Until recently, manufacturing execution systems (MESs) were essentially confined to the plant floor and largely unnoticed. For reasons technological, cultural, and economic, however, MESs are no longer able to hide away and simply do their jobs. These systems may just be the key to survival for manufacturing mired in an economic downturn not seen for generations.

CONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, execute recipesCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, and measure performance. " hspace="0" src="http://www.cechina.cn/upload/article/34c10db2-f821-45d8-809e-7afedb1a5bb8/1_new.jpg" width="300" border="0">

　　Integrated MESs allow plant-floor operators to capture dataCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, execute recipesCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, and measure performance.  Connectivity ac

ross the entire manufacturing environment integrates enterprise asset management (EAM) and product lifecycle management (PLM) systems, as well as MESs and ERP.  This enables information visibility at all levels.  Source: Performix Inc.(top) and GE Fanuc (bottom)

　　This class of software successfully collects dataCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, executes recipesCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, and tracks products from raw materials to finished goods. “Initially, an MES focused on database functions and on setting up and executing production recipesCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有,” says Ted Thayerwww.cechina.cn, automation systems product manager, Bosch Rexroth Corp. “It has become a system that enables visibility on the plant/operations floor at a time when manufacturing needs that real-time data more and more.”
　　MESs are finally beginning to move to where they need to beCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, says Thayerwww.cechina.cn, “by plugging into the ERP [enterprise resource planning] system, which is what they really need to do.” Sham Afzalpurkar, president and CEO of Performix agrees: “The planning takes place in the ERP, but the ERP cannot execute instructions on the plant floor. It doesn’t have the level of granularity required. The MES does, and is actually extending the functionality of the ERP.”
　　Several factors are influencing this growth of interoperability and integration:
　　Systems and operations have matured. The transition to client/server systems enables the connection of disparate elements and puts critical data in front of the end user. Open ERP systems are strengthening the role of the MES by incre