MES Manufacturing Execution Systems

MES technology has become a key element for enterprise solutions. The system provides a central information hub of 11 decision-based functions that link to other databases. These elements, combined with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and a control system such as PLC, SCADA, MMI or HMI, provide the means for a paperless factory. Currently, companies in the horticultural industries have adopted MES.

MES and data collection

Many tools in today's manufacturing environment collect data -- bar coders, forms, handheld statistical process control data collectors, electronic gages and others. Typically, manufacturers invest in different devices for each implemented system. When acquiring an enterprise resource planning system, for example, manufacturers usually purchase a bar coding system to collect data associated with work orders. Bar code stations, strategically located throughout the manufacturing facility, usually cause queues of operators and assemblers logging in and out of jobs.

The bar code system primarily collects labor information. Manufacturers also must invest in a separate system to collect quality or SPC data. This usually entails creating, distributing and filling out forms. Although most SPC systems are networkable, a high percentage of them consist of stand-alone PCs with handheld data collectors.

An MES system replaces these cumbersome manual activities with electronic data collection on the shop floor, which can then be transferred to management, the front office or back to engineering.

Bron: Quality digest

Benefits to quality control

Think of all the data and documents that quality is responsible for: inspection sheets, sample inspection reports, control plans, key characteristic listings, process matrixes, CpK reports, nonconformance documents and tags, SPC charts, warranty documents, vendor certifications, material certifications, gage prints, inspection methods sheets, process flow diagrams and more.

A quality department uses several systems to create and edit these documents. Quality technicians usually create or edit documents electronically but distribute them manually on hard copy. They then collect the data, possibly enter it back into a system and file the hard copies for future reference or traceability. A quality department can take advantage of MES on several fronts:

• Document control -- An MES's electronic document control approach ensures that the correct revision(s) are the only ones available.
• Tie-in to manufacturing -- MES in conjunction with an ERP system informs management about jobs in production, in queue or waiting to be scheduled. Jobs can be scheduled against inspectors and auditors. This allows a quality manager to view in real time any shop-floor bottlenecks and make appropriate changes.
• Tool and gage management -- MES can easily show gages distributed throughout the facility that are due for calibration. Because MES is an electronic system, related documentation such as gage prints, specifications and pictures is immediately available.
• Cost control -- An MES can track the quality costs associated with inspection, auditing and data collection. It also provides a mechanism for inspectors, auditors and quality engineers to track their time. Using Pareto charts, department managers can easily compare predicted costs vs. actual costs.
• SPC online -- An MES system with SPC imbedded tracks production time and quantities, and can electronically flag operators when a process is due for inspection. In addition, when tied in with a company's gage tracking or management system, gage calibration can be scheduled based upon frequency of use rather than an arbitrarily specified time frame.
• Tracking nonconformances -- An MES can display an electronic nonconformance document as soon as a nonconforming piece is identified, which forces the operator to identify the problem. The system can then automatically e-mail notices that a nonconformance needs to be dispositioned.
• Real-time monitoring -- An MES can send an alarm throughout the network about a problem on the shop floor. The notice will even include specific information such as process, part, operation, job number, serial number and operator. With this information, quality can identify the problem right after it has occurred, rather than hearing later from manufacturing that "we had a problem today."

An MES provides all the necessary and correct information to operators or assemblers at the correct time. Quality, manufacturing and engineering data, stored in separate databases, is accessible across the network for combined reporting. An MES also allows operators to request resources from other department databases linked within the system. In short, an MES gives a quality department the means to support its internal and external customers more easily, quickly and with much more data.

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