Milwaukee built the industrial Midwest and Rockwell Automation defines the global standard for factory automation. Build manufacturing platforms worthy of this city's industrial heritage.
The Milwaukee Manufacturing Technology Challenge
Wisconsin manufacturers face a set of challenges common to Midwest industrial companies: an aging workforce carrying institutional knowledge that cannot be easily replaced, equipment ranging from new CNC machining centers to 40-year-old hydraulic presses that both need to contribute production data, and competitive pressure from global manufacturing that requires continuous improvement just to maintain margin. Technology that can bridge old and new equipment, capture tacit operator knowledge, and drive measurable OEE improvement is the highest-value investment most Milwaukee manufacturers can make.
Manufacturing Automation Platform Solutions
Manufacturing Execution
Control the production floor:
- Work order management: Production order routing, work-in-process tracking, and completion confirmation
- Work instructions: Digital work instructions with visual aids and process parameter checkpoints
- Production scheduling: Finite capacity scheduling with machine availability and material constraint integration
- Genealogy tracking: Component traceability from raw material to finished goods with serialization
Quality Management
Build quality into every unit:
- Inspection management: Incoming, in-process, and final inspection with statistical process control
- Nonconformance workflow: NC creation, disposition, and CAPA with root cause analysis tools
- Calibration management: Gauge and measurement equipment calibration tracking and reminder system
- Quality analytics: Defect Pareto, first-pass yield, and cpk trend analysis by product and process
Equipment Monitoring
Know what every machine is doing:
- Real-time OEE: Machine utilization, performance rate, and quality rate by shift and work center
- Downtime capture: Operator-reported or automated downtime categorization for Pareto analysis
- Predictive maintenance: Condition-based maintenance triggers from vibration and thermal sensor analytics
- Work order integration: Maintenance work order creation from predictive alerts with CMMS connectivity
Continuous Improvement
Drive Lean and Six Sigma programs:
- Kaizen management: Improvement idea capture, prioritization, and implementation tracking
- Standard work documentation: Digital standard operating procedures linked to production operations
- Energy management: Electricity and compressed air consumption monitoring for sustainability reporting
- Benchmarking: Production performance comparison across Milwaukee plant lines and shifts
Milwaukee's Manufacturing Future
Rockwell Automation's PartnerNetwork program and its Connected Enterprise vision are reshaping what Milwaukee-area manufacturers expect from their technology partners. The standard is no longer automation islands — it is a connected factory where data flows seamlessly from the shop floor to ERP to enterprise dashboards. Build platforms that deliver this vision for the industrial companies that have anchored Wisconsin's economy for generations.
Ready to build your manufacturing platform? Contact ZIRA Software to discuss your automation technology needs.