Daniel Brooks

Daniel Brooks has 14 years of experience in manufacturing technology, process engineering and industrial digitalisation. From 2012 to 2017, he worked as a process engineer, analysing production capacity, recurring downtime and opportunities to automate individual workstations. Between 2017 and 2022, he worked as an industrial automation consultant. He prepared technical requirements, compared system integrators and supported the implementation of MES and machine-monitoring systems. Since 2022, he has focused on editorial analysis covering smart manufacturing, robotics, artificial intelligence, industrial software and digital transformation.

Joined: August 31, 2026
Articles: 1

Industry & Manufacturing

Smart Manufacturing: What It Is, How It Works and When It Pays Off

Production engineer checking operating data on a tablet beside a CNC machining cell

Smart manufacturing uses connected production systems and operational data to improve decisions on the factory floor. This guide explains how it works, what implementation costs are often overlooked and how to assess whether an investment can pay off.

Daniel Brooks
August 31, 2026