7 Questions Expose the Advantages of Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

Do you have any doubts about the advantages of a new Manufacturing Execution System (MES)? Perhaps you should conduct another tour of your facility and conduct interviews with your team members to see if they can answer any of these seven (7) important questions.

1. Has there been any impact on the final unit produced over the last eight hours of manufacturing due to a product quality issue?
2. Are we sticking to the production plan on a daily basis? Are you able to tell?
3. Is the problem discovered through standard tests at each shift change or by a proactive operator?
4. Is the problem only present when a specific product or product grade is manufactured?
5. Is this an issue that affects all units, lines, or pieces of similar equipment?
6. What KPIs/metrics matter to you and how are they measured?
7. Are there any wasteful stages detected in the AS-IS business processes?

In terms of time, materials, and, ultimately, dollars, a defective or inefficient process usually affects numerous departments and employees. Interviews should be conducted with representatives from operations, company management, support groups, suppliers, and customers.

In addition to identifying difficulties or "pain points" in the plant, a Lean/Six Sigma methodology should be used, beginning with a Value Stream Map (VSM) of the process to identify non-value-added phases that can be eliminated by automating or implementing a MES solution. 

 The Future Of MES And Industry 4.0: LiveTracking

From clipboards and pens to spreadsheets and now complex MES software, the manufacturing industry has come a long way. While current MES solutions have come a long way in terms of reporting on manufacturing processes, the future will only bring greater progress.

Today, all eyes are on Industry 4.0, the next wave of the industrial revolution. The interconnectedness of devices has ushered in new possibilities and offered a great quantity of computer power as we have all grown increasingly linked. Through cloud computing and improved processes, this drive will deliver high-speed wireless capabilities. With LiveTracking, your business can have real-time process data at your fingertips to provide production line insights that consistently drive better decisions and better behaviors.