Intelligent Manufacturing € July € 1996 € Vol. 2 € No. 7

How to Find the MES System of Your Dreams

Manufacturing execution systems, or MES's, are one of those buzzword technologies that have come into prominence in the 1990s. These systems enable the integration of various software systems with a variety of functions. For instance, MES systems can help manufacturers control plant floor operations and create databases that can interface with other areas of the enterprise, like inventory, shipping and corporate planning and management functions. These systems also are a factor in enabling agile manufacturing practices, such as mass customization and continuous improvement.

Because of both the complexity of the tasks MES systems are expected to perform, as well as the relative novelty of the software, manufacturers are often left at their wit's end to determine exactly what their MES needs are, and how to identify the system that best suits their needs. Fortunately, The Manufacturing Execution Systems Association (MESA) International, a non-profit trade association based in Pittsburgh, Pa., has developed a "white paper" to guide potential users of MES systems in evaluating and selecting a point solution or an integrated MES software package.

The white paper offers guidelines for an approach which can reduce the initial evaluation and selection process from 6 months-1 year to less than 4 months. The basic premise is that decision makers must first understand what MES systems are and whether these systems are needed in their manufacturing facilities. Understanding MES requirements is dependent upon understanding what is driving the need for change -- a need which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.

According to MESA International, management needs to begin by developing a mission statement which can be translated into MES objectives and requirements. The entire organization needs to be made aware of these objectives to ensure everybody is prepared for the changes to follow. MESA suggests that manufacturers analyze typical situations compelling them to change, such as:

Increased customer demand for custom products and mass production prices
Uncompetitive lead times
Government regulations
Product liability
ISO 9000 compliance requirement
Increased complexity and combination of operations and resources
Excessive work-in-process inventory
Poor quality
Under-utilized capacity
Excessive paperwork
Lack of timely information
Lack of process control
No correlation of process data to product produced

An MES evaluation program is doomed to failure if there is a lack of participation from the areas affected by this new software paradigm. Furthermore, the organization needs to be ready and willing to change, and ideally, a senior manager should be championing the cause. Equally important, a budget must be committed to the process.

The next step should be choosing an evaluation/selection team, which should also include an oversight or review team. Due to the advances in information technology, the users of the systems or representative manufacturing management should participate on these teams, as well as information systems personnel and outside consultants. MESA International estimates that the process of evaluating and selecting an MES system will take from two to six months.

High-level requirements then need to be determined. These requirements define the bounds of the system, the interfaces to it, the functionality contained within it, and the type of technological environment the organization desires. Typical MES functionalities might include: resource allocation and status; operations/detail scheduling; dispatching production units; document control; data collection/acquisition; labor management; quality management; process management; maintenance management; product tracking and genealogy; and performance analysis.

There are a number of ways the evaluation/selection team can learn about which vendors are most likely to have products that fit their needs, such as attending trade shows, reading manufacturing trade journals and newsletters, referring to manufacturing software directories, and seeking referrals from colleagues. Once a short list (MESA International suggests no more than three) of vendors has been established, the team should submit a request for proposal (RFP) that contains a requirements document as well a request for more specific vendor and product information. The RFP should include: a description of the business and the areas to be addressed; a detailed list of functional and technical requirements; and a description of typical shop floor events and the responses the MES system is expected to generate.

Once the vendors have responded to the RFP, the manufacturer needs to meet with the vendors to assess the vendor's viability as a business partner.

Ideally, the team should visit reference sites in the manufacturer's industry to assess vendor reliability and cooperation.

Finally, when all is said and done, the evaluation/selection team must look at the MES software itself. According to MESA International, three major areas of the evaluation should be:

1) Does the product meet the functionality required?

2) Is the product technically sound and compatible with the technological direction of the company?

3) Is the price of the product and on-going support acceptable, and will the vendor be easy to work with?

MESA International recommends the use of a scoring matrix, weighing the functional and technical requirements in order or importance, and then grading each vendor on how well they meets those requirements. When the final decision has been made, the team should document the entire process in a summary that explains the criteria used in selecting the MES system.

A copy of "MES Software Evaluation/Selection: White Paper # 4" is available from MESA International, 303 Freeport Road, Pittsburgh, PA [email protected]