MES Systems Selection, Installation and
Return on Investment (ROI)

Who needs MES and why?

At the present time, customer expectations include price advantage as well as high quality standards. Manufacturers have to keep up with these high standards and target prices.

Therefore, today’s manufacturers have to produce at high standards and reduce their costs. At this point, the manufacturers need to find a way out. As a result of this, producers who know their problems in the shopfloor, make researches to overcome this problem, create their options and determine the methods. In conclusion, realize that they need the MES.

What are the necessary steps for a successful MES project?

The companies that would like to obtain MES, firstly should identify its all processes & problems accurately and clearly. These problems;

  • Quality problems,
  • Frequent breakdowns,
  • Capacity insufficiency,
  • Lack of traceability,
  • Low performance,

Then, these problems should be prioritized. Realizing the problem and accepting its existence with the correct diagnosis is actually half of the solution. Afterwards, the most ideal method should be determined to eliminate existing problems.

 

What is the success rate in MES projects?

While there is 80% success rate, the failure rate of 20% is due to internal problems. The process that begins with the administration’s inadequate attention turns into a series of sequences.

For example;

  • Continuous change of project coordinators,
  • Not using the ERP system actively, The progress of orders on paper, not opening of work orders,
  • Operators do not work according to planning
  • Failure of Maintainers and electricians to intervene in the panel and signal problem within a short time,
  • Failure to make change of workorder on time, so wrong production notification is sent to ERP
  • Continuous displacement of the machines and starting production without signal connections of the changed machine
  • Processing of production planning via Excel
  • Camera and MES Network using the same line.

 

Does the ERP success rate increase with a successful MES?

Of course it rises. Imagine that the ERP system is stuck in the engineering office, where data is incomplete, incorrect and slow to be entered only by the personnel; The MES system is used, which allows him to see everything that is happening in the production area instantly.

When we look at the current data in Gartner, the success rate in ERP projects could not exceed 37%.


How to choose the right MES?

MES selection is not a procurement process, but a partnership choice. Your partner’s experience, sectoral knowledge, hardware and software infrastructure are important. This partnership relationship, which starts from the establishment, continues by offering hardware and software developments to the needs that arise over time.

When we examine the details;

Reporting Competence: Data from production should be retrieved retrospectively with a flexible reporting tool suitable for the industry.

Ease of Use: The preferred software should be easily understandable by the user. Providing data entry in a short time with the minimum workload of the personnel in the production line is an important factor that directly affects the success of the project.

Safety & Mobility: MES software should be able to monitor production from anywhere in the world without sacrificing security, and allow instant monitoring with internet technologies.

Competence responce to Special Needs: It is necessary for the success of the project that the software is open to the changes and improvements in every project commissioned.

Sustainability: Software and hardware should be constantly improved and developed, and the system should always remain up-to-date and valid.

 Easy integration with peripheral applications: Manual data entries should be minimized by integrating MES software with peripheral applications.

 

How do you think a successful MES project installation should be?

The main thing in installation is to have an experienced partner. MES can be implemented with your existing machines without requiring large infrastructure investment. MES installation is an operational process and field experience is very important.

Here, it is also possible to adapt it to your infrastructural preparation and processes. The integration phase will be initiated with 3rd party software such as QDMS, EBA, ICRON, which will benefit from being integrated into the existing ERP program.

Reports lacking in content and reliability will be reconstructed with more detailed and accurate information that can be obtained before MES.

Andon screens and Dashboards related to traceability will be created and it will be ensured that the visibility will be maintained simultaneously on the web, tablet, Android, IOS.

Ultimately, the information that was collected without errors became rapidly reportable and traceable. As MES get stronger with new technologies such as machine learning; We are not constantly looking at previous reports, but when an anomaly occurs, there is a transition to solutions that can take action. In other words, it can learn the conditions and experience the past and make a decision for you.