How Mendix enables connected, data-driven manufacturing processes

Manufacturers are investing heavily in Industry 4.0, automation and digital twins. Yet many factories still rely on fragmented workflows that slow production down. Smart factories are only as smart as the workflows that support them.

If instructions live on paper, maintenance is reactive, and data is entered manually, then even the most advanced machinery cannot operate at full potential. Accurate manufacturing digitisation begins not with new equipment but with connected, reliable and data-driven workflows.

Key takeaways

• Smart factories require connected, digitised workflows to reach full potential
• Manual data entry and fragmented systems limit productivity and visibility
• Mendix enables digital work instructions, MES and ERP integration, real-time maintenance insights and paperless quality
• Workflow digitisation delivers fewer errors, faster response times and improved OEE
• Ciphix helps manufacturers digitise and scale workflows quickly with Mendix

The real challenge: disconnected processes in a complex environment

Most factories run on a mix of MES, ERP, standalone quality tools, maintenance software, spreadsheets and handwritten logs. These systems do not naturally talk to each other, so teams bridge the gaps manually.

This leads to familiar issues:

• inconsistent execution between shifts
• delays caused by outdated or missing information
• unplanned downtime that could have been prevented
• decisions made without real-time insight
• quality findings discovered far too late

When every team works from a different “source of truth”, operational excellence becomes incredibly difficult.

 

What smart workflow digitisation really means

Digitisation in manufacturing is not just replacing paper with tablets. True smart factory workflow digitisation creates a connected, intelligent environment in which machines, people, and systems work as one ecosystem.

A modern digital workflow:

• gives operators precise, interactive instructions
• captures data automatically during production
• integrates with MES, ERP and machine sensors
• raises alerts as soon as deviations occur
• enables AI to analyse performance and predict issues

This creates a predictable, high-quality production flow:
The right information, for the right person, at the right time.

Where Mendix transforms the factory floor

Mendix empowers manufacturers to build workflows that reflect how the factory actually operates, not how legacy systems dictate it should. Because Mendix integrates easily with MES, ERP, PLCs and cloud platforms, it becomes the digital layer that connects everything.

Digital work instructions

Always up to date, easy to follow and enriched with photos, videos and data capture.
Operators log issues and measurements without leaving the workflow.

Maintenance with real-time insights

Machine data flows directly into Mendix dashboards.
Engineers can predict issues earlier, prevent breakdowns and reduce unplanned downtime.

Paperless quality checks

Digital forms, automated reporting and instant alerts.
Quality issues are actioned immediately rather than discovered post-shift.

Data that fuels continuous improvement

Digitised workflows generate structured, accurate and complete production data.
Mendix becomes the backbone for AI-driven optimisation across lines and plants.

By connecting previously isolated systems and workflows, Mendix turns factory operations into a continuous stream of real-time insight.

The impact: more reliability, fewer surprises, stronger performance

Factories that digitise workflows with Mendix and AI consistently report:

• fewer errors and more consistent execution
• faster response times during production
• Improved OEE due to proactive maintenance
• better traceability and audit readiness
• Reduced administrative workload for operators
• real-time visibility across lines and shifts

This makes the factory more resilient, more predictable and more competitive — all without replacing existing machinery or core systems.

How Ciphix accelerates your smart factory journey

Workflow digitisation requires more than technology. It demands a partner who understands manufacturing realities and can translate them into scalable digital workflows.

At Ciphix, we combine:

Deep industry expertise
We understand how production teams operate, where information gets lost, and what slows execution.

Strong Mendix engineering
We integrate seamlessly with MES, ERP and equipment data, creating workflows that fit your factory’s rhythm.

AI-first thinking
We help factories unlock predictive insights, anomaly detection, and data-driven decision-making.

A practical, step-by-step approach
Start small, validate fast, scale with confidence and build a connected smart factory one workflow at a time.

Whether your goal is to reduce downtime, improve quality or eliminate paper, we design solutions that create measurable impact quickly.

Ready to modernise your factory workflows?

Your first digital workflow can be validated in just a few weeks.
Let us show how Mendix and AI can have the greatest impact on your production lines.

Contact us to explore opportunities for your smart factory.