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MES and ERP working in harmony

15 May 2022

In the food manufacturing sector the need for continuous improvement is acute. Laura Meaden discusses the software approaches that can best meet the need for increasing operational gains. 

Many believe that continuous improvement can be achieved with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system alone, removing the need for a Manufacturing Execution System (MES).  

An ERP platform is capable of integrating a set of applications used to manage processes – this can cover everything from sales, purchasing and finance to human resources. The goal is to create a central data repository which acts as a planning resource for the enterprise. Armed with information from an ERP system it is possible to calculate how much it costs to produce a specific product and the materials needed. It is also able to predict how many employees are needed for continuous operations, and plan accordingly. There is no doubt that ERP is a powerful tool. However, it is not capable of reporting real-time conditions of the manufacturing process and presenting information that enables operators to make informed decisions.

Continuous improvement 
By providing end-to-end monitoring of manufacturing processes, MES software can open the route to continuous improvement at plant level, giving operators the tools to maximise flexibility, quality, and compliance and giving insight into the physical equipment available on the factory floor. 

Both MES and ERP software platforms play an important role and work better when deployed together. As an example, if a production line is introducing a new product, the ERP can show how much raw material is needed and how much product would be produced, while the MES on can tell operators on the factory floor how this new product is impacting the systems. Is it adding strain to an asset? Is a machine is running at a higher temperature? Is there a knock-on effect to the rest of the enterprise or any number of machine level variables?

With the added overview and supply chain knowledge made possible through the ERP platform, any number of machine level issues can be contextualised against the whole enterprise. With the new production line example, if an issue occurred that slowed production, the MES software looks at the machine level and the ERP platform takes this data and turns it into actionable information. Slowdown in production could have a knock-on effect to perishable ingredients, and the ERP would advise on altering production planning to ensure the manufacturer doesn’t suffer from unnecessary waste. 

Small manufacturers that make a specialised single product with customisation can keep a close eye on costs at the top level while simultaneously improving efficiency with intelligence from the plant floor – something that can’t be achieved with an ERP alone. Meanwhile, a large global enterprise with multiple facilities can break down information silos that often occur with spread assets. 

With a single ERP approach an owner could see how one facility compares with the rest of the enterprise, if it is under-performing this would signal that improvements need to be made. With a combined MES the owner can see intelligence from the plant floor, learning how the environmental differences of each facility impact production and continually seeking to create optimal conditions and replicate best practices from site to site.

By deploying MES and ERP together, food manufacturers can adapt quickly to the ever-changing needs of the market while operating in a cost-effective and efficient manner. Intelligence at every level provides the tools to implement proactive maintenance and continuous improvement initiatives across multiple areas from business planning and supply to machine performance and quality checks. The real-time data contextualisation ensuring that operators are well-informed and empowered to make fast decisions on the plant floor – reducing downtime, improving efficiency; opening the full benefits of digital transformation.

Laura Meaden is business development manager at SolutionsPT. 


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