The year 2017 proved to be one of the best times to invest in Mobile app development. Enterprises have now realized that mobile apps are now a necessity. A Smartphone is a very best way to meet customer demands and increase sales. In the year 2017, the projected rise is 254 billion free downloaded apps, up from 57.33 billion in 2012, which proves mobile development is one of the most actively growing sectors in the industry. The key players are Google apps, social media, lifestyle and gaming apps. Large companies (retailers, banks, hospitality, etc.) are using mobile applications for branding, increasing customer engagement, direct marketing, etc., while small and midsize businesses are also following the mobile trend and creating their own apps.

Internet of Things (IoT) and Wearable Apps

The idea of a smart home, smart cities, industrial IoT, automotive industry, smart health, and smart retail is growing. From healthcare to education and smart homes to smart offices, IoT apps will gradually start becoming mainstream in 2017. Though it might take some more time for IoT to fully take off, it is here to stay. Apple watch apps are already booming and will continue growing. Google has also released Android Things to increase IoT adoption. As we see an increase in demand for connected things, apps will be required for smart devices other than smartphones, and developers will have to keep innovating to meet diverse needs. Analysts predict that IoT will grow from $157.05 billion in 2016 to $661.74 billion by 2021, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 33.3%. This directly impacts the mobile app trends as IoT devices are controlled by smartphones.

Accelerated Mobile Pages

Since Google introduced the AMP project, page loading on mobile devices is accelerated. With AMP, you now see the quick loading of web pages on your mobile. Besides this awesome function, Google has declared that it will provide an isolated search index for the mobile web. From an SEO point of view, this step transforms all mobile app development approaches.

Accelerated Mobile Pages will help web apps to load more quickly on all mobile devices, reducing bounce rate. This change will also help publishers increase visibility to their ads and create a boom in the number of visitors.

Mobile Payments

Customers engaged in online shopping through Mobile Applications have been using Internet banking or Credit/ Debit cards to make payments. But with the introduction of Apple Pay and Google Wallet, customers are gradually shifting to m-commerce. It will be a good way for companies to harvest data and provide in-depth analysis of clients. As well as being a more comfortable payment option for customers.

Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Apps

In 2017 AR and VR will start to go beyond entertainment and gaming. We saw the growth trend driven by consumer and business demand for new technologies last year. Both AR and VR possess huge potential when it comes to transforming a diverse range of industry sectors. The market for enterprise Augmented Reality will primarily be driven by industries such as retail, healthcare, engineering and real estate. Virtual Reality technologies will be more focused on the game and events sphere.

On-Demand Apps

On-demand applications are now very popular. They make our lives easier and more convenient, and we can use them from anywhere.

Enterprise Apps and BYOD

More and more organizations embrace the “Bring Your Own Device” model, we are going to see an upsurge in demand for hybrid enterprise apps. 72% of organizations have already started investing in BYOD for employees in some way or the other. In 2017 more than half of the world’s employers will require BYOD. Hybrid apps are known to run in the app form but are essentially mobile websites. This helps reduce the cost and speed the mobile app development process.

Cloud-based Apps

Mobile App Developers are designing more cloud driven mobile apps. With increasing use of cloud technology, it has become much quicker and easier to get data without impacting on your internal phone memory. With Dropbox, Google Drive and various other cloud apps, more and more mobile apps will be cloud driven. Cloud-based mobile apps are especially attractive for enterprises as they would largely alleviate the data security issues inherent in BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).

Android Instant Apps

Native apps that function like websites can attract more people with their convenience. Android Instant Apps don’t require installation all borders are removed from app and website. You can have all the advantages of your app within your site, with only one click. Run Android apps as seamlessly as loading a web page and save space on your smartphone, no unwanted app downloading

Application Security

The security of a smartphone is more crucial than ever because of the amount of personal user data it contains.Apps with built-in security features can make a large difference in the app space. More developers will be adopting the use of this platform, providing better UX with more security features. With this new programming language, we’ll begin to see more secure apps in the market. Mobile App Developers will be working harder than ever to ensure that every app they design comes with a safety guarantee in 2018.

Machine learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Chatbots

Customised, conversational commerce and chatting with online shoppers are highly lucrative for any business. Apps are increasingly learning about their user’s preferences. Sounds intelligent, but it is way more than that. There is something about playing with their heartstrings. It is emotional quotients of applications being upgraded by sheer bot observation! All off you know such amazing AI apps: Prisma, Siri, Google Now. We are expecting much more in 2017 keeping the AI mobile application development trend intact.

Lazy loading

Another great trend that we should expect in the upcoming year is related to the lazy loading technology. The thing is that the images that load for too long prevent the user from opening the whole article. It takes time to load the page, and users leave not willing to spend too much time on the page waiting. As a result, the bounce rate grows, and the conversion rates drop. So, to prevent this, technology gurus have decided to implement the lazy loading which basically means that images only load when their turn on the page comes. Otherwise, they do not overload the page.

Smart Manufacturing Dashboards: A Real-Time Guide for Data-Driven Ops

By : Divyanjali Gupta

Published on Jul 31, 2025

Data Science Manufacturing Analytics Smart Manufacturing

Smart Manufacturing starts with real-time visibility.

Manufacturing companies today generate data by the second through sensors, machines, ERP systems, and MES platforms. But without real-time insights, even the most advanced production lines are essentially flying blind.

Manufacturers are implementing real-time dashboards that serve as control towers for their daily operations, enabling them to shift from reactive to proactive decision-making. These tools are essential to the evolution of Smart Manufacturing, where connected systems, automation, and intelligent analytics come together to drive measurable impact.

Data is available, but what’s missing is timely action.

For many plant leaders and COOs, one challenge persists: operational data is dispersed throughout systems, delayed, or hidden in spreadsheets. And this delay turns into a liability.

Real-time dashboards help uncover critical answers:

What caused downtime during last night’s shift?
Was there a delay in maintenance response?
Did a specific inventory threshold trigger a quality issue?

By converting raw inputs into real-time manufacturing analytics, dashboards make operational intelligence accessible to operators, supervisors, and leadership alike, enabling teams to anticipate problems rather than react to them.

1. Why Static Reports Fall Short

Reports often arrive late—after downtime, delays, or defects have occurred.
Disconnected data across ERP, MES, and sensors limits cross-functional insights.
Static formats lack embedded logic for proactive decision support.

2. What Real-Time Dashboards Enable

Line performance and downtime trends
Track OEE in real time and identify underperforming lines.

Predictive maintenance alerts
Utilize historical and sensor data to identify potential part failures in advance.

Inventory heat maps & reorder thresholds
Anticipate stockouts or overstocks based on dynamic reorder points.

Quality metrics linked to operator actions
Isolate shifts or procedures correlated with spikes in defects or rework.

These insights allow production teams to drive day-to-day operations in line with Smart Manufacturing principles.

3. Dashboards That Drive Action

Role-based dashboards
Dashboards can be configured for machine operators, shift supervisors, and plant managers, each with a tailored view of KPIs.

Embedded alerts and nudges
Real-time prompts, like “Line 4 below efficiency threshold for 15+ minutes,” reduce response times and minimize disruptions.

Cross-functional drill-downs
Teams can identify root causes more quickly because users can move from plant-wide overviews to detailed machine-level data in seconds.

4. What Powers These Dashboards

Data lakehouse integration
Unified access to ERP, MES, IoT sensor, and QA systems—ensuring reliable and timely manufacturing analytics.

ETL pipelines
Real-time data ingestion from high-frequency sources with minimal latency.

Visualization tools
Custom builds using Power BI, or customized solutions designed for frontline usability and operational impact.

Smart Manufacturing in Action: Reducing Market Response Time from 48 Hours to 30 Minutes

Mantra Labs partnered with a North American die-casting manufacturer to unify its operational data into a real-time dashboard. Fragmented data, manual reporting, delayed pricing decisions, and inconsistent data quality hindered operational efficiency and strategic decision-making.

Tech Enablement:

Centralized Data Hub with real-time access to critical business insights.
Automated report generation with data ingestion and processing.
Accurate price modeling with real-time visibility into metal price trends, cost impacts, and customer-specific pricing scenarios.
Proactive market analysis with intuitive Power BI dashboards and reports.

Business Outcomes:

Faster response to machine alerts
Quality incidents traced to specific operator workflows
4X faster access to insights led to improved inventory optimization.

As this case shows, real-time dashboards are not just operational tools—they’re strategic enablers.

(Learn More: Powering the Future of Metal Manufacturing with Data Engineering)

Key Takeaways: Smart Manufacturing Dashboards at a Glance

Aspect	What You Should Know
1. Why Static Reports Fall Short	Delayed insights after issues occur Disconnected systems (ERP, MES, sensors) No real-time alerts or embedded decision logic
2. What Real-Time Dashboards Enable	Track OEE and downtime in real-time Predictive maintenance using sensor data Dynamic inventory heat maps Quality linked to operators
3. Dashboards That Drive Action	Role-based views (operator to CEO) Embedded alerts like “Line 4 down for 15+ mins” Drilldowns from plant-level to machine-level
4. What Powers These Dashboards	Unified Data Lakehouse (ERP + IoT + MES) Real-time ETL pipelines Power BI or custom dashboards built for frontline usability

Conclusion

Smart Manufacturing dashboards aren’t just analytics tools—they’re productivity engines. Dashboards that deliver real-time insight empower frontline teams to make faster, better decisions—whether it’s adjusting production schedules, triggering preventive maintenance, or responding to inventory fluctuations.

Explore how Mantra Labs can help you unlock operations intelligence that’s actually usable.

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