Manufacturing Operations Control Software: Applications and Examples

Did you know that the manufacturing industry loses millions of dollars every year due to lack of visibility and control in its operations? According to a recent study, companies that implement manufacturing operations management software (MES) can increase their efficiency by up to 25%.

As a production manager or operations manager in a manufacturing plant, have you ever been frustrated by the lack of real-time information about your operations? Would you like to have better control over your processes and make more informed decisions? In this article we are going to show you how you can have a complete view of all your manufacturing operations in one place through the use of industrial manufacturing operations control software.

Manufacturing Operations Control Software (MES): The brains of your plant floor

More than just a system: Manufacturing Operations Control Software (MES) is the brain that orchestrates the complex symphony of your plant. It is a comprehensive and dynamic system that not only monitors, tracks, documents and controls the manufacturing process, but also transforms data into information, empowers decision makers and optimises production from start to finish.

• More than just a systemNo matter the size of your operation, a Manufacturing Operations Management System can boost productivity and profitability by turning your manufacturing process into an information-driven engine.
• Industries with special needsMES Production Control Platform: Regulated industries such as pharmaceutical, food, medical devices, aerospace, aerospace, defence and biotechnology find in the MES Production Control Platform an invaluable ally to ensure traceability and regulatory compliance.
• A booming marketMES: A report by Transparency Market Research projects that the global Manufacturing Process Management Tool MES market will reach US$18.06 billion by 2025. This growth is driven by industrial automation, the need for regulatory compliance and affordability of systems.

Beyond the basic description:

• Seamless integration: The Production management systems MES connects seamlessly with your ERP and process control systems, creating a seamless digital ecosystem.
• Full visibilityGet a real-time overview of the entire plant, from inventory to quality, production and maintenance.
• Intelligent decision makingConverts raw data into actionable information to make more informed strategic decisions.
• Continuous improvement: Implements a culture of continuous improvement by identifying and eliminating bottlenecks and inefficiency points.
• Rapid adaptationAdapt your production easily to changing market demands and customer needs.
• The future of manufacturingMES Manufacturing Operations Monitoring System enables you to successfully navigate today's competitive and dynamic manufacturing environment. It is the indispensable tool to drive efficiency, quality, profitability and long-term success.

Benefits of Manufacturing Operations Control Software

Improving team collaboration

One particular case that may interest the reader about the benefits of Manufacturing Operations Control Software is the Nestlé operations management case study. Nestlé has more than 350 factories in various locations around the world. Its workforce has exceeded 275,000 employees.

So how do the operations management offices at the world's largest food and beverage company coordinate all their members and give them the power to act? In 60 of its factories, all operators have iPads. These tools ensure that staff leverage software platforms to create flexible and comprehensive team-based operations manuals.

For example, business process management (BPM) tools improve collaboration by increasing process visibility. Nestlé operators use their iPads as automotive dashboards, giving them a sense of ownership of the factory floor and its processes. Here, they can track progress, check the status of tasks and spot any growing bottlenecks instantly.

Helping to Achieve Business Goals

Nestlé products have found a welcome place in almost every home. Its modern approach to operations management supports fast decision-making, simplifies processes and saves revenue by reducing inefficiencies. Operations management through the Industrial Process Control application also focuses on quality control and improving customer satisfaction.

Increases Employee Productivity

Concern about employee productivity is a major challenge that keeps many operations managers awake. How can you get your teams to work better and faster without putting undue pressure on their performance?

The best Production Operations Management Software can keep your employees engaged and in learning mode after their training sessions. They can easily log in on mobile devices, read and then apply their knowledge to everyday business processes.

The information will reduce work errors and improve the speed of task completion. In addition, these operations management tools will provide clear task assignments and outline steps for workflow efficiency.

Finally, they support an enabling work environment by fostering an operator-centric organisation. For example, at Nestlé, the devices provide skills development that instils a culture of honesty and transparency in every operator and factory manager through continuous learning and training initiatives.

Improve Customer Satisfaction

You could be forgiven for thinking that customer satisfaction is the job of the marketing and sales department. However, the biggest key performance index with the greatest impact on customer satisfaction is first call resolution (FCR).

First call resolution is a metric that tracks your ability to resolve your customers' challenges after the first contact. Higher FCR rates come from equipping your customer engagement workforce with the right data at the right time. Automation and real-time process and data guidance will improve the customer experience at a rate of 1% for every 1% improvement you make to your FCR processes.

If your operations manual templates do not improve FCR, customer satisfaction will decrease by 15% every time a customer or buyer calls for updates on an old problem.

Knowledge-based support teams have 15% better first-call resolution rates. In addition, an operations management team can ensure timely and consistent delivery of products, fostering loyalty among users.

Reduce Costs

Most companies, especially SMEs, have finite resources and must make the best use of their budgetary, technological, material and financial allocations. Operations management teams can reduce operational costs by embracing technology.

Digital technology, for example, can reduce travel assignments and expand remote workforces, reducing office space and travel costs. These platforms can pinpoint dangerous tasks and processes and reduce health and safety costs.

Operations management teams can also optimise processes by eliminating activities that do not add value. Finally, an operations team should take advantage of systems that provide information on services or products that deliver the best returns.

Guarantees the Quality of the Product

Operations management improves product quality by monitoring and improving production. In addition, they implement a high quality control system that complies with regulations and satisfies customer expectations and product reputation.

For example, a Manufacturing Control System will note any defects and ensure that they are corrected. It will then create standard operating procedures for all production processes and ensure that all production teams have access. It will also monitor these processes, identify deviations and improve employee knowledge through training and feedback.

Increases Revenues

On top of that, companies with the power of using a Production Process Management Platform are agile and adaptable. The basic principle of shared data workflows is that they should scale instantly on demand. They should also be split across the organisation without imposing further hardware performance challenges and costs.

As a result, your company will enjoy increased productivity and timely delivery of products or services. Better customer satisfaction will ultimately drive higher sales and revenue for the business. For example, the digitisation of Nestlé's operations has generated a consistent 17% operating profit margin and profit margin.

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Key functionalities of industrial Manufacturing Operations Control software

1. Planning and Programming:
   • Demand planning: Sales forecasting, inventory analysis, material and capacity planning.
   • Production scheduling: Job sequencing, resource optimisation, bottleneck management, master and detailed scheduling.
   • Materials management: Bills of materials, inventory tracking, purchase management, automatic replenishment.
2. Dispatch and Implementation:
   • Triggering of work orders: Release of materials, allocation of resources, work instructions.
   • Production monitoring: Real-time progress monitoring, quality control, exception management.
   • Data collection: Automatic data capture from machines, sensors, devices and personnel.
3. Data Collection and Monitoring:
   • Data acquisition: Real-time collection of production, quality, machine and equipment data.
   • Data storage: Centralised database for further analysis and visualisation.
   • Monitoring of KPIs: Monitoring of key performance indicators (OEE, quality, productivity, etc.).
4. Analysis and Decision Making:
   • Reporting and analysis: Generation of customised reports, trend analysis, data visualisation.
   • Dashboards: Real-time monitoring of plant performance, identification of areas for improvement.
   • Decision making: Support for data-driven decision making, process optimisation.
5. Integration and Scalability:
   • Integration with ERP: Connection to enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
   • Integration with other systems: Interfacing with quality control, maintenance, automation and other systems.
   • Scalability: Adaptation to different plant sizes, process complexity and specific needs.

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In summary, an industrial Manufacturing Operations Control software offers:

• Full visibility: Real-time monitoring of the entire manufacturing operation.
• Precise control: Efficient management of production planning, scheduling, execution and monitoring.
• Data-driven decision making: Analysis of information to optimise processes and improve profitability.
• Continuous improvement: Identification and elimination of inefficiencies to increase productivity.
• Scalability and flexibility: Adaptation to the specific needs of each company.

Examples of Manufacturing Operations Control Software Applications

Example of Manufacturing Operations Control Software (MES) application in the steel industry

CompanyTata Steel, the world's second most geographically diversified steel producer.

Business UnitSteelmaking.

TargetOptimise the internal logistics system to increase the overall performance of the unit.

Problem:

• Uneven distribution of crane utilisation rates.
• Underproduction of batches (batches of steel).
• Manual and independent operation of cranes.

Solution:

1. Implementation of a Manufacturing Operations Control Software (MES).
2. Modelling and simulation of the production process.
3. Creation of three what-if scenarios to modify the crane operating logic:
   • Use both loading bay cranes for loading the furnace.
   • Dedicate a crane for the transfer between the desulphurisation station and the furnace.
   • Combine scenario 2 with the possibility of hanging empty ladles at a height of nine metres.
4. Design of 90 experiments per scenario to evaluate the number of batches produced, the crane utilisation rate and the waiting time of the furnaces.

Results:

• Scenario 3 proved to be the most efficient, with an increase of two batches per day, resulting in potential savings of millions of dollars per year.
• The crane utilisation rate in the loading bay remained around 80%, indicating the need for a preventive maintenance plan.

Benefits:

• Increased unit performance.
• Reduction of under-production.
• Optimisation of crane operation.
• Reducing human dependence in decision-making.
• Possibility of testing and modifications without affecting actual production.

Conclusions:

The implementation of Manufacturing Operations Control Software in the steel industry can have a significant impact on efficiency and profitability. Process simulation allows to evaluate different scenarios and optimise decision making.

Other examples of MES applications in the steel industry:

• Production planning and scheduling.
• Inventory and materials management.
• Product traceability.
• Quality control.
• Predictive maintenance.
• Data analysis and reporting.

Implementing MES Manufacturing Operations Monitoring Software in steel companies offers a number of key benefits, including reduced costs, increased productivity and improved product quality. It also facilitates compliance with standards and regulations, enables more informed decision making and strengthens competitiveness in the global marketplace.

Example of Manufacturing Operations Control Software (MES) application in the automotive industry

Company: Tesla, a leading manufacturer of electric vehicles.

Business unit: Vehicle production.

Objective: To optimise the assignment of tasks to a fleet of autonomous mobile robots (AMR) on the production line.

Problem:

• Backlogs affecting efficiency and increasing costs.
• Congestion on AMR routes due to high traffic density.
• Need for an efficient method to assign tasks to AMR.

Solution:

• Implementation of a Manufacturing Operations Control Software (MES) with the following functionalities:
  • Modelling and simulation of the production line.
  • Testing different methods of tasking AMRs.
  • Optimisation of internal factory logistics.
• Use of Manufacturing Operations Control software for:
  • Create a hybrid simulation model of the production line.
  • Implement the materials management library.
  • Test tasking algorithms, including heuristics and exact methods.
  • Select the JVC algorithm as the most efficient method.

Results:

• Reduction in the number of AMR required in a 30%.
• Reduction of backlogs and congestion on the roads.
• Increased efficiency and productivity of the production line.

Benefits:

• Significant savings in AMR investment and operating costs.
• Improved quality and timeliness of production.
• Increased safety and control in the working environment.
• Possibility of testing and optimisation without affecting actual production.

Conclusions:

The implementation of Manufacturing Operations Control Software in the automotive industry can have a significant impact on efficiency, productivity and profitability. Process simulation allows to evaluate different scenarios and optimise resource allocation, such as AMR.

Other examples of MES applications in the automotive industry:

• Production planning and scheduling.
• Inventory and materials management.
• Product traceability.
• Quality control.
• Predictive maintenance.
• Data analysis and reporting.

The implementation of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) in automotive companies offers a wide range of benefits, including reduced operating costs, increased production efficiency and productivity, and improved quality of manufactured products. In addition, it helps ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations, provides real-time data for more accurate and strategic decision-making, and strengthens the competitive position in the global marketplace through a leaner and more efficient operation.

Example of Manufacturing Operations Control Software (MES) application in the aerospace industry

Company: Airbus, the world's leading aircraft manufacturer.

Business unit: A350 aircraft production.

Objective: To optimise the ramp-up process of a new aircraft model, the A350, by simulating and analysing different disruption mitigation strategies.

Problem:

• Increased aircraft delivery time due to the complexity of the production process and the need for continuous evaluation and revision.
• Disruptions in production due to different causes, such as the learning curve of workers, design changes, lack of materials, etc.
• Shortening product life cycles, requiring greater flexibility and adaptability in production.

Solution:

• Implementation of a Manufacturing Operations Control Software (MES) with the following functionalities:
  • Modelling and simulation of the A350 assembly line.
  • Testing different disruption mitigation strategies.
  • Optimisation of production planning and scheduling.
• Use of Production Management software for:
  • Create a simulation model based on agents and discrete events.
  • Include the process modelling library.
  • Simulate different scenarios of increased production.
  • Assess the impact of disruption mitigation strategies.

Results:

• Reduction of aircraft turnaround time.
• Reduction of production disruptions.
• Increased assembly line efficiency and productivity.
• Greater flexibility and capacity to adapt to changes in demand.

Benefits:

• Significant savings in production costs.
• Improved quality and timeliness of deliveries.
• Increased safety and control in the working environment.
• Possibility of testing and optimisation without affecting actual production.

Conclusions:

The implementation of Manufacturing Operations Control Software in the aerospace industry can have a significant impact on efficiency, productivity and profitability. Process simulation allows to evaluate different scenarios and optimise production planning and control, which is essential to meet the challenges of an increasingly competitive and demanding market.

Other examples of MES applications in the aviation industry:

• Production planning and scheduling.
• Inventory and materials management.
• Product traceability.
• Quality control.
• Predictive maintenance.
• Data analysis and reporting.

The adoption of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) in aeronautical companies brings a number of benefits, including reduced operating costs, increased production efficiency, higher product quality standards, assured regulatory compliance, the ability to make informed decisions and increased competitiveness in the global marketplace.

Implement Manufacturing Operations Control Software (MES) to optimise your production facility. This end-to-end solution enables efficient production planning, real-time inventory management, product traceability, quality control, predictive maintenance and data analysis for informed decision making, improving the efficiency, productivity and profitability of your operation. Contact a consultant.