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PROCESS AUTOMATION


WHAT IS MES? AND WHY INVEST?


Mike Bradford, strategic business development director at DELMIA, part of the Dassault Systèmes Group, gives us an in depth review of what MES is, why it’s essential and the key differences between MOM and MES


around the globe. Offering manufacturers a dynamic software solution that is capable of monitoring, tracking, controlling and documenting manufactured products throughout production; MES provides key decision-makers with all of the information they require to implement efficiency driven changes to their operations. Whilst MES has established itself with some


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of the major manufacturers, there’s still many businesses that could stand to benefit from the solution but simply don’t have enough understanding about the tangible benefits it can bring to their operation. First, it’s important to differentiate between


MES and manufacturing operations management (MOM), as a lot of people within the industry use the terms interchangeably despite them not being the same thing. In fact, MES is actually a component of a wider MOM system, and they work together to give manufacturers capabilities that cross their entire operation. MES is primarily focused on production, so it


will integrate into your equipment and give you visibility into machine status, highlight the operator work instructions whilst also tracking time for production. It also provides businesses with a full report on production and can identify any errors with the machine and workflow, giving your business all of the information that is required to make quicker fixes to issues that arise. In terms of a wider MOM solution, this will


look at the work instructions, link to machinery and the top equipment on the shop floor


20 NOVEMBER 2022 | PROCESS & CONTROL


manufacturing execution system, often referred to as MES, has quickly become a staple within many businesses


MES doesn’t get as much attention as the far more established MOM solutions


do, but in time professionals within the sector certainly will see the tangible


benefits that MES brings


production. But the main differentiator comes where a MOM solution will also provide capabilities and visibility in other key functionality like quality, maintenance and materials/warehouse. You can integrate quality control, material synchronisation and maintenance planning & execution into your overall manufacturing process, so that your line side quality, material supply and maintenance activities are part of your production process within your MOM solution. It doesn't require separate systems, separate reporting, or separate tracking. Whilst there is plenty of awareness about


the benefits of MOM for manufacturers, the same can’t be said of MES. When it comes to investing in MES, the most important thing to note is just how much value it can bring to your business, especially when helping reduce lead times. It also plays a role in reducing the overall


inventory required, as businesses won’t need any ‘just-in-case’ inventory as a MES will ensure accurate inventory records are maintained. This will ensure manufacturers are able to stock as much as they require, with no surplus. DELMIA implemented a MES solution for Cummins, a farm equipment manufacturer, and were able to reduce their inventories by $36 million by simply having an effective MES inventory solution in place to reduce waste. Alongside this, throughput was increased by 25% due to real-time reporting and the greater visibility afforded to the company by the Apriso production MES that was provided. Many manufacturers will see quality and


throughput improvements simultaneously when MES is in place, which can remove bottlenecks in the production process. Most businesses will add quality gates during the manufacturing process to ensure the quality of each product is as high as possible, this inevitably slows overall throughput. With MES


integrated as part of the process, the quality control aspects of production can be streamlined and, in some cases, removed, further enhancing the overall efficiency and profitability of the business. It's also worth noting that you can improve


reporting because quite often in environments which are still utilising manual inputs they end up adding the production and scrap counts at a later date. In the manufacturing industry, it is widely accepted – and proven in detailed studies – that when inputting data on production statistics, there is anywhere between 85% - 90% data accuracy. The 10% - 15% variable on this can throw overall production, inventory and scrap figures out by a long way, which inevitably leads to more costs in the long run. Incorporating MES into production is a sure way to improve overall reporting and remove outdated and time- consuming manual data input. In summary, there’s real value at every step


of that process by rolling out an all- encompassing MOM solution. When pairing your MES solution with true MOM, you’re likely to see even more benefits and a vast reduction in inventory, waste, and overall inefficiencies. So, when it comes to the question “why invest?”, the simple answer is because there's real value in incorporating MES, whether that be into an existing MOM solution, or as a standalone product. There is a value found typically in improved


productivity and improved quality, including getting right first time through robust MES solutions, and all manufacturing firms should seriously consider the improved efficiencies and cost savings they can bring. Over time manufacturers can stand to save large sums through simply removing inefficiencies and ensuring that no surplus products are made.


DELMIA discover.3ds.com


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