Manufacturing’s Digital Leap: 5 Key Takeaways From FABTECH

We just spent four days at FABTECH 2025 in Chicago, and let’s be real: The buzz wasn’t just about the latest laser cutters or robotic welders. It was about what’s happening in between the welds and cuts. The invisible but critical digital manufacturing processes that keep everything running. 

The conversation has shifted. You can have the most advanced machine in the world, but if your maintenance and asset management strategy is stuck in the past, you’re losing money. The future of manufacturing isn’t found in a new piece of hardware — but in the software that tells it what to do, when to do it and how to stay online.

This year, the message was clear: The true path to efficiency isn’t just about how fast a machine moves, but about “information automation.” It’s about leveraging technology to eliminate waste and make smarter decisions. Here are the five key takeaways we gathered at the trade show while exhibiting, walking the floor and attending sessions. 

1. The Great Shift: From Hardware to Software Is Now Job No. 1

For decades, the factory floor was all about hard automation — the physical machines themselves. Manufacturers chased faster speeds, more powerful lasers and more precise robots. And while that still matters, the focus at FABTECH was on the “soft” variety of automation — the software and digital technology that orchestrate everything. This is a massive shift. Attendees weren’t just asking “how fast can it cut?” but “how does it integrate with my existing systems?”

For maintenance teams, this means the job requires much more than turning wrenches. It’s about managing a digital thread, ensuring information flows smoothly from the executive team to the shop floor. Without this connective tissue, even the smartest equipment can fail because it’s fed bad information. The new mission is all about streamlining those processes. It’s the difference between a shop that’s merely fast and one that’s truly productive.

Of all the trends we saw at FABTECH, this new focus on information automation was the most important. It represents a fundamental change in how we think about efficiency. If your maintenance management approach is still stuck in the past, you’re not just falling behind; you’re leaving money on the table.

This is where a modern CMMS or asset management software can help. It acts as the command center for your entire operation. By providing a single, centralized platform, it ensures every piece of information — from work orders to asset history — is consistent and up-to-date across your entire team.

2. Data Is Your New Most Valuable Asset

The idea of data being valuable isn’t a new concept, but at FABTECH, it was everywhere. We heard countless discussions about moving away from reactive maintenance — the costly run-to-failure model — and even from traditional preventive maintenance. The solution? Data from IoT tracking and predictive analytics. 

Sensors are now providing real-time data on asset health, allowing teams to monitor machine conditions without even pausing production. By using IoT data to train AI models, you can predict when a machine needs repair and maintenance before it breaks down. This predictive maintenance approach can reduce fixed asset downtime and cut maintenance costs — and it’s a must for growing manufacturing companies.

In a session led by Mo Abuali, managing partner at the Internet of Things Company, he said, “If you’re a small to mid-size manufacturing company and you’re not using AI, you’re going to be in trouble.”

The message for maintenance managers is clear: You simply can’t afford to wait for a machine to break down. Instead, you must use real-time data to anticipate problems and plan your work. If you’re not, the competition is. As Abuali put it: “If you’re not evolving, you’re going to keep getting crunched until you go out of business.”

3. Integration Is Everything

Of course, data is worthless if it’s siloed in different systems. The solution? Cloud-based asset management software that provides a single point of truth to view, share and react to all relevant data. This means real-time data from IoT sensors can be uploaded directly to a centralized system, where technicians can report repairs on the same platform.

This kind of connected, digital ecosystem allows manufacturing teams to see the bigger picture. It helps connect the dots between work orders, asset health and overall efficiency. This level of visibility makes it easier to track audit trails, manage service contracts and prove the value of every maintenance dollar. The right software provides this kind of seamless integration, ensuring you have a complete picture of your equipment maintenance. It’s the difference between a system that helps you manage tasks and a system that helps you manage your business.

4. Great Technology 

It’s no secret the manufacturing industry is grappling with an aging workforce and a shortage of skilled labor. One robotic technician we spoke with admitted that it’s just he and one other employee tasked with operating five robots, and there are few skilled workers ready to replace them when they retire. Another manufacturing engineer mentioned that their company’s maintenance manager had been working for them for 12 years and had yet to train anyone with the knowledge needed to replace him when he retires. 

So, to say that the need for automation in this industry is real is an understatement. But for those fearful of technology becoming a replacement for people, FABTECH reframed it as a powerful tool to solve these problems. Robotics, particularly collaborative robots (cobots), are no longer just for complex, high-volume tasks. You can use them to automate tedious, ergonomically taxing jobs like sanding or bin picking, freeing up workers to focus on knowledge-based tasks and problem-solving. Session Speaker Will Healy III, global industry manager of fabricated metals for Teradyne Robotics, even highlighted that automating repetitive chores allows older workers to extend their careers.

This means that training and upskilling continue to be key. As you deploy new technologies, you need to empower your teams to think critically and solve problems at the source, not just react to them. In short, a combination of both great technology and great people build the best preventive maintenance programs. A mobile-first CMMS can help build that foundation, giving your team the digital tools they need to succeed. By providing a simple, intuitive app, you can empower every technician to access standard operating procedures (SOPs) and manufacturer manuals, view asset history and communicate in real time, all from the palm of their hand. 

5. Cybersecurity: It’s Now a Factory Problem

As factories become more connected, they become more vulnerable. A major theme at FABTECH was the need for manufacturers to implement robust cybersecurity strategies. This isn’t just about protecting customer data; it’s about protecting the operational integrity of your plant.

When you automate processes and link your machines to the cloud, you create new entry points for risk. One small programming error or a security breach can replicate itself across hundreds or thousands of parts before anyone notices, causing a massive spike in reject rates.

For maintenance and asset management teams, this means security needs to be a core part of your strategy from the start, especially if you’re a smaller company that doesn’t have a dedicated IT team. As Healy III put it in his session: “If folks don’t know your logo outside of manufacturing, you are the target of cybersecurity issues.”

It’s crucial to choose software and other technologies that are built with security in mind and ensure your data is protected. This focus on security is just one more way a great CMMS can drive both efficiency and safety in a rapidly changing environment.

Upgrade Your Digital Manufacturing Mindset

FABTECH 2025 made it clear: The most successful manufacturing teams in the years to come won’t be the ones with the flashiest equipment. They’ll be the ones that master the flow of information, leverage data to move from a reactive to a proactive maintenance strategy and use software as their central nervous system.

If you’re ready to streamline your work orders, get better visibility into your assets and empower your team with the right tools, there’s never been a better time to embrace the future of digital manufacturing.