These days, digital solutions are widely popular. The message is unmistakable: low-hanging fruit is accessible even to small-sized companies. MES (Manufacturing Execution System) is the ladder necessary to pick them. As we move into Industry 4.0, more companies want to collect and analyse the data for better shop floor control and management. MES allows us to connect the production floor with the rest of the business, providing real-time data, more accurate scheduling, greater resource utilisation, and improved control over every aspect of the company. That’s why a factory MES software implementation can be advantageous. What can one expect from such a product, though? What can it offer, and how might it alter a small business venture's effectiveness?
How MES is put to use?
Manufacturing Execution Software is the meaning behind the acronym MES, which says a lot. Inversely, MES is a digital tool or - an extensive set of tools - developed to monitor, manage, and record all production processes, starting with the first stage of the manufacturing process, using the financial and scheduling charts, up to the last delivery of the finished, utilisable product. That is flawlessly planned out. The highest standards are followed in all instances.
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The workshop control system gathers data, analyses it, and then offers the findings to chosen individuals who utilise this information to make better decisions. A manufacturing MES acts as an assistant that many project managers once dreamt about having. It is manufacturers' nirvana, and nowadays, even a small business can afford it.
Setting up a manufacturing MES
Let's look at how this digital system might function to obtain a more comprehensive view. MES can work wonders for a small firm, particularly if the proprietor struggles to control the business. There may be a variety of causes for this. For instance, estimating the fair costs of labour and developing a brand-new product in a highly competitive business can take time and effort. In this highly competitive environment, time is money: the winner is the one who comes up with an innovative idea faster. Pricing and project costing based on hazy projections is a risk that many fear. A production MES will offer a wealth of information to help you make the best decision.
Additionally, the company needs to have a complete overview of the shop floor, so when clients need real-time progress information, the answer can be given straight away.
Although every MES software has unique features, they share some common functionalities. Remember that you don’t need a sophisticated and complicated system if you run a small company. Just because something is popular doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for you. For small and medium-sized companies, the most important are the following:
- Order Processing: Tracking and adjusting raw materials, deadlines, quantities, progress and status tracking, and quality control.
- Scheduling: A complete snapshot of your machinery and staff for better resource management and job designations.
- Inventory Management: Review current stock quantities to determine replenishment methods accurately.
- Estimating/Quoting and Cost Tracking: Develop exact, deliverable quotes and estimates for your clients, compare estimates against actuals and adjust sell prices for repetitive orders. Maintained part histories for particular pieces and monitored job progress from the shop floor.
There are many more features offered by different software providers. Still, the most basic information from the MES software enables calculating the cost of production and estimating the manufacturer’s optimal price for the client.
- The employee registers the START of a performed production operation. The system automatically receives information on who (namely), when, and what kind of task or product has just started to produce.
- The employee registers the end of a production operation by clicking a STOP button. Then, they add the number of pieces made and comment on potential defects.
These two simple records in the system present great opportunities; you’ve never dreamed about:
- You see the recorded time of all operations – a log book with information about who, when, and what they did. There is no need to go physically to the production hall to search for things or ask your workers;
- You can see real-time progress and the stage of each production order. Thanks to this, you can answer all clients’ questions and make quick changes to the production schedule.