Do you ever wish you had a manufacturing guide to help you make decisions and tell you what to do next? Well, if you’re struggling to make sense of all the data you’re collecting, you’re not alone.

In the 2025 edition of Rockwell Automation’s State of Smart Manufacturing Report, manufacturers said only 44% of the data they collect is being used effectively.

This episode with Van Meter’s Josh Reitz, business consultant, and Karl Schmidt, solutions architect, will explore how you can digitize manufacturing data and use it to make smarter decisions about your business.

Did you know improved quality was the number one outcome manufacturers hoped to achieve from investing in smart manufacturing technology according to Rockwell Automation’s 9th annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report? Better yet, do you know how using a smart manufacturing platform can help your business improve quality processes and use asset visibility to support your predictive analytics journey?

To find out, listen to our podcast hosted by Josh Reitz and Rachel Hahn. They’ll tell you how a smart manufacturing platform can help you connect, automate, track and analyze all aspects of your factory, as well as answer questions like these:

• How does a digital quality management system improve and simplify quality?
• What does an asset performance management system do, and how does it help with predictive maintenance?
• What are the key considerations for manufacturers when justifying the investment in a digital quality or asset management system?
• How important is training and change management when implementing these platforms, and what strategies ensure adoption?

Have you ever wondered if other manufacturers are facing the same challenges you are? What up-and-coming technologies you should invest in to overcome those challenges?

Listen to our On the Job podcast to hear Van Meter’s Smart Manufacturing Manager, Jackie LaFleur, and Information Solutions Architect, Toni Etten, discuss the next game changers in manufacturing based on Rockwell Automation’s 9th Annual State of Smart Manufacturing report, and get answers to questions like these:

• Why is lack of skilled workforce the number one reason manufacturers say they will struggle to outpace the competition, and what can they do to alleviate those concerns?
• 83% of respondents say they plan to use Generative AI in 2024. What should manufacturers be doing with Gen AI?
• How will technology like collaborative robots, autonomous mobile robots and automated guided vehicles transform the workplace?
• Manufacturers with revenue less than $500 million say they’re only using 38% of their data effectively. What can they do to use more of their data effectively?
• What responses and statistics surprised you the most?
• And more!