Achieving Real-Time Plant Communications & Scheduling with an MES

Among the many benefits of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is the ability to provide an efficient communication channel between plant schedulers, floor operators, and supervisors.

In fact, customers using our CIMAG MES have reduced scrap and rework by more than 33 percent and increased machine utilization by more than 15 percent. These gains come directly from leveraging enhanced plant floor communications.

Here’s how it works.

CIMAG MES ’ Real-Time Production Communications

Plant schedulers use our CIMAG MES software to send production schedules to operators and supervisors and communicate schedule changes in real-time. The software runs on desktop or laptop computers, or on a tablet or other mobile computing devices.

On the plant floor, we configure CIMAG MES systems by installing Zebra rugged mobile computers at each workstation. Running on Zebra computers, such as the ET50 enterprise tablet, CIMAG MES not only communicates schedules but also helps track and control all production activities.

It captures real-time data directly from the workstation and makes it accessible to schedulers and company management as well as supervisors and operators. Based on this data, they can make informed decisions faster and more accurately.

Schedulers can easily change and update schedules, and those changes are communicated seamlessly in real-time to operators and supervisors on the shop floor, using Zebra’s computers.

Operators and supervisors automatically receive production schedules and instructions from the MES, with alerts for deviations in operations’ sequence or BOM.

Business-Critical Scheduling Capabilities

As an MES, CIMAG MES offers a number of additional scheduling capabilities that provide the tools and options necessary to maximize production throughput and efficiency:

• Visual representation of capacity load
• Generation of realistic, doable schedules
• Visual alerts of scheduling conflicts
• Alerts of raw materials shortages
• Production scheduling using alternative routings and BOMs
• Freezing specific shop orders or periods for start or end dates
• Parking orders in a holding status until routing is decided

Based on our customers’ experience in using CIMAG MES to schedule production, users can expect to achieve production-to-plan attainment of better than 90 percent.

Benefits Beyond Scheduling

Beyond sharing and updating production schedules, CIMAG  MES also tracks each operation’s duration and the operator’s identity. In addition, raw material usage is registered directly from production machines, using sensors connected to CIMAG MES. Machine maintenance issues are also shared and communicated in real time.

CIMAG MES also tracks and provides real-time information on job completions, so all pertinent parties are aware of the latest production activity. It enables seamless sharing of information about quality issues as well, along with needed changes in setups on the shop floor.

Additional Bottom-Line Benefits for Manufacturing Operations

With CIMAG MES and mobile computing, barcoding, RFID, and printing technologies from Zebra Technologies, we help manufacturers build a complete system to track, trace, and gain visibility into every aspect of production.

With the visibility, traceability, accuracy, and control that CIMAG MES provides, our manufacturing clients have seen a number of additional crucial benefits:

• 99% inventory accuracy
• Improved visibility with information & reporting at the workstation
• Reduction in waste and costly production errors
• Better compliance with raw materials and finished goods traceability
• Improved productivity with timely maintenance, downtime tracking, and RCA
• Improved training through operator tracking and corrective actions

If benefits like these would be a boost to your business, we’d love to help. Our experts can help you decide if an MES is right for you and determine the best choice for your business.

Contact us now to learn more and request a free consultation.