Technology is always evolving and shaping up the future of business strategies. Organizations continually try to adopt new technologies to overhaul their business infrastructure and keep up with the pace of changing market dynamics. Leveraging the benefits of AI for process automation has been implemented by several businesses. But, it is still not enough, and there is a lot more to AI that will form the crux of technology disruption in the coming years.

Here is a list of significant technology disruption that is all set to mark a new territory of innovation in the coming five years:

1. Artificial intelligence:

The growth of artificial intelligence in the technology sector has been remarkable, and there have been no signs of its slowing down. In the next five years, we can expect that they will play a significant role in transforming the workplace environment and replacing manual labor. The technology disruption with AI will result in a loss of human jobs at a massive rate as companies tend to prefer economic and efficient systems. The best example of this is the chatbots (chat+robot) that are simulated using natural language processing and artificial intelligence that provide enhanced operational efficiency, 24*7 service and no demands of any working conditions.

2. Insurtech:

The automation in the Insurance sector is gaining momentum currently. For the past few years, the insurance sector was hardly on the map of technology innovation. But, as the technology is getting intertwined in the everyday lives of the people Insurance companies have started adopting technology innovation at a rapid rate. Some of these innovations include Insurance chatbots which are available at all the times to provide solutions to their customers, automated system to perform the internal processes and redundant tasks, AI-based insurance software that processes the claims and service requests quickly.

3. RPA(Robotic process automation):

RPA is the next big thing that will lead to major technology disruption in the coming years. It has already made its way in most of the technology companies, and RPA for insurance is also gaining popularity. With the passage of time, it will just become more advanced and smart replacing a good chunk of human-operated operations. RPA has branched out from three key technologies, i.e., screen scraping, workflow automation and artificial intelligence making it capable of automating business processes and improving the overall work efficiency.

4. Blockchain:

Cryptocurrency based blockchain is the next disrupting technology that has already changed the conventional model of trading and business transaction. Blockchain forms the backbone of cryptocurrencies and Bitcoins. The prominence of Blockchain in the next five years is set to increase by leaps and bounds and will mainstream the payment methods by 2020. Blockchain works on the concept of decentralization where duplicate copies of each ledger are stored on various locations, so there is no focal point of vulnerability that can be exploited by the hackers. It makes blockchain a secure platform altogether. The overall cost of implementing blockchain is quite less because there are no additional costs related to the third parties and is also free from human intervention.

4 Things That Made Blockchain The Most Disruptive Tech In Decades

5. IoT (Internet of things):

The Internet of Things is the interconnection of sensors and software programs embedded physical devices to the Internet that enable them to send and receive data. They play the critical role in the home automation system. Major tech players like Google, Apple and Amazon have already rolled out their smart home products, and their peers like Samsung are in the process to take the plunge in the home automation market. In the next five years, we can presume them to be an integral part of our homes simplifying our lives.

6. Augmented Reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR):

As of now, augmented and virtual reality’s existence is limited to the entertainment and gaming industry. But, the future prediction depicts that in the coming years AR will play a significant role in other sectors as well. It will not be surprising to see advancements in AR/VR technology in the healthcare, e-commerce and travel industry.

The above mentioned list was our round-up of the major technology disruption that will happen in the next five years. Though the list can go on and on and you can always find something new to add to the list.

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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