Loading
Utility Header Logo
Plex Community
Change Country Site SelectionChange RockwellAutomation.com site selection to a different country, region or language
US | EN
Plex, a Rockwell Automation Company logo
Products
Manufacturing Execution System (MES)
Manufacturing Execution Suite (MES) is a comprehensive manufacturing software solution that provides real-time, paperless production management to drive enterprise-wide compliance, quality, and efficiency.
Quality Management System (QMS)
Quality Management System (QMS) is a cloud-based digital quality solution for manufacturers that standardizes and automates quality documentation, processes, and measurements.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a full-featured, scalable, cloudbased ERP that automates front- and back-office processes.
Supply Chain Planning (SCP)
Supply Chain Planning (SCP) combines data from your Plex ERP and multiple departments across your business to sync up demand and supply planning to improve inventory accuracy and production management.
Connected Worker
Connected Worker empowers frontline manufacturing teams with real-time digital tools to improve productivity, reduce errors, and enhance collaboration. It connects your people, to purpose, people, productivity, and processes to drive continuous improvement and workforce agility on the shop floor.
Production Monitoring
Production Monitoring provides seamless connectivity to machines on the plant floor, delivering transparent, real-time operational KPIs and dashboards to drive continuous improvements.
MES Automation & Orchestration
MES Automation & Orchestration connects your Plex MES to the plant edge to control information flow, processes, and workcenter setup adding efficiency, saving costs, and eliminating manual errors.
Asset Performance Management (APM)
Asset Performance Management (APM) combines process, operational, and machine-level data through highly visual dashboards to proactively monitor machine and plant health to ensure optimal uptime, throughput, and maintenance needs.
Finite Scheduler
Finite Scheduler is an advanced production scheduling tool that helps manufacturers optimize resources, reduce bottlenecks, and improve on-time delivery. It enables dynamic, constraint-based scheduling to align operations with real-world capacity and demand
Platform
Smart Manufacturing Platform Overview
Discover how our integrated platform connects, automates, tracks, and analyzes your operations.
Cloud Infrastructure & Security
Enterprise-grade cloud infrastructure with industry-leading security and compliance.
Mobile Application
Access critical manufacturing data and controls from anywhere with our mobile apps.
Availability & Performance
Industry-leading uptime and performance with 99.5% availability guarantee.
Manufacturing Automation
Seamless integration with Rockwell Automation and other manufacturing systems.
Industries
Aerospace Auto and Tire Food & Beverage Industrial Manufacturing Plastics & Rubber Precision Metalforming
Plex Interactive Demo
INTERACTIVE DEMO
Plex MES for Automotive

Gain Real-Time Visibility and Control of Your Operations

Try Now
Resources
All Resources Success Stories Analyst Reports Knowledge Articles Demos Blog
Plex Generic Dark Background
Analyst Report
2025 Gartner® Market Guide for Manufacturing Execution Systems
Read More
TALK TO US
SEE A DEMO
Log In Plex Manufacturing Cloud Plex Classic
TALK TO US
SEE A DEMO
Blog
Recent ActivityRecent Activity

New Machine Learning Feature for the Plex DemandCaster Advanced Business Planning Software

Share This:

LinkedInLinkedIn
XX
FacebookFacebook
PrintPrint
EmailEmail

As supply chain professionals cope with the reality of the last decade - and the massive disruptions that came with it - new tools and ideas are needed to optimize processes and streamline operations. For an industry that had grown reliant upon stable supply chains that allowed lean and JIT methodologies to be applied to demand and supply planning, the future looks even more uncertain.

Plex DemandCaster’s Advanced Business Planning Software was designed for the modern supply chain professional to have the most accurate and powerful tools at their fingertips. Now, with the addition of machine learning functionality the solution is poised to help those same SCM professionals confidently manage the new reality.

Why Add Machine Learning?

Machine learning isn’t a new concept, but its addition to SCP has been a slow process. Machine learning traditionally required data science professionals to understand what models to apply. Complex models with complex use cases needed a greater depth of understanding, so the extensive use of machine learning was problematic. But as lean and JIT practices give way to greater uncertainty and the need for more agile responses, it became clear that traditional forecasting – and its reliance on stable supply chains – couldn’t handle a high level of uncertainty in drivers and pivotal events.

The answer to this uncertainty was to use a greater influx of data available in connected factories and service environments. Combined with machine learning, this data is purposed to understand its relevance to supply planning and close the gap between the stable supply chains of the past and the disruption of the last few years.

Bringing Machine Learning to Planning Professionals

Few companies of any size have dedicated data scientists on staff. With data in flux and often confusing, Plex DemandCaster’s approach was: “How do we bring the functionality of machine learning to planning professionals without requiring the high-level skillset?” They began by looking at the data.

The Advanced Business Planning platform already included features such as smoothing and forecasting, but adding machine learning capabilities allowed them to dive deeper into additional dimensions of data. The new machine learning functionality provides further context for the categorizing of products. It allows planners to bring in future and past pricing and event data for new product lines. It also accounts for disruptions such as stockouts. It can even integrate with POS data and IHS Markit (S&P Global) data for auto forecasts. With these new inputs, machine learning algorithms will weed out irrelevant data and point planners in directions they hadn’t considered. Additionally, it can reach back to POS, and may inform the planner that color is a more significant influence than style, or it may use membership data to project sales growth.

The Plex DemandCaster Machine Learning Approach

Plex DemandCaster’s approach is to zero in on critical data. By starting with the database, planners have the flexibility to build out their unique definition of base data. They can also add hierarchical levels for the customer, product, location, etc. This flexibility allows them to build in attributes that are unique to the company. The result is a system where the machine identifies the most essential attributes and allows planners to build them into the forecast. It fills the gap left by the departure of stable, JIT, and predictable supply chain forecasting, giving planners a powerful tool for achieving greater forecast accuracy.

Machine Learning and Plex DemandCaster’s Advanced Business Planning Software

Today’s planning professionals are under more stress than ever before. With the loss of predictability and the implosion of long-held planning models, many planners are pushed to the edge. Plex DemandCaster’s new machine learning features allow planners to reclaim certainty and even move past it to greater accuracy. The machine learning feature is an addition to its Advanced Business Planning software that helps planners realize more accuracy to lower inventory, create more accurate forecasts, and reduce guesswork. It’s intuitive and requires a minimal learning curve.

Planning by spreadsheet was problematic before the disruption of recent years. Now, it’s all but impossible. With Plex DemandCaster’s machine learning feature in their Advanced Business Planning software, planners can rely on machines to show them what plan works best.

To find out more about how the soon-to-be-released machine learning features of Plex DemandCaster’s Advanced Business Planning Software can help you remove uncertainty and plan with greater accuracy, contact us today.

Topics: Supply Chain Management Planning IIOT Industry 4.0

Plex Team
Plex Team
Plex, by Rockwell Automation, is the leader in cloud-delivered smart manufacturing solutions, empowering the world’s manufacturers to make awesome products. Our platform gives manufacturers the ability to connect, automate, track and analyze every aspect of their business to drive transformation. The Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform includes solutions for manufacturing execution (MES), ERP, quality, supply chain planning and management, Industrial IoT and analytics to connect people, systems, machines, and supply chains, enabling them to lead with precision, efficiency and agility.

Related Articles

Loading
Loading
  1. Chevron LeftChevron Left Homepage Chevron RightChevron Right
  2. Chevron LeftChevron Left Blog Chevron RightChevron Right
  3. Chevron LeftChevron Left New Machine Learning Feature for the Plex DemandCaster Advanced Business Planning Software Chevron RightChevron Right
Products
Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Quality Management System (QMS) Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Supply Chain Planning (SCP) Connected Worker Production Monitoring MES Automation & Orchestration Asset Performance Management (APM) Finite Scheduler
Platform
Smart Manufacturing Platform Cloud Infrastructure & Security Mobile Application Availability & Performance Manufacturing Automation
Resources
All Resources Case Studies Analyst Reports Knowledge Articles Demos Blog
Industries
All Industries Aerospace Auto and Tire Food & Beverage/CPG Industrial Manufacturing Plastics & Rubber Precision Metalforming & Fabrication
Services & Support
Customer Success & Advocacy Support Services Educational Services Professional Services Plex Community
Get Started
Request a Demo Download Resources Read Success Stories Webinars Contact Support
Company
About Us Why Plex Recognition Newsroom Careers Contact Us
Knowledge Articles
Types of Quality Management Systems The MES Beginner Guide A Guide to Production Part Approval Process What is Industry 4.0? A Guide to Advanced Product Quality Planning Supply Chain Planning: A Guide to Strategic Planning and Operations MES and the Future of Robotics Automation Cloud Based MES Basics Food Manufacturing Software: Why MES Is Critical for Food and Beverage Manufacturers Guide to Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) Cloud-Based MES Solutions A Guide to Monitoring Machine Performance What is Connected Manufacturing and Why Should You Care About It?
Privacy & Cookie Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Preferences
Accessibility Settings
Trust Center
© YYYY Plex, by Rockwell Automation. All rights reserved.
© YYYY Rockwell Automation, Inc.