We will be discussing the powerful combination of advanced planning, scheduling, and sequencing with a full MES/MOM capability that includes quality, SPC, IOT, special work requests, factory connectivity, factory analytics/insights and ERP/supply chain system integration.
As you read this paper, one provocative thought to keep in the back of your mind is related to your current organization structure and whether your decision-making authority is structured in functional silos. As we move toward the Smart Factory enabled through digital transformation, the key objective remains factory productivity and customer satisfaction.
The solutions presented in this paper can certainly drive optimized factory performance. However, many of the workflows cut across traditional functional boundaries between planning, scheduling, dispatching, procurement, order management, inventory management, asset management, quality, process control, etc.
Think about a new role in your factory, a production orchestrator, who can interact with an integrated APS/MES solution, operate across functional boundaries, make decisions, and execute decisions that result in improved factory performance as compared to the typically poor performance caused by information latency and delayed decision making between functional silos. Empower planners, schedulers, and operators with data and factory connectivity providing visibility and control across assets, materials, and labor with analytics and insights for better decision making.
Time is the key variable that can never be recovered once spent. Latency in both decision making and data is present in all factory ecosystems given the inability of an ERP to interact with the factory in real time, disparate systems in functional silos, or the chaos caused by dozens of spreadsheets. With a combined APS/MES solution stack factories can generate real time plans, schedules, sequencing, routings, workflows, recipe control, transaction execution, monitoring, analytics, decision making and decision execution.
FAST
Today’s Industry 4.0 factories are faster, with the ability to generate schedules in seconds, are more accurate with the ability to consider multiple constraints and business rules to create optimal plans, are running smarter by identifying potential problems and correcting for them in real time and are executing better by making real time adjustments within the factory.
These capabilities generate improved customer service, reduced inventories, increased labor efficiency, and reduced cycle times, all while driving increased productivity. Operating benefits include increased manufacturing and assembly throughput while decreasing inventory, fixed asset growth rate, and operating expense.
The factory leveraging a combined APS/MES will have quicker reaction times to changes, including constrained supply, demand fluctuations and on-time delivery pressure. Real time decision making coupled with intelligent modeling of inventory using optimization techniques delivers superior outcomes. Schedule and sequence optimization related to inventory positioning is key as time buffers dampen the effects of variation at the factory level. The result is that small changes are absorbed by the buffers and do not require a re-schedule to deliver targeted outcomes while material changes are absorbed by real time reaction to the changes through the integrated APS/MES.
The production schedule and the MES are always up to date with an integrated APS/MES solution. Data latency is no longer a problem as the schedule is based on the real time status information found in the MES, including order status, and the status and calendar for resources such as materials, equipment, tools and people. The MES, in its expanded role through APS executes to the supply chain realities of fluctuating demand, various planning horizons, order volatility and order freeze periods.
TRUST
Rather than running a plan which can’t be executed based on the realities in the factory, the factory can now be planned, scheduled, executed, and re-planned seamlessly. Operations can follow the schedule confidently given it is optimized across all variable inputs such as production processes and resources, maintenance schedules, personnel certifications, and material availability.
The factory schedule can be enforced given fluctuations will either be damped by planned inventory buffers protecting the constraints or the schedule can be updated in real time based on resolving any issues. The MES validates, executes and ensures that production follows the schedule, versus an open-ended process as in the typical case of a plan not being feasible due to the realities faced on the floor. Real time visibility into any schedule changes through the MES and rendering the schedule at the operator workstation helps ease any trust issues or desire to override the schedule.
VISIBILITY AND CONTROL
Rather than a disparate set of erp modules or a basket of spreadsheets trying to fill the gaps in ERP functionality, the integrated APS/MES schedule reliably improves outcomes. Given the schedule is based on optimizing overall plant performance, operations performance is now fully optimized as well.
Labor productivity and efficiency are driven to higher levels through these new capabilities. Operators and technicians become more productive through increased visibility and executable schedules. The interactive user interface in the MES provides a single version of the truth to leverage across all production activities.
Institutionalizing process improvements requires tracking of what was done and how it was done. MES process models, schedules, and metadata can be updated based on actual production results. As operations execute successful process improvement programs, the schedules can reflect the what’s and how’s of the process. And from an exception standpoint, if a flow or cycle time is not realistic, the schedule can be shifted to a more rational flow.
AI/ANALYTICS
It’s logical that actionable insights which leverage real time data would drive optimized factory performance. Instant notification of problems, root cause analysis, predictive analytics, and scenario-based prescriptions will result in improved throughput, inventory, and operating expense while delivering on asset utilization, OEE, labor efficiency and order fulfillment.
MES level data can drive valuable insights, especially in AI/ML based approaches to predictive analytics. AI also includes process automation delivered through interactive workbench GUIs in an integrated APS/MES solution. Predictions can be served up to an operator to interactively resolve related issues through prescriptions on a workbench or served up to an automated decision-making process. Generative AI can drive value in various ways including structured queries to customize work instructions along with NLP support for certain query types on the factory floor, such as inventory positions.
Insight into equipment and process state empowers you to predict issues like unplanned downtime. Predictive and prescriptive maintenance would then enable you to plan optimized maintenance intervals. Systems can identify problems, notify stakeholders, recommend, and execute effective interventions.
Speed of decision making is critical to improving quality, scrap, OEE, efficiency, planned volume, and planned product mix. APS/MES driven smart manufacturing delivers overall quality through the integration of systems, real-time data, and user-friendly interfaces to enable faster decision making. Historical data identifying trends is also leveraged providing the framework for long term continuous improvement.
CONNECTED FACTORY
From an overall technology perspective, empowering production operations with factory connected APS/MES digital solutions drives productivity through interactive dashboards, AI based decision-making, real-time data, and low code/no code flexibility. Complete manufacturing and assembly control is enabled while also enforcing quality and efficiency across people, process, materials, and equipment. Multiple production centers and facilities can be connected there by providing live data across the supply chain network driving schedule optimization and delivery performance across the enterprise.
ADVANCED PLANNING, SCHEDULING, SEQUENCING
Manufacturers work to reduce lead times and increase agility so that they can simultaneously respond to market demands while improving delivery performance. The right information at the right time to make the right decisions about what can and cannot be promised to customers is core to driving business performance.
Eyelit Technologies enables manufacturers to improve delivery performance and efficiency through advanced planning, scheduling and sequencing solutions resulting in optimized orders, machines, materials and labor. Advanced algorithms balance demand and capacity generating achievable and highly efficient production schedules.
Companies require additional insights into their day-to-day schedule, with the ability to interactively make and execute decisions based on the new insights while also being able to establish guardrails for autonomous decision making and execution. The key is to set goals so that manual scheduling and poor execution is minimized. Eyelit can generate an optimized schedule which considers order priority, resource capacity, materials, labor, quality and shop floor execution. The impact of changes like rush orders and breakdowns are calculated in real time and the complete schedule reoptimized. Factories can balance lower inventory levels with shorter lead times and improved on time deliveries while understanding the impact of breakdowns, material shortages, and labor issues.
The deployment of the Eyelit solution converts companies from disjointed operations into highly controlled environments. From an operating perspective there is less stress, more insight, and improved decision making. Continuous improvement becomes the order of the day by enabling functionality across the application which increases schedule optimization, improves production efficiency, lowers inventory levels and improves delivery performance with shorter lead times and increased OTIF.
Eyelit has deep APS/MES experience working in various application and technology environments and has developed API based integration for many of those including various ERP’s, Order Management Systems, Inventory Systems, Excel, IIOT, and other APS or MES solutions. Out-of-the-box data interfacing significantly reduces issues related to system connectivity. Eyelit is also designed to accept manual data input into the application or the database.
With manufacturing scheduling software in place, the planner is now able to generate the day-to-day schedules and can distribute the work-to-lists to the shop floor with just one mouse click. Rather than entering data into excel sheets and chasing orders all day, the planning department is in control and has the information needed to make and execute better decisions.
Work orders are sent to operators via digital reports and displays. Operators no longer need to sort work orders based on due date or priority or validate that a previous work center will finish on time – this has already been done upfront, with the release of the schedule which can be done as frequently as required, including real time.
When the unexpected happens, such as machine breakdowns, late material deliveries, rush orders or operators having to go home due to illness, the schedule needs to be updated. Some companies update their schedule once a day, others like to update their schedule multiple times a day. With Eyelit you can update and reschedule whenever you want.
Having the flexibility to respond to the unexpected comes from having up-to-date information from the shop floor, as well as reliable manual data entry and fully automated controls. Eyelit deploys a range of APS, MES, Quality, IOT, Analytical, and Connectivity capabilities that can be seamlessly configured so that the optimal combination that best fits the organizational systems and processes and generates a fast return on investment is configured and deployed.
The factory environment will be faster by creating schedules that synchronize orders and operations in seconds. Decisions will be more accurate by considering multiple constraints and business rules when creating feasible plans and executable schedules. Management can identify potential problems and fix them before they happen along with planning ahead for predicted issues based on what-if scenario modelling.
Attribute-based planning and highly configurable constraint definitions give factories the flexibility to model production, supplier, and logistic limits to serve as a reliable reference point in the supply chain.
Production scheduling can be difficult and time-consuming. Ever-changing conditions in the manufacturing environment require schedules to be adjusted quickly. Eyelit allows you to quickly schedule/re-schedule and is a catalyst for your digitalization strategy. Sequencing rules for assembly lines can be varied and many. These rules are pivotal in reducing costs while maximizing the average line speed and throughput.
Legacy systems depend on simplistic heuristics to re-plan and re-schedule in response to changing conditions. In contrast, real-time scheduling optimization brings the full descriptive and analytical capabilities of our system to restore the optimality of the executed outputs.
MES/MOM
Eyelit’s Manufacturing Execution Systems / Manufacturing Operations Management (MES/MOM) system is core to increasing factory productivity. Direct execution of production orders and dynamic response to changing situations in orders, machine status, and quality checks drive performance improvement.
With Eyelit’s fully integrated APS/MES solution, an optimal plant production schedule including material use, operational management, order management, shipping, and delivery is established. Time frame tends to be months, weeks, and days.
Workflow/recipe control to produce the scheduled deliveries are generated consistent with the production schedule as part of the MOM process which includes capacity planning, dispatching, detailed scheduling, and reliability assurance. Full track and trace along with record keeping are part of the process. Time frame tends to be days, shifts, hours, minutes, seconds.
Monitoring and supervisory control extends the visibility and control to the fundamental operations and first principal data within the factory. Automated control across batch, continuous, and discrete is available across many processes. Time frame is hours, minutes, seconds, sub-seconds.
API level integration across ERP and many PLM systems amplifies the value delivered by the MOM solution which cuts across production, quality, inventory, and maintenance with further integration and connectivity across the shop floor.
TRACEABILITY
The demand for enhanced traceability is driven from both consumer and regulatory sectors. Internal to the company traceability can improve contract compliance and enhance continuous improvement efforts. From a market perspective the requirement delivers on problem resolution, visibility, root cause analysis, regulatory reporting, supplier analysis, part/component analysis, machine capability, and operator variability/efficiency.
The key is the ability to react in time to minimize any fallout, and to have production lines brought back up to speed quickly to reduce any reputational or financial damage. The MES system will detail the full bill of materials involved, including batch numbers as well as show the configuration settings being applied.
From this dynamic view, a manufacturer can then determine what machines are connected to specific issues, which operators routinely use these machines and how many times rework is involved. Through these views a complete picture of cause and effect can be generated. First principal data can be fed into QC processes leading to changes in when various checks are applied – with precise guidance on identification.
The system extends traceability by monitoring materials management and aligning performance to a range of key metrics. The result is a real-time data record surrounding every product, with the ability to drill down and navigate across batch numbers, QC tests, supplier involvement, and any other factor impacting assembly, quality, safety or usability.
BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL RESULTS
Strong ROI results are proven by example given the large appetite thus far for the Eyelit customer base to continually expand the APS/MES solution across multiple factories and geographies. Benefit areas include improved customer service, asset leverage, inventory reduction, cycle time reduction, productivity increases and labor utilization.
“Insight autonomy” and decision execution will continue to deliver on value upside for the factory. The “production orchestrator” is enabled to optimize planning/scheduling/execution across functional silos while the machine operator is enabled to make real time decisions based on instantly accessible data driven from the shop floor. The end result is a high-performance manufacturing culture.