Manufacturing companies in the plastic industry deal with numerous difficulties including unexpected downtime, pressure from material expenses, scarcity of proficient manpower, complex control procedures, and managing process fluctuations. Although these issues can occur differently for each processor, they generally share similarities that can be tackled using common strategies.

1) Unexpected Equipment Shutdowns: The evolution of maintenance is increasingly digital, with a particular focus on predictive maintenance. One of the key facilitators of this evolutionary process is a procedure termed 'machine health assessment.' This assessment observes a range of important operating factors. These include vibration, temperature, air leakage, and vacuum pressure. The data collected from these assessments are instrumental in determining the urgency and schedule for maintenance. The incorporation of the NERP predictive analytics model for maintenance by a prominent plastics producer has resulted in a significant improvement.

2) Pressure on Material Costs: Over the past few years, resin supply disruptions and fluctuations in pricing undoubtedly created a significant hurdle. This has been attentively navigated by plastic manufacturers worldwide due to increases in resin expenses driven by material shortages, logistical concerns, pandemic-induced price modifications and other unexpected factors. This detailed tracking is vital for competitive pricing, ensuring profitability in customer dealings.

3) Expert Workforce: Recruiting, training, and maintaining a competent workforce have become increasingly difficult. Numerous manufacturers across different sectors are investing in cutting-edge machinery and digital learning methods via Learning Management System (LMS). This approach assists in rapidly upskilling new team members, aiming to sustain production, despite struggles in maintaining a sufficient workforce.

4) Control Complexity: NERP's universal control platform (Industry 4.0), including all touchscreen Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) and auxiliary equipment that depends on it, supports both OPC-UA - the preeminent communications protocol for Industry 4.0 - and traditional control protocols such as MODBUS.

5) Variations in Processes: Ensuring maximum consistency in productivity and product quality across all equipment can be a complex task. With a centralized NERP system at your disposal, an individual possessing the necessary security credentials and internet access can log in and view detailed data related to specific units or machine groups. This can be done irrespective of their geographical location.

That said, adoption of unified NERP has become a potent tool for targeting these issues more accurately, addressing them intelligently and regularly, thereby guiding them to efficient control.