automation deployments vary widely from DIY “throw it over the wall” setups collecting simple metrics like power use and vibration to gateways that interface directly with machines in their own language.

Cloud-based solutions give you scalability, remote access, data safety from natural disasters, and reduced IT maintenance costs. On-prem solutions provide more control over data security. Choose the deployment model that best suits your operational needs and IT infrastructure.

Automated alerts for machine downtime, production delays, or quality deviations help manufacturing managers take immediate corrective actions.

Look for production monitoring that can grow with your business, allowing you to add more machines, users, or production lines without constant upcharges and rewriting contracts.

The manufacturing industry naturally has a wide array of education and levels of comfort with technology. And even the smartest people get frustrated and quit when software is clunky to use. Choose a platform with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface that requires minimal training.

Reliable customer support and training resources are essential for seamless software implementation and troubleshooting.

Start by evaluating your current production challenges. Identify pain points like frequent machine downtime, lack of visibility, or inefficient production tracking.

Production monitoring solutions vary widely in price, and manufacturers are often surprised at how complex scoping can be. Determine your budget based on your company’s size, the number of machines to be monitored, and the level of customization required.

Research different providers and compare features, pricing, and user reviews. Schedule demos or ask for trial versions to test usability.

Decide whether a cloud-based or on-prem solution aligns with your business needs. Cloud-based solutions may offer more flexibility, while on-premises deployments may be preferable for businesses with major security concerns.

Manufacturers handling sensitive data should ensure their system complies with industry standards like SOC 2. 

Make sure your vendor has reliable customer support and adequate training resources for deployment, onboarding, and continuing use.

Once you’ve selected a production monitoring system, conduct a pilot implementation before the full-scale rollout. Gather feedback from employees and fine-tune as necessary.

While the best PMS depends on your business’ needs, here are some highly-rated options suitable for small-to-medium manufacturers:

Production monitoring software is a game-changer for small-to-medium manufacturers looking to optimize efficiency, reduce downtime, and enhance decision-making.

Three examples of production monitoring at work at Glassdome can be found here:

If you think through your process carefully, you can drive growth and build a competitive edge with production monitoring. Investing in the right software today can pave the way for a more efficient and profitable manufacturing future.