IIoT versus Manufacturing Execution System – FORCAM

What an MES platform must be able to do

When making an investment decision for or against a platform technology, three things should be essential: The solution can be easily and quickly integrated into the existing IT architecture, the solution creates comprehensive transparency and clarity through a unified production data model for all departments, the solution is flexible in the IT infrastructure required (on-premise, edge or cloud), and is open to the integration of current and future applications.

It does not have to be complicated or expensive to introduce a digital platform solution for factories. The simpler the solution, the greater the acceptance within the company. And starter kits and pilot projects help make the first steps efficient.

SIMPLE – Most significant for manufacturing managers in the first step: The MES platform solution must first enable the simple networking of machines on an IT platform, as well as the connecting t shop and top floor (ERP – Enterprise Resource Planning).

Fast – The real-time speed of digital factory monitoring is important for all stakeholders. The platform solution must be able to generate digital mirror images of production on the computer, with which production managers and workers can virtually analyze key figures such as overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and optimize them in real terms, and controlling can work with facts from the factory.

FLEXIBLE – Finally, companies with an open Industry 4.0 platform remain flexible today and in the future if the solution can offer open application interfaces (OPEN API). This allows companies to create their factory IT architecture and remain open to new apps today and in the future.

These requirements are met by an open platform solution, where essential MES solutions are pre-installed and ready to use. The two together – open platform solution and pre-installed MES solutions – create the ready-to-go IT solution that allows companies to get started immediately while remaining flexible to integrate current and future IT solutions.