AI Is Changing the Asset Management Landscape. Our Experts Weigh In
Industry experts say AI is reshaping asset management by embedding predictive analytics directly into reliability tools, enabling faster, data‑driven decisions across the asset lifecycle. Cloud‑based platforms are centralizing asset data, turning equipment into a system of record and shifting IT focus to data quality. Autonomous maintenance, powered by edge AI and agentic workflows, promises self‑diagnosing, self‑optimizing operations, while emerging technologies such as drones, digital twins, and Ethernet‑APL are set to accelerate scale. Together these trends position asset management for the human‑centric, resilient paradigm of Industry 5.0.
AI Is Straining the Power Grid, but Is the Fix Already on Your Computer?
Artificial intelligence and exploding data‑center workloads are accelerating U.S. electricity demand, pushing the grid toward a breaking point. Projections show a 300% increase in data‑center power use over the next decade, with AI accounting for a quarter of that load....
2026 Plant Engineering Product of the Year Winners Announced
The 38th annual Plant Engineering Product of the Year awards unveiled 28 winning solutions that span reliability, safety, efficiency and sustainability. Winners were chosen by the magazine’s readership, who voted on products introduced to North America in 2025. One product...
Why 80% of Manufacturers Aren’t Automated
Manufacturers are racing to adopt AI‑driven automation, yet only 20% are ready to scale it despite 98% exploring the technology. Intrinsic CTO Brian Gerkey notes that while hardware is widely available, weak software and fragmented data prevent most plants from...
Ways Tariffs Are Affecting Business: Learn to Manage Pressures
Tariff volatility and expanding trade regulations are forcing industrial manufacturers to embed compliance into early product design, turning duty exposure into a strategic decision point. SKU‑level classification errors now pose significant margin risks, especially for fastener suppliers with thousands of...
How to Use AI to Help Your Manufacturing Job
The article explains how industrial AI is moving from a peripheral tool to an embedded discipline that reshapes the entire manufacturing lifecycle. By automating low‑level tasks, AI frees engineers and operators to focus on supervision, strategy, and continuous improvement. Real‑world...
The Future of Predictive Maintenance with Limble CEO Gary Specter
Limble’s newly appointed CEO Gary Specter outlines how predictive maintenance is shifting from scheduled, calendar‑based routines to AI‑driven, always‑on systems. He stresses that sophisticated technology alone won’t succeed without intuitive CMMS interfaces that technicians actually use. Clean, unified data is...
How to Finance Automation Investments Amid Uncertainty
Manufacturers are shifting the business case for automation from pure labor‑cost cuts to resilience, margin protection, and operational flexibility. In a constrained capital environment they favor phased, modular projects with paybacks under 18 months, using leasing, vendor‑finance and as‑a‑service models...
Expert Q&A: Learn About Lubrication Program Best Practices for Manufacturing Plants
The Plant Engineering Q&A with LubriPlate’s Jim Girard and Don Wrocklage outlines how modern lubrication programs are evolving from manual, reactive processes to disciplined, data‑driven systems. Key trends include greater investment in automatic lubricators, color‑coded storage, oil‑analysis programs, and predictive‑maintenance...
How Is Agentic AI Revolutionizing Worker Safety in the Field?
Agentic AI is reshaping worker safety in the energy sector by deploying autonomous, collaborative agents that create dynamic safety perimeters, predict hazards, and coordinate real‑time emergency responses. Multi‑agent systems combine specialized AI nodes—environmental monitoring, equipment status, compliance, and emergency response—under...
How to Sustain Valve Operation Through Proper Lubrication
Proper lubrication is essential for the reliable operation of industrial valves, whose stems, seals, and actuators depend on grease for wear control and corrosion protection. The article outlines the specific lubrication needs of common valve types—including gate, ball, globe, and...
Reengineering the Future of Process Industries with Automation
Process manufacturers are moving from piecemeal upgrades to AI‑led, scalable automation to tackle market volatility, aging control systems, and a looming skills shortage. Technologies such as predictive maintenance, digital twins, and real‑time asset health monitoring are being deployed to boost...
How to Ready Operational Technology for Intelligent AI Orchestration
Process manufacturers are rapidly adopting AI, with 64% using the technology and 35% already deploying it in production, according to an MIT Technology Review survey. The industry is moving from isolated point solutions toward a unified AI integration engine that...
Our Maintenance Expert Offers Can’t-Miss Advice
Teadit sales engineer Javier Martinez shared practical guidance on modern maintenance strategies for plant managers. He highlighted that heat exchangers deliver the greatest ROI from condition‑based monitoring, while data‑driven reliability‑centered maintenance is reshaping asset management. Martinez also noted the skilled‑labor...
Read the March/April 2026 Issue of Plant Engineering
The March/April 2026 issue of Plant Engineering spotlights critical maintenance topics, from valve lubrication and corrosion prevention to AI‑driven operational technology. It highlights how proper lubrication extends valve life, how corrosion can trigger surprise costs, and why seals matter in compressed‑air...