5 Best Manufacturing Knowledge Management Software Tools (2026 Review)

"Hey, ask Bob how to fix the labeler. He's the only one who knows the trick."

If your factory runs on "Bob," you have a Knowledge Risk problem. What happens when Bob retires, goes on vacation, or gets sick?

Manufacturing knowledge is unique. It isn't just about Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). It's about the nuance—the specific sound a motor makes before it fails, or the specific sequence to reset a jam.

Legacy tools like SharePoint or binders are "Write-Only" memories. People put information in, but nobody can find it when the machine is down.

In 2026, Manufacturing Knowledge Management has evolved. It is no longer a library; it is an AI Assistant. It captures video, reads manuals, and answers questions in plain English (or Spanish, or German).

Here are the 5 best tools to digitize your factory's brain.

The Comparison Matrix (2026)

1. Fabrico: The "Industrial AI" Assistant

Verdict: The best choice for factories that want to turn their existing data (manuals and logs) into an instant expert system.

Fabrico takes a different approach. It knows that you don't have time to rewrite thousands of pages of documentation. Instead, the Fabrico Assistant (GenAI) reads your OEM manuals, historical maintenance logs, and troubleshooting guides.

When a technician is stuck, they don't search for a PDF. They ask the app: "How do I calibrate the sensor on Line 1?" Fabrico answers instantly, citing the manual and previous successful repairs.

Why It Wins on Knowledge:

• The "Chat" Interface: It democratizes expertise. A Day 1 apprentice can access the same knowledge as a 20-year veteran simply by asking a question.

• Context Aware: Because Fabrico is also your OEE and CMMS, the AI knows which machine you are working on. It won't give you instructions for a Fanuc robot if you are standing in front of a Kuka.

• Video Capture: Technicians can record a 10-second clip of a fix, which the system tags and indexes for the next person.

Best For: Maintenance and Engineering teams needing instant troubleshooting support.

2. Poka: The "Social" Video Platform

Verdict: The leader in capturing "peer-to-peer" video tips on the factory floor.

Poka operates like "YouTube for Manufacturing." It encourages operators to film short clips of problems and solutions.

Pros:

• Engagement: Workers love using it. It feels modern and social.

• News Feed: Great for broadcasting updates (e.g., "New safety protocol for Line 4") to the whole factory.

Cons:

• Searchability: While video is great for watching, it can be hard to search for a specific error code inside a video without deep tagging.

• Not a Database: It relies on users creating content. It doesn't inherently "read" your existing 500-page PDF manuals.

Best For: Standardizing operational tasks and shift handovers.

3. Dozuki: The Documentation Standard

Verdict: The best tool for creating rigorous, standardized work instructions (ISO/FDA compliant).

Dozuki (born from iFixit) focuses on structure. It forces you to write clear, step-by-step guides with photos.

Pros:

• Version Control: Excellent for industries that need to prove (to an auditor) that every operator is using Version 2.1 of the SOP.

• Clarity: The template ensures that guides are easy to read and follow.

Cons:

• Authoring Effort: You have to write everything. It requires a dedicated team to build and maintain the library.

• Static: It is a library of guides, not an AI that learns from daily machine behavior.

Best For: Assembly lines requiring strict adherence to Standard Work.

4. DeepHow: The "AI" Video Trainer

Verdict: An innovative platform that uses AI to turn long videos into segmented training guides.

DeepHow solves the "Authoring" problem by letting you film an expert doing a task, and then using AI to chop that video into steps and transcribe the audio.

Pros:

• Speed of Creation: Much faster than writing a Dozuki guide. Just film and let the AI process it.

• Translation: Automatically translates the audio/text into multiple languages.

Cons:

• Video Only: It focuses on procedural training ("How to do X"). It is less effective for troubleshooting specific random error codes ("What does Error 505 mean?").

Best For: Training new hires on repetitive manual tasks.

5. Microsoft SharePoint: The "Default" (and The Enemy)

Verdict: Where knowledge goes to die.

We include SharePoint because it is what most companies use. It is a file repository, not a knowledge management system.

The Problem:

• Unsearchable: finding "Pump Manual" returns 50 results. finding "How to fix the pump vibration" returns zero.

• Not Mobile: Trying to open a 50MB PDF on a phone while standing inside a machine is frustrating and dangerous.

• No Feedback Loop: There is no way to know if the document actually helped solve the problem.

Best For: Storing HR policies and cafeteria menus, not critical machine data.

Conclusion: Stop Archiving, Start Answering.

Knowledge is useless if it stays trapped in a binder or a brain.

• If you need Strict SOP Control, choose Dozuki.

• If you need Video Training, choose DeepHow or Poka.

• If you want an AI Assistant that reads your manuals and guides your technicians in real-time, Fabrico is the unified solution for 2026.