Rockwell: Top-performing OEMs likelier to use tech such as digital twins, cobots to cut downtime, speed recovery

Approximately 40% of top OEMs are using strategies and technologies such as digital twins, AMRs, and cobots to keep machinery working, avoid downtime, and shorten recovery time, according to a new “playbook” on performance measurement from Rockwell Automation. 

Top OEMs are prioritizing rapid machine recovery through technology that allows customers to recover from downtime, according to Rockwell’s OEM Advantage Playbook, which surveyed 500 original equipment manufacturing leaders across 17 countries.  

See also: How proactive smart maintenance is reshaping manufacturing operations 

"The next era of OEM leadership won't be defined by who builds the most advanced machine," said Evan Kaiser, VP of global OEM and emerging industries at Rockwell. "It will be defined by who builds a business that delivers consistent performance despite workforce turnover, supply disruptions and relentless market pressure." 

The study mainly identified strategies and technologies that leading OEMs use to avoid downtime that others have not yet developed. 

See also: Why preventive maintenance has become a strategic priority for manufacturers 

For example, the Rockwell study found that top OEMs can recover from a downtime event in 24 hours or less, while an average OEM downtime event can last 40 hours and cost up to $3.6 million. This 16-hour advantage compounds into millions in preserved revenue and margin, according to the report.  

These organizations design machines to detect issues early and restore performance quickly and embed expertise into workflows to reduce dependence on the experience of any one individual. Additionally, they integrate cybersecurity into product design from the beginning, the Rockwell report shows. 

Top OEMs are using digital twins, AMRs, and cobots to design quality into machines and improve deployment consistency, Rockwell found. These precautions are even more important because 35% of global OEMs also cite employee turnover as the top barrier to meeting strategic goals, rising to 47% in the U.S., according to the report.

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Leading OEMs are also embracing shifts in cybersecurity regulations—such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act, which shifts security responsibilities to OEMs—as a core product requirement, with 63% expecting cyber risk to persist and 39% navigating evolving compliance requirements. 

As a result, 40% are less likely to cite compliance or technology gaps as barriers. 

High-performing OEMs also prioritize profitability and customer outcome metrics  alongside traditional production yield and emerging people-centered measures like safety and satisfaction. 

See also: Ransomware attacks set new records in 2025, hitting manufacturing the hardest

Additionally, the top performers also align their KPIs more tightly with their customer's KPIs. The KPI tracked across 92% of OEMs was production-focused metrics that indicated emphasis on yield optimization.  

Top OEMs, however, prioritized the cost of goods sold and lead times instead of yield alone.