Manufacturing Execution System (MES) & Digitalization

About MES & Digitalization:

MES (Manufacturing Execution System) is a combination of software system and hardware used in manufacturing to track and manage production processes in real-time. It includes functionalities such as basic production scheduling, job tracking, quality control, and inventory management. MES helps manufacturers to optimize their production processes, reduce lead times, increase throughput, improve product quality, increase visibility, and detects bottlenecks.

Digitalization in MSF refers to the use of digital technologies to transform and automate business processes. Digitalization involves the integration of digital technologies into all aspects of a business, including manufacturing, supply chain, paperless production… Digitalization enables manufacturers to collect and analyze data in real-time, automate routine tasks, and make informed decisions based on data insights. By optimizing production processes and minimizing waste, digitalization also can help reduce production costs.

While MES is a specific software system used in manufacturing, digitalization is a broader strategy that involves the use of multiple digital technologies, including MES, to transform and optimize manufacturing processes. MES is one aspect of digitalization, but digitalization goes beyond MES to include other technologies such as IoT sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML).

MSF MES

MSF MES helps to collect and analyze all production data in real-time, from workstations or WorkCentres, employees, tools usage, materials, quality (scrap, rework), sensors and much more. Real time data from workstation is shown on the Panel PC for the operator to see. All data from workstations and workcenteres are shown also in real-time in MES web app on the Dashboard page (and other pages). MSF MES is a fully functional system for managing manufacturing processes including production modules with product trees, production orders, job orders, basic labour management, monitoring of production processes and analysing stop causes in production. Using this module you can monitor the whole production in one single platform from various locations.

There are different versions of MES available to be used in the shop floor: Basic MES and Advanced MES:

– Basic MES: Basic production information (employees (login, times), work orders (details, planned, durations), basic quality (scrap, rework), manual stop selection, interaction with pre-uploaded documents. Basic production OEE is available. Best suitable to be used for manual jobs, or workstation digitalization with MSF IoT card and machine digital signals.

– Advanced MES: all from basic MES, plus stock transfer/request option, manual/automatic pallet system* (*with 4PL planning), collecting data from sensors, connecting to PLC of workstations, monitoring sensor information, … Fully customizable panel themes are available. Maintenance team interaction* (*with Maintenance module only).

Types of shop-floor digitalization (MES):

Different combinations of MES digitalization are available, depending on the scenarios needed from the shopfloor. Shop floor can be digitized with either IoT card, Panel, or combination of Panel and IoT card.

1.) MSF Panel digitalization

Uses Smart Touch-Screen Industrial Panel (various sizes are available). Digitalization just with MSF Panel is available only in MES manual mode. These panels are usually put in strategic locations, for example WorkCentres, to digitalize multiple machines or manual job work places.

2.) MSF IoT digitalization

Uses MSF Smart I/O device and can behave like external PLC. One IoT can send collected data directly to server without the need of a Panel PC. Useful if you want to digitalize machines or sensors that are 24/7 in production, like compressors etc.

3.) MSF Panel + IoT

The best way to fully digitalize workstation is combination with panel and IoT card. This way you’ll get full advanced options to collect data and interact with data from the panel. This will also give you possibility to calculate OEE and TEEP fully and correctly. Additionally, automatic and manual stops are collected, scraps are rework, and other modules are able to work in parallel with MES Panel+IoT combination: Maintenance, APS, 4PL.

4.) Panel + IoT for Manual jobs

If you want to put collect produced quantities from manual jobs in real-time, buttons and switches can be connected.

4.) PLC digitalization

MSF MES can work with any kind of PLC, as long as it’s open for outside communication. There are many ways that a PLC can connect to external IoT device: Ethernet or Wi-Fi, Serial port communication (Modbus or RS-485), OPC-UA, APIs or other integration methods. Many PLC integrations has already been implemented, with well known brands or smaller local ones (Siemens, Honeywell, Schneider, ABB, Allen Bradley, …)

Why MES?

– Remove of paper (paperless factory), increasing productivity, finding bottlenecks,

– For any type of production, sector, organization

– Fully customizable

– MES app works on-premise/cloud

– Basic and advanced reports available

– Can digitalize all workstations (old/new), manual jobs, and modernize old machines

– Can collect and kind of data: machine speed, performance (workstation and employee), power consumption, …

– One or multiple workstations per panel PC

– Can digitalize with only IoT card or with only Panel PC

– Managing stock movements automatically

– Basic and advanced reports available from the data

– More functionalities in combination with other modules (APS, 4PL, Maintenance, QC, …)

– Real-time crisis scenarios automatically/manually trigger notifications and other modules

– Can work independently to other modules

– Available usage of external devices (scanners, …)

– Panel PC Software supports all languages

– Support employee login/log out