Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) are software systems widely used in manufacturing enterprises to help businesses connect, monitor, and control data flows. They also allow manufacturers to connect through Industrial Networks complex manufacturing systems and control every production process.
Source: Siemens
Manufacturing Execution Systems interconnect numerous vendors, facilities, sites, and production information in real-time, at the time that they easily integrate enterprise business applications, controllers, and equipment. This results in absolute control, visibility, and manufacturing optimisation.
The core functions and benefits of an MES are as follows:
Standardise and enforce processes across all sites: An MES helps synchronise manufacturing activities across worldwide distributed fabrics, and connect them in real-time to the enterprise system for optimal performance.
Eliminate non-value-add activities: An MES helps remove human error in manufacturing by delivering yield monitoring, real-time quality data checks, automatic execution of specifications and business rules, and as-manufactured lot, batch, device or unit traceability, resulting in better process and product quality, hence higher productivity.
Gain real-time visibility and control across the supply chain: An MES provides the flexibility to model and change complex processes and enforces them immediately. It tracks product and order details on the plant floor, collects transactions for reporting to financial and planning systems, and electronically dispatches orders and manufacturing commands to shop floor personnel, and in some cases machines as well.
Accelerate trace analysis, root cause identification and issue solution: An MES provide the real-time feedback needed to quickly diagnose and resolve issues for continuous product and process improvement and optimisation of manufacturing processes, avoiding bottlenecks before they become a problem.
Lower cost of good quality: An MES reduces the downtime as it keeps your process running longer with a better understanding of your machine, also helps to reduce scrap and eliminates paperwork errors and redundant checks.
MES are also seen as catalysts towards standardisation of operations and systems. It is worthwhile to notice that MES implementations are complex and applications need to involve specialised System & Network Integrators with extensive experience in your industry.
Finally, when choosing a robust Manufacturing Execution Software you should select a model that supports a broad diversity of manufacturing industries and complex process workflows, with high volume automated data collection, make to order, rolled products, discrete assembly, and batch processes.
Learn more about MES in this link.
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