Best of LinkedIn: Smart Manufacturing CW 35/ 36

Across the past two weeks, Smart Manufacturing content centered on executable value from Industrial AI, scaled Digital Twin adoption, and pragmatic MES modernization. Investments and product updates focused on energy efficiency, resilient operations, and closing the IT-OT gap, with robotics moving from point automation to coordinated systems.

Date

August 27, 2025

Smart Manufacturing

Thomas Allgeyer

Methodology: Every two weeks we collect most relevant posts on LinkedIn for selected topics and create an overall summary only based on these posts. If you´re interested in the single posts behind, you can find them here: https://linktr.ee/thomasallgeyer. Have a great read!

‍

Listen to our podcast

Industrial AI and Analytics

AI use cases advanced from pilots to line-level impact, with agentic AI and co-intelligence improving agility, throughput, and resource efficiency
Semiconductor and EDA workflows highlighted AI agents for design, root-cause analysis, and yield, accelerating data-driven engineering
Vendors emphasized foundation-model strategies and consolidation, with Siemens referenced alongside Altair and Industrial Foundation Model initiatives
Manufacturers in chemicals and electronics framed AI as a lever for workflow ROI and operational excellence, not an experiment
Trust, governance, and collaboration surfaced as prerequisites for meaningful AI change at plant scale

‍

Digital Twin and Simulation

CNC and machining shops used Digital Twin to cut setup time, reduce scrap, and validate processes before metal cutting
Modular twins supported virtual commissioning and accurate robot modeling to de-risk ramp-up
Pharma and semiconductor examples applied twins to virtual factories and wafer-fab optimization, improving quality and revenue
Warehouse and intralogistics simulation enabled scenario testing to tune sensor layouts and flow before deployment

‍

MES, MOM, and Cloud Platforms

SAP Digital Manufacturing examples delivered execution gains such as in-routing rework loops for test and repair
Cloud MES narratives from Plex and Proficy focused on faster time to value, agility, and cost-efficient scaling across sites
Case work showed full-stack transformations with SAP plus integrator support to modernize planning, execution, and analytics
Guidance centered on composable architectures to avoid lock-in and enable incremental rollout across brownfield portfolios

‍

Robotics and Automation

Programming shifted toward low-code and no-code, lowering barriers and speeding cell deployment
Multi-robot coordination emerged, including foundation-model approaches to fleet control
Human-robot collaboration advanced with real-time safety and productivity optimization at the cell level
RPA remained relevant in back-office manufacturing workflows, with cautions on scale, integration, and governance

‍

Industrial Data, IIoT, and Edge

Real-time OT data pipelines into AI models positioned as the shortest path from sensor to decision
Lakehouse-based Industrial AI reference architectures supported performance monitoring and rapid model deployment
IT-OT network integration in regulated environments, notably Pharma, treated as a foundational enabler for digital programs

‍

Energy and Sustainability

Energy resilience and efficiency linked AI scheduling, load optimization, and electrification to uptime and cost
Retrofitting strategies offered quick wins on efficiency and sustainability without wholesale equipment refresh
Data-center and AI factory narratives tied facility power, cooling, and digital infrastructure to industrial growth agendas
Plant-level safety and environmental recertifications reinforced continuous improvement and standardized practice

‍

Pharma and Life Sciences

AI and virtual modeling targeted quality and scalability, with double-digit cost reduction claims via digital strategies
IT-OT convergence and GMP-oriented twins emphasized compliance by design and right-first-time production

‍

Semiconductors and Electronics

Digital twins and AI applied to fab throughput, quality, and revenue maximization
Electronics manufacturing leaders evaluated workflow efficiency and ROI under volatile demand conditions

‍

Supply Chain and Warehousing

Simulation and sensor-level experimentation enabled higher-velocity decision-making in fulfillment and storage
Coordinated robotics and smarter layouts pursued higher picks per hour and safer operations

‍

Workforce and Change Management

Cultural barriers, analysis paralysis, and fear of change flagged as primary blockers, especially in aerospace
Playbooks stressed digital continuity, visibility, empowerment, and incremental wins to move beyond mid-maturity plateaus
Customer-back planning and tiered meeting rigor linked lean practices to faster problem solving on the shop floor

‍

Cybersecurity and IT/OT Risk

Security surfaced alongside connectivity and model deployment, emphasizing governance and role-based controls
Manufacturers balanced openness for analytics with standards alignment in regulated operations

‍

Geographic and Ecosystem Signals

Market development opportunities highlighted the Gulf region’s Industry 4.0 push, inviting European collaboration and entry strategies
Analyst and vendor reports positioned leaders as those translating Industry 4.0 into measurable outcomes despite macro headwinds

‍

Notable Launches, Investments, and Moves

Industrial AI reference architecture announced on a lakehouse platform for real-time monitoring and rapid AI deployment
Schneider Electric invested in a new smart manufacturing facility in Scarborough to support the UK energy transition
Honeywell Aerospace launched a multimillion-pound R&D program in the UK to advance aerospace technologies
Thermo Fisher expanded capacity by acquiring Sanofi’s Ridgefield site for sterile fill-finish manufacturing
CoolIT Systems showcased advanced CDU manufacturing capacity aligned to AI factory demand and NVIDIA-class workloads
TRUMPF promoted new production capabilities ahead of FABTECH, linking shop-floor technology to near-term buying cycles

‍

Subscribe to newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest blog posts to your inbox every week.