Elitia Tech - IT Solutions for Tomorrow

Top 5 benefits of MES

Improved Quality Control

Increased Uptime

Reduced Inventory

Paperless Shop Floor

Improved Product Tracking & Genealogy

Ready infrastructure for MES at Elitia

MES Features

In 1997, the Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association International, or MESA, defined the 11 core manufacturing execution system functions. Although the MESA-11 model has evolved over time, those original 11 core functions provide the base to run almost any type of plant and are integral to today’s manufacturing execution systems.

Resource Allocation & Status

Use real-time data to track and analyze the status of resources, including machines, materials, and labor, to make allocation adjustments.

Operations/Detailed Scheduling

Optimize performance by scheduling, timing, and sequencing activities based on priorities and resource capacity.

Dispatching Production Units

Manage production data flow in real time to easily make quick, calculated adjustments in production dispatching.

Document Control

Manage and distribute documents – including work instructions, drawings, standard operating procedures, batch records, and more – so they’re accessible and editable.

Data Collection & Acquisition

Track and collect real-time data about processes, materials, and operations and use it to make better decisions and increase efficiency.

Labor Management

Track worker schedules, qualifications, and authorizations to optimize labor management with less investment of time and resources from management.

Evolution of MES Standards

While the MESA-11 model focuses on core MES functions, the International Society of Automation (ISA) saw the need for consistent terminology and a consistent information model to define and integrate the activities between enterprise and control systems – so they developed the ISA-95 standard in the late ‘90s. By standardizing terminology, ISA-95 makes effective communication between stakeholders, such as suppliers and manufacturers, easier. And consistent models reduce the risk of error when integrating manufacturing sites with business systems.

ISA-95 defines the interface between control and enterprise functions to create levels of technology and business process. A simplified model of that hierarchy puts manufacturing execution systems at level three, between business planning and logistics and process control systems:

Level 4 – ERP: Business Planning & Logistics

Level 3 – MES: Manufacturing Operations Management

Level 2 – Process control Systems: Batch Control

Level 1 – Process control Systems: Continuous Control

Level 0 – Process control Systems: Discrete Control

MES & ERP Integration

ERP focuses on creating and managing plant schedules including production, material use, delivery, and shipping – as well as gathering information about your business. Manufacturing execution systems, on the other hand, focus on managing and monitoring manufacturing operations and reporting on production line activities in real time.

Together, an ERP and an MES create an integrated ecosystem, offering a holistic view of finance, procurement, supply chain management, manufacturing logistics, and more. Combining that information increases agility and provides robust data that improves forecasting on everything from sales to asset utilization to manufacturing management.

WSN Nodes

WSN nodes are low cost devices, so they can be deployed in high volume. They also operate at low power so that they can run on battery, or even use energy harvesting. A WSN node is an embedded system that typically performs a single function (such as measuring temperature or pressure, or turning on a light or a motor).

Energy harvesting is a new technology that derives energy from external sources (for example, solar power, thermal energy, wind energy, electromagnetic radiation, kinetic energy, and more). The energy is captured and stored for use by small, low-power wireless autonomous devices, like the nodes on a WSN.

WSN Edge Nodes

A WSN edge node is a WSN node that includes Internet Protocol connectivity. It acts as a gateway between the WSN and the IP network. It can also perform local processing, provide local storage, and can have a user interface.

Wireless SoC (system on chip)

Manufactures like Gainspan, Wiznet, Nordic Semiconductor, TI and others are creating self-contained, RF-certified module solutions that have TCP, UDP and IP on chip. These solutions include built-in security features, can reduce certification times and allow companies to add communication to any microcontroller-based (MCU-based) product with little RF expertise.

MES Trends & New Technologies

Cloud connectivity is the backbone of smart factories, allowing advanced manufacturing systems, devices, products, and equipment to interact autonomously. IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) devices and sensors across the supply chain are continually gathering and generating data. This real-time sharing of data helps smart factories to continually improve their operations – automating better workflows, customizing products and services, and growing smarter and more efficient over time.

MES software can also help manufacturers take advantage of a key trend in the evolution of manufacturing execution systems: customized production. Instead of mass production, your smart factory could move to mass personalization – and meet the demand for less expensive, highly tailored products with speed and affordability.

While personalization makes manufacturing more complex, advanced technologies can help manufacturing systems to react and pivot in real time. Artificial intelligence (AI) can improve production efficiency, handle predictive maintenance, and reduce waste. Tapping into machine learning capabilities, production lines can become increasingly smart and efficient. With virtual reality (VR), manufacturers can simulate processes and identify potential improvements. And they can integrate augmented reality (AR) solutions to reduce production downtime and optimize shop floor operations.

All of these advanced technologies and capabilities make it easier for companies to compete in a digital world – responding to demand rapidly and accurately with customized products that are lower in cost and higher in quality.

A manufacturing execution system, or MES, is a comprehensive, dynamic software system that monitors, tracks, documents, and controls the process of manufacturing goods from raw materials to finished products.

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