Manufacturing Execution Systems

Many manufacturers worldwide have limited real-time visibility of their manufacturing functionality & processes. This information gap is frustrating and hinders manufacturing initiatives. A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) should deliver real-time information, support a variety of lean concepts on the plant floor, including waste reduction, and complements your ERP system.

The compelling reasons to implement a MES system are to:

  • Create a Paperless Shop Floor

  • Automatically interface to machine control systems, scales, quality gauges, etc.

  • Display and manipulate real-time schedules on the shop floor

  • Record and Analyze Downtime and Waste

  • Provide Dashboards, both real time and historical

  • Update man, machine, job status activities in the ERP

  • Eliminate the requirement to “publish”, distribute, and track shop floor packets

  • Support Kanban Manufacturing in a paperless fashion

One of the unique abilities of MES is to collect and analyze downtime. Monitoring PLC’s or other devices and identifying downtime occurrences, then linking a downtime event with a downtown reason code. The machine operator simply selects from a list of pre-built, customer defined, downtime codes whenever a downtime event occurs. Comments can also be added.

Online Factory Status

Important information about the present status of all work being conducted on the plant floor is available to users and management. This information is accurate and in real-time, allowing management to make strategic decisions rather than wasting time searching for data to determine the status of their production at any given time. Real time access to production status gives production personnel immediate information regarding important Key Performance Indicators like Downtime %, Waste %, and Efficiencies. All information collected is also sent to the ERP system or other appropriate systems (i.e. Quality Control System).

Status information includes:

  • Real Time Dashboards

  • Production Status Screens

  • Employee Status

  • Efficiency and Productivity Reporting

  • Online Schedule by Work Center

  • WIP Inventory Location and Availability

MES updates the ERP with production, scrap, and material issue transactions as well as with direct and indirect labor. In addition, you can display schedules, parts lists, and other ERP-sourced information to management and the shop floor user.