MES and production data systems
Manufacturing execution systems
The scope here is production data: acquisition from the control systems and metering, historisation, efficiency and balance calculations, and reporting. Where a full ISA-95 manufacturing execution system is required, this is the data layer it sits on.
An MES earns its place when a number that used to arrive at month end arrives during the shift that can still act on it.
What we implement
Real-time production visibility. Unit and plant output, against plan and against capability, on the screen of the person responsible for it.
Equipment condition and maintenance planning. Running hours per item, condition indications from the control system, and maintenance planned against them rather than against the calendar.
Cost and profit in real time. Production cost and margin under current operating conditions, so that a change in fuel price or product mix is visible while the operating decision is still open.
Production forecasting. Expected output and profit under current conditions, for planning.
Loss and downtime analysis. Uncontrolled and emergency stops recorded, classified and analysed, with the cost attached.
Energy accounting. Technical and commercial accounting for electricity, water, air, steam and gas.
Reporting to the department that acts on it. Unit efficiency to the head of installation, economic reports to finance, shift efficiency to the shift head, raw material requirements to supply. The same data, different questions.
Operator performance across shifts. Comparison by shift, day, week, month and year. Used correctly this is a management tool; used poorly it becomes surveillance rather than process improvement. We implement it as process analysis, not as surveillance.
Platforms and integration
Honeywell PHD and OSIsoft PI System, taking data from DCS Emerson Ovation and DCS ABB Industrial IT over OPC and from SCADA and commercial metering over Modbus, with central long-term archiving.