A manufacturing execution system (MES) involves a computerized system that is used in manufacturing plants to indicate conditions on the plant floor and ways in which the conditions may be optimized to increase efficiency and production. Because an MES is a large, complex and varied application, there is no standard approach to implementing a MES system. Every system must be designed and customized to provide a specific solution to suit a company’s individual needs.
The Benefits of an MES
According to The Instrument Society of America (ISA) claims that when used properly an MES system is capable of:
- reducing work in process by up to 20%
- reducing plant downtime by 30%
- reducing manual data entry time by up to 75%
- reducing waste production by 15%
Because these benefits are so high, the return on your investment is relatively short and often just a matter of months. However, until your MES is fully operational it’s hard to judge what the exact saving will be in an individual situation. Other benefits include:
- reducing manufacturing cycle time
- reducing work-in-process
- eradicating between-shift paperwork
- eliminating lost paperwork
- reducing lead times
- improving product quality
- empowering plant operators
- improving customer services
Common Uses for MES
The most typical uses for MES include:
- historical and real time data collection
- digital dashboard for visualization
- management of plant/machine downtime
- management of employee utilization
If you still have doubts about implementing an MES, remember that if you truly want your company to develop and maintain a competitive edge, you must be prepared to deploy measures that will respond efficiently to market changes to help you adapt your manufacturing processes in real time. An MES is a critical tool to help you achieve this.
Our team of experts at Innovatum has more than 20 years of experience in labeling within life sciences industries and accessing information from MES systems. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you to integrate information from your MES system into labeling and even Master Data Management, FDA GUDID and trading partner data exchange.
