From Volume 3 Issue 2 of Connected.
Integrating industrial software can present organizations with numerous advantages. Depending on the needs of an organization, industrial software can focus on niche solutions or benefit the whole organization. ERP, MES and CMMS are the most common software applications for industrial applications. These systems can help streamline operations, enhance data accessibility and assist in managing manufacturing challenges. When implementing these solutions, organizations can expect significant time and cost savings.
When considering industrial software implementation, it is crucial to explore the diverse solutions available, understand their functionalities and evaluate their potential benefits.
ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING (ERP)
An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is an effective business management software solution. An ERP system serves as a single source for data, allowing relevant teams easy access to information, reducing time spent searching for crucial information and fostering cross-departmental collaboration. A benefit an organization can expect when using an ERP system is the information gained by consolidating organizational data. This information can benefit planners by ensuring that an adequate supply of materials is available to meet customer demands effectively. Finance and procurement teams can rely on an ERP system to track many of the resources both in and outside of the plant. In most cases, the system contains and measures data in days, months and even years.
However, while ERP systems are adequate for many business tasks, they may not meet the demands of fast-paced manufacturing; this is where MES applications excel.
MANUFACTURING EXECUTION SYSTEM (MES)
A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is a specialized software application for managing manufacturing processes. This system tracks and documents the transformation of raw materials into finished products in real time. An MES can help address production tracking challenges by eliminating human error through immediate production data recording.
Additionally, the application helps ensure decision-makers have timely and accurate information by updating inventory records on production, scrap and non-conforming materials. This real-time information flow enables purchasing, shipping and scheduling departments to manage materials and minimize inventory, such as work-in-progress (WIP) and re-work inventory. Quality control teams can exercise greater control over issues identified during production, including the ability to halt production when problems are detected. This visibility and control of inventory and production can lead to substantial time and cost savings in manufacturing, transportation, storage and inventory monitoring.
An MES also helps ascertain overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). OEE is a broad metric used to determine and measure manufacturing effectiveness. An MES helps provide visibility into OEE, which can help determine whether additional equipment is necessary or if improvements in usage could prevent unnecessary purchases.
COMPUTERIZED MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CMMS)
A Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) organizes data and tasks related to maintenance. The system aids in tracking equipment, repair workflow, preventative maintenance and replacement parts. Equipment can include vehicles, machinery, tools and infrastructure. A CMMS consolidates resource and labor data, asset registry, work orders and preventative maintenance schedules in a single source, allowing organizations to track asset information like purchase dates, maintenance history, breakdowns and machine efficiency.
Besides providing an overview of maintenance-related data, a CMMS can support workforce management by simplifying work orders, asset locations and technicians’ schedules, allowing organizations to clearly understand asset status, required work and assigned personnel. The system promotes a proactive approach to preventative maintenance by collecting data from daily activities, sensors, meters and other instrumentation. This proactive approach helps alert maintenance teams to potential issues that arise.
Choosing the most suitable industrial software depends on whether the company seeks control at an enterprise, management or operational level. Whatever the desired direction, the overarching theme is that the benefits of industrial software include maintaining information in a centralized location, facilitating improved teamwork across the organization and creating significant time and cost savings.