Manufacturing execution programs (MES) developed a status for being too inflexible, costly and out of sync with fashionable manufacturing operations. However now, as provide chain points, financial pressures and compliance requirement calls for intensify, MES is making a robust comeback and shedding its cumbersome picture.
With this in thoughts, it’s necessary to make clear MES, which is a broad time period for a software program platform to observe and handle operations in a producing atmosphere. MES supplies real-time information and analytics of manufacturing processes, permitting for a strategic overview of operations that helps steady enchancment actions.
It’s totally different from different automation applied sciences, similar to SCADA and distributed management programs, as a result of MES doesn’t carry out any direct management of apparatus. However in right this moment’s manufacturing world, the place the significance of real-time, data-driven decision-making has change into clear, there’s rising recognition that MES is important. It’s the software that bridges the hole between big-picture enterprise objectives and day-to-day manufacturing realities.
Has MES Actually Modified A lot?
Conventional MES choices had been rigid and vendor-specific, typically coming from the identical main distributors of commercial automation {hardware} and software program. Connectivity choices had been restricted, making it troublesome to get manufacturing information.
Legacy MES deployments had been costly, and software program limitations typically meant that the whole purposeful mannequin needed to be designed without delay, requiring producers to decide to a considerable amount of performance upfront. Increasing and upgrading programs was troublesome and sometimes additionally closely depending on vendor assist.
In distinction, fashionable MES choices extra carefully resemble IT software program that operators are used to outdoors of producing, with light-weight internet shoppers, cloud deployment choices, modular performance and AI/ML options. This enables for integration with different enterprise software program platforms.
“Trendy MES extra carefully resemble IT software program that operators have change into used to outdoors of producing, with light-weight internet shoppers, cloud deployment choices, modular performance and AI/ML options.”
As well as, fashionable MES software program implementations could be rolled out in increments. The software program can be way more versatile with low-code or no-code choices, making it simpler to your groups to make platform modifications.
Including to the potential for contemporary MES software program is that operational know-how has superior considerably alongside advances in industrial networking introduced by IoT know-how, all of which make it simpler to hook up with plant ground gear and collect manufacturing information.
Because of this, fashionable MES has entry to extra information than ever earlier than, with a better capability for contextualisation of that information.
Listed here are a couple of examples of how manufacturing operations information can be utilized by MES to optimise productiveness:
- Variability in uncooked materials prices is a large subject in manufacturing. Use MES to trace materials utilization in real-time and minimise waste.
- Monitor gear efficiency to higher schedule deliberate upkeep actions, minimising manufacturing downtime.
- Digitise paper-based checklists and workflows to enhance information availability and scale back the chance of human error.
- Analyse high quality information so processes could be corrected earlier than merchandise change into out of specification.
The place to start with MES right this moment
The place to begin is getting readability on what you’re making an attempt to realize by implementing an MES.
Determine your main concern, similar to price, high quality, schedule adherence, traceability or uptime. It’s tempting to say all of those, however the very best outcomes can be achieved by extra clearly defining success and scope by choosing one to 2 of those.
At Nukon, we assist prospects remedy their enterprise issues by means of the applying of know-how, not by implementing know-how after which in search of issues to resolve. We all the time suggest figuring out the issues the enterprise or customers are going through after which working backwards in the direction of the know-how.
The underside line is your MES journey doesn’t must be difficult. Working with a digital advisory accomplice on a strategy-led method makes transformation way more achievable.
Concerning the writer:
Amy Sudibyo is a Technical Lead at Nukon, and has extra than 12 years’ hands-on expertise in electrical and software program engineering.
Amy has labored throughout a variety of industries, together with vitality, water, and manufacturing – from meals and beverage, to packaging, development supplies and pharmaceutical.
She has efficiently applied MES for iconic Australian producers of fast-moving shopper items and solved quite a few information visibility challenges for shoppers. Amy has a eager deal with know-how that permits and helps effectivity and steady enchancment for operators and administration.
Inside Nukon, Amy units the technical imaginative and prescient and guides the supply of software program engineering for initiatives, guaranteeing greatest practices are applied for shoppers.
This text additionally appeared in Automation World.
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