A case illustrates how Manufacturing Execution Systems enable a manufacturer to keep track of the production progress and contribute to an optimized execution on the workfloor. A vision is posted on two possible future orientations of MES systems which lead to optimized and self-organizing execution on the shop floor.

1. The future of
Smart Manufacturing Execution
het collectief centrum van de Belgische technologische industrie

2. Positioning of MES systems
(Manufacturing Execution Systems)
Level 4
Business Management ERP/
MRP
Level 3
Production Management Advanced
(Resource Mgt, MES Systems / APS
MES Planning &
Production Planning,…) integration
Systems Scheduling
Level 0, 1, 2
PLC/
Production SCADA
Control & Automation Feedback from
Workfloor
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3. Best Practice for Production Planning & Execution
M
E Self organizing
Execution system
T Customer
Execution
Optimises for
H - orders / setups,
forecast
nestings,
O colors, …
D Limited Work- In- Process
S = known lead time !
T
O
O ERP Planning Execution MES/APS
L
S
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4. Best Practice for Production Planning & Execution
M
E Self organizing
Execution system
T Customer
Execution
Optimises for
H - orders / setups,
forecast
nestings,
O colors, …
D Limited Work- In- Process
S = known lead time !
T
O
O ERP Planning ExecutionMES/APS
L
S
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5. Difference Push - Pull
• A PUSH system plans production based on demand: it doesn’t
limit Work-In-Process. It’s allowed to keep adding (releasing)
production orders
Push
M1 M2 M3
M1 M2 M3
Pull
• A PULL system authorizes production based on system status: it
DOES limit Work-In-Process
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6. GAP between Best Practices and Tools
• METHODS advise us to use PULL / Self Organizing systems
 Until now no support within existing TOOLS
• Existing TOOLS for Advanced Planning & Scheduling within
MES (~ Finite Schedulers) are still PUSH systems
 Because of variability in production a schedule can become
invalid from the moment it is released…
 Implementations often fail
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7. APS & Finite Scheduling
• Only with help from BUFFER MANAGEMENT*, it is possible to
make a scheduler work: using the right amount of time or
capacity buffer drastically increases delivery reliability
Aantal orders ~ levertijd
* Buffer Management: defining optimal combination of three buffers, time, capacity and
inventory
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8. APS & Finite Scheduling
• Using APS & Finite Planning/Scheduling does not exclude the
implementation of a Self Organizing PULL system on the
workfloor:
 Finite capacity Planning/Scheduling can be used also ‘in front
of the wall’ (Planning level) for creating a valid plan and for
order promising towards customers
Self organizing
Execution system
Executie
Customer- Optimaliseert
orders / ifv. setups,
forecast nestings,
kleuren, …
Limited Work-In-Process
= known lead time !
Planning Executie
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9. Two future development paths for MES
1. Adding IT support for Self Organizing Pull systems to MES
(Project Aldiss, De Clercq Solutions; Bosch Scharnieren)
2. Intelligent Holonic Manufacturing Execution System (HMES)
based on exploring agents ‘ants’
(K.U.Leuven, Paul Valckenaers, setting up O&O project with Sirris)
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10. 1. MES and Pull Systems
(Project Aldiss, De Clercq Solutions)
• Adding IT support to Self Organizing Pull systems at
production execution level
• Easily defining Work-In-Process loops and WIP limits within
ERP/MES system
B1
C1
C1
B1 B1 B1
A1 C1 C1 C2
B1
A1
B1 B1
C2
C2
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11. MES and Pull Systems
(Bosch Scharnieren, monitoring system with touch screens)
• Adding algorithms for order mixing and balancing of
production system
• Monitoring system at IT level on top of Polca / Conwip /
Polwip card system – Allows for ‘behind the screens’ mixing of
order sequence)
+
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12. 2. Holonic Manufacturing Execution System
(HMES - K.U.Leuven, Paul Valckenaers)
• Agents explore all possible routings/solutions for production
execution and an optimal solution is then selected.
• Based on distributed interactive simulation models of all
resources – More robust compared to one single simulation
model of the whole.
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13. Holonic Manufacturing Execution System
(HMES - K.U.Leuven, Paul Valckenaers)
Level 4
Business Management ERP/
MRP
Level 3
Production Management Advanced
(Resource Mgt, Planning &
Production Planning,…) Scheduling
Intelligent
HMES
Level 0, 1, 2 Sched.
Tool PLC/
Production SCADA
Control & Automation
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14. Which system for your company?
• Analysis based on Production Screening
• Proven methodology from Buffer Management Research
Project and Industrial Cases for Self – Organizing Pull
Systems
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15. Contact
Mark Van Pee
Sirris – Advanced Manufacturing
Tel: +32 498 91 93 45
mark.vanpee@sirris.be
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