Production & Quality Management (MES)
Manufacturing Execution System (MES)
MES, or Manufacturing Execution System, is an overall name for a group of software processes and applications which directly control or cooperate with the means of production (machines, operators, other related software, and hardware). It forms an intermediary between the company´s information system (ERP) and automated or manual management of manufacturing processes.
In human language, it means that the ERP systems tell MES how many products of each type need to be manufactured. MES is a tool that manages the manufacturing itself; it tells the machines and their operators the individual steps in order, checks if they are performed correctly, controls the automated segments of manufacturing (e.g. impact wrenches), and records all actions for review and traceability.
CLEVER MES BENEFITS
The purpose of CLEVER systems is to give manufacturing plants a tool to make the production more efficient, minimize the number of undesirable incidents, and result in the manufacturing plant being a more attractive choice for the end customers. CLEVER MES successfully operates in various manufacturing situations and is adapted to manufacturing philosophies of KANBAN, Just-In-Sequence, and Just-In-Time.
If you use CLEVER MES to manage your production, you will gain benefits such as:
Real-time information on running manufacturing operations including used material, error rate or stoppages. This information allows you to plan material orders and logistics better.
Automated management of manufacturing steps which means more profitable utilization of both means of production and labor. Manufacturing cannot completely avoid unwanted errors, stoppages, or mistakes and it is necessary to have appropriate tools to solve them in the shorts time possible.
Direct control of manufacturing tools such as impact wrenches. Digitized control of manufacturing tools lowers error rate and ensures safety. The end customer will appreciated consistency in the quality of the assembly.
Getting data directly from the floor in order to analyze them. Which workstation had the most stoppages? Which model had the most remanufactured units? What is the average response time of an authorized person to emergency situations on the floor? Digitized data collection will help you to find answers to such questions.
How does CLEVER MES work in manufacturing?
CLEVER MES is implemented natively into the customer´s IT ecosystem. It is built on the so called Client-Server architecture which communicates with the client apps (Clever Client) running on the computers at individual workstations. At the same time Clever Kernel communicates with other relevant system in the manufacturing plant.
CHECKING PRODUCT SEQUENCE ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE
Clever Kernel receives orders from the principal system for planning production. Based on these it generates a list of manufacturing operations for each product – these operation lists are sent to the individual workstations controlled by Clever Client.
In order to keep the management of manufacturing flexible the system can hold multiple product order queues.
Main Queue – Product sequence (product configuration) synchronized with workstations.
Buffer – Product sequence arrayed according to user defined rules. It is not sent to workstations.
Clever Kernel automatically puts incoming orders to the main queue. The user can create any number of buffers. Incoming orders can then be automatically moved to the main queue or individual buffers.
Checking if correct part is being fitted
It makes much more sense financially to prevent extra cost caused by errors in assembly or erroneous delivery rather than to deal with them after the fact. On top of the costs of investigating and delivering the correct part your reputation can also suffer if such errors repeat.
By implementing CLEVER MES several means of checking if the part is correct become available to the plant. Also, it is possible to use them concurrently.
Pick 2 Light
Pick–2–Light or light signalization visually guides operators to the correct part and the operation is confirmed by optical sensors using visible or IR light. The whole process is recorded by Clever Client to enable traceability.
Scanning a barcode
By scanning a barcode an operator continuously checks if the correct part is being fitted. If an incorrect barcode is scanned, Clever Clients will alert him/her and the necessary tools remain locked (e.g. impact wrench). The scanned data are also recorded in the database.
Blind audit
The so called “Blind Audit” is a way of checking the correct parts in which an operator confirms the selected part on a touch screen. If he/she selects an incorrect one, the system alerts him/her and the necessary tools remain locked. The data on the parts used and operations are recorded in the database by Clever Client.
Automatic Supply
Delivery of part can also be done automatically, for example from a shelf with slide conveyors. In this case the release of the appropriate parts is controlled by Clever Client.
Camera Check
The correct part is delivered or checked visually by a camera system. The data on the parts used and operations are recorded in the database by Clever Client.
Poka-joke
Poka–joke je a Japanese terms for a set of methods designed to minimize the number of errors in serial production. In practice it means setting up operations in a way which only allows the operator to follow to correct procedure.
Clever Client system does that by blocking parts, templates, or tools unless the required conditions are met.
Tightening check
Clever Client can control a whole range of impact wrenches (Atlas Copco, Georges Renault, Clecon and Bosch Rexroth). Clever Client selects the appropriate program according to the product´s specification and checks if the required number of tightening cycles has been performed. The worker can see on the screen the required and performed number of cycles. In case of an error a sound signal alerts him/her. It is also possible to define prerequisite operations so that the wrench is locked unless the assembled part has passed a check. Clever Client can also access signals from other sensors at the workstation and only unlock the wrench, if it is positioned correctly and the tightening performed in the correct sequence. All data from the wrenches are recorded to the database by the Client.
This way of checking and review minimizes the number of errors and allows traceability of production operations.
Staff identification
Employees can log in to a workstation using their chip cards, barcode card, or typing their user name and password on a keyboard. Clever system records the employee´s login and associates him/her with all the operation performed at that particular workstation.
This function can be extended by a module keeping customer records and assigned tokens which allows printing personal barcode cards or chip cards.
Associating employees to performed operations ensures traceability and counterchecking the process in case of complaints.
Assembly line conveyor control
Clever System controls the assembly line conveyor according to the situation and the assembly requirements. Products on the conveyor and their position can be identified using RFID chips.
Clever system stops the line if defined conditions are met, most importantly in case of serious errors in production. The notification of the stopping is sent by the particular Clever Client (particular workstation) and can be displayed for example on a large screen on the floor and the supervisors´ terminals. Line stopped due to a serious error can only by restarted by a supervisor. After the supervisor deals with the emergency situation, he/she unlocks the responsible client (workstation) using a special barcode.
Production status and assembly line status visualization
Final inspection
Manufacturing process is not complete without final inspection. Clever System records results of all operations it controls or checks. Errors are immediately communicated to the operator at the particular workstation. It is also possible to define other actions to minimize the risk of shipping out faulty products.