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The difficulty of implementing MES (1), the first selection

HONGDA 2019-01-18 501 return

Since the introduction of the concept of intelligent manufacturing, the manufacturing execution system MES has set off a new wave of enthusiasm in China. Many companies have launched MES projects under the impetus of technology development, policy orientation and their own needs. This has also led to the rapid development of MES software development companies. Overnight, MES software development companies are everywhere, MES products emerge in an endless stream, intelligent, agile, information, digital... Intensive hype bombing of various nouns, concepts, and programs, so that enterprises that really want to MES system should be overwhelmed. The feeling of "scarring flowers and fascinating eyes".

However, MES is not a one-of-a-kind, requiring suppliers to have long-term industry precipitation and accumulation, and the user's own adequate preparation. Since the beginning of 2003, the author has been engaged in MES consulting and MES implementation services. He has held various roles such as development, project implementation, consulting, project management, project director, and sales. He has implemented advanced MES product systems such as Wonderware, Miracom, and MPDV. It has also developed intraFACTORYMES products with independent intellectual property rights. The industries involved are electronic assembly, auto parts, machining, semiconductor packaging and testing, medical equipment, photovoltaics and other different industries.

It can be said that it has dealt with domestic and foreign MES representative original manufacturers and representative customers in major industries. After experiencing a dry or successful or failed MES project, the author deeply feels that there are various kinds of confusions in the current MES selection and implementation process, so this series of articles is available to help readers understand MES. System, select the MES system that is really suitable for you, and control the risk of MES implementation, and smoothly go online.

The difficulty of implementing MES is the first choice. Today, there are many MES products, and there are many different products. Each product has its strengths and shortcomings. How to use it to save the essence and use it for me is the most concerned issue for users. The first part of the series will focus on this issue, from the author's MES consultants, sales experience, to explain all aspects of the selection process, to help readers take the first step in MES implementation.

The implementation of MES is difficult, followed by implementation. The implementation of MES involves many departments such as production, process, planning, quality, equipment, warehouse, etc. The relationship between the MES is so numerous that the needs of various departments are difficult to adjust. The second part of the series will start from the author's project management and project implementation experience, explain the difficulties and key points in the implementation process, and ensure the smooth implementation of the MES project.

The difficulty of implementing MES is still under risk control. MES projects have a wide range of implementation, long cycle and high resistance. How to identify the risks that may affect the progress of the project and deal with them are the key factors for the success or failure of MES implementation. The third article of the series will start with the author's project supervision experience and explain the MES implementation risk control and response.

The MES implementation is difficult, and finally in the product function. All the selection, secondary development, and implementation of the product are all around the product. After going online, the user is also in contact with each functional module of the product. The fourth article of the series will start from the author's implementation experience in many industries and explain the key points of MES product function realization.

This article is the first in a series of articles, mainly explaining all aspects of the MES selection process, as well as the author's personal experience.

MES selection overview

After years of research and application, the MES system has a clear understanding of the standard model, application architecture, functional modules, and service interfaces. There are also international standards such as ISA-95 to regulate the development of MES products. It can be said that the key technologies and functional modules of the MES system are basically mature. However, why do some companies succeed in MES, and some companies fail? According to incomplete statistics, 67% of the small and medium-sized production enterprises failed to choose the MES project because of improper selection. Improper selection, invisibly opened a Hard mode road for yourself, MES implementation, and ultimately the failure is not surprising.

MES selection points

2.1. Establish a good MES selection team

1 high-level participation and give enough attention

Before deciding on the MES system and starting the MES selection work, we must first open the management pipeline, preferably from the top to the bottom. The MES selection team should be headed by the company's manufacturing director as the selection team leader, and the production vice president/IT manager as the deputy team leader. Why do you say this? The author has received the demand for MES project of C company, and invited the author to participate in the tender of its MES project. After visiting, I found that the MES selection work of C Company was presided over by the CIM department under the information center. The CIM department reported to the deputy general manager of the information center, and the vice president reported to the manufacturing director again. The communication was extremely smooth. Critical needs cannot be made, and work is repeated. As the above leadership ideas changed, the following MES requirements and implementation scope changed, and the selection work dragged on for half a year. Eventually, with the adjustment of the information center vice president's work, there was no end. Therefore, MES selection must be supported by the manufacturing director. The upper level pays attention to it, and the promotion of the lower level can be faster and more powerful.

2 The relevant person in charge of each part of the business (plan, warehouse, production, process, quality, equipment, etc.)

In addition to the above-mentioned leadership, members of the MES selection team should also include key users such as production, planning, process, quality, equipment and other department heads. Why do you need members of different departments to participate? Because the MES is implemented, it is ultimately used by users, so the user's opinion is an important basis for MES selection. The opinions of the users are reflected by the members of their department in the MES selection team. This member is best served by the middle-level leader or technical backbone of the department. On the one hand, he understands the actual situation of production, can communicate with department heads and the bottom-level staff, and masters the first-line needs. On the other hand, it also ensures the participation time and guarantees the speed of advancement. The entire selection process requires a lot of investment and support from the business department. It is impossible to push one or two departments.

3 seeking industry senior consultant support

It is best to have a senior industry consultant in the MES selection team. If not, you can consider borrowing or short-term appointments. The consultant should have a wealth of work experience, understand the characteristics of the industry, and be familiar with the MES implementation process and key points. The consultant can provide important help in the following aspects: 1 popularize MES knowledge to the selection team, establish correct MES awareness; 2 combing and solidifying business processes, streamlining the relationship between various business departments; 3 formulating MES planning; Consolidate MES requirements; 5 evaluate suppliers and products, and evaluate project managers and project team members; 6 assess overall project implementation and prevent risks. The role of the consultant is critical. Good consultants have the effect of boosters and multipliers for MES selection and implementation.

2.2. Practice internal strength, clear demand

Specifically, companies must lay a solid foundation for the MES and at the same time figure out what they want.

1 Internal work one: rational business, build lean manufacturing process

MES is a precipitation of industry and manufacturing processes. If a manufacturing company does not have a standard and lean manufacturing process, then MES cannot be implemented. For Party A, not every manufacturing company has the ability to go to MES. If the company does not have a standard manufacturing lean process, it is impossible to go to the MES. MES selection is the most taboo in the case that the manufacturing process is not combed, no optimization, no lean, blind attack.

The author has seen a good customer enterprise with business carding optimization, workshop management and control specifications, clear process division, production strictly in accordance with the process documents, all processes have circulation card records. This type of business communicates very smoothly, even if the other party does not understand MES, can also talk about ideas. I have also seen that the combing is not good, the material is unclear, the deduction is filled in at will, the rework process is free to jump, and the production data is recorded casually. Enterprises that do not solidify this process and have poor basic data will easily fail to implement MES.

2 Internal work 2: raise awareness, understand the role of MES

I have been to many companies, chatted, the understanding of MES is data collection and kanban reports. The author wants to say that such a company is far from the MES system. It is not clear what is the MES, what to do, what can be achieved, how can we do the MES project? I have encountered this situation. Party A in a project is unclear about MES. I think that MES will be big and complete, and all the requirements of warehouse management systems such as warehousing and inventory counting will be put in, so that I can’t Before the investigation, I spent some effort to explain the MES to Party A, so that the project can continue. Therefore, the company must have a clear and clear understanding of MES. After figuring out what MES can do, start the MES project.

3 internal power three: know the needs, know what you want

The finishing of the demand depends on its own situation. There are generally two ways: one is the business sector, and the IT department is the supplement. At this point, the business units each organize their own needs, and then discuss and determine at the MES selection team work meeting; the other is the IT department, the business department is supplemented. At this time, the IT department issues a unified MES demand survey questionnaire, and each user department fills in and returns to the IT department, which is compiled by the IT department and submitted to the MES selection team for discussion and determination. The author suggests that the demand should be sorted by the business department, and the demand is best raised by the business department according to their own needs, and supported by the manufacturing director, so that the demand will be more real and clear.

Some companies have a learning attitude to go to MES, and negotiations with suppliers have become MES classrooms. Some companies just want to go to the MES, and then call the supplier on the wind and fire, and can't say the pain point when communicating, can't provide business data, so that the supplier can't get started and perfunctory things. Some enterprises' demand research is not thorough, and it often changes over and over again, making it impossible for suppliers to cope. Some companies don't have a firm idea. Today, I see this supplier's product is good, add some functions, and see that the supplier is fully functional and add some tomorrow. The selection work is protracted and it will not be fixed. These are the performances of internal strength training. Only by cultivating the "internal strength" can we sort out the more appropriate needs, and the company can understand what they want.

2.3. Develop a reasonable MES implementation plan

In a word, it is to figure out what you can do.

Most companies have different levels of management in different workshops, different employees, and different objective problems. It is impossible to get MES in one step. Therefore, the MES selection team needs to have a clear understanding, unify the thinking, clarify the goals and objectives of the MES implementation, and formulate a reasonable MES implementation plan. If it is difficult to formulate, it can be helped by a consultant or an early consultation project. General MES phase planning is a master plan, implemented step by step. According to the company's own IT team size, technical strength, hardware and software facilities, workshop infrastructure, project funding, etc., it is decided whether to press the function module or the region.

"Internal strength" is well cultivated, and combined with your own implementation plan, you can clearly know what functions you can have now. Then go to the MES products and suppliers, and it will be a matter of course.

2.4. Understand MES suppliers and products

Although MES has many products and suppliers. However, MES is ultimately an industrial software that requires long-term accumulation to get a good product. So, how to understand your supplier and choose the most suitable MES system, the author introduces the "four look" method.

1 look at the industry

MES products are very sensitive to the industry. For example, the semiconductor industry alone, the 8-inch factory and the 12-inch factory are different, and the choices for MES suppliers are different. As the semiconductor industry is also the same, the application products of ApplyMaterials and IBM are suitable for the 12-inch factory, and the products of Miracom. More suitable for 8-inch factory. From the industry point of view, ApplyMaterials, Miracom products for the semiconductor industry, Honeywell, Aspentech products for the process industry, Siemens products for the machining, auto parts, equipment manufacturing industry. Therefore, enterprises should choose the products of the MES manufacturers that the industry is best at according to their own needs.

2 look at the product

Starting from the characteristics of MES products, MES products can be divided into two categories, one is platform type, and the other is product type. The choice of platform type or product type MES depends on the manufacturing enterprise IT team. For example, if there are few IT development and maintenance personnel, the product MES with fast iteration and fast on-line can be selected, modular design, and functions can be superimposed. However, if there are many IT development and maintenance personnel, and can undertake the secondary development task of MES, it needs platform type. Product, the future expansion of the company. For example, for large group companies, which have multiple factories, they can choose platform-type MES products. After secondary development, they can be applied in multiple factories, and the results will be better than the selection of product-type MES products. Therefore, in addition to considering the characteristics of the product itself, the selection of products must also consider the characteristics of the enterprise.

Look at the product should also pay attention to the secondary development capabilities of MES. It is impossible to have no secondary development in the implementation process of MES, but the product-oriented MES focuses on the industry, focusing on actual products, with refined functions and less secondary development; while the platform type focuses on the standardization of processes and more secondary development, but closer to reality. demand. The second development document is complete, the development interface / API design is perfect MES products, secondary development saves time and trouble, but can reduce the implementation cost and risk of MES. And when choosing, also pay attention to whether the supplier has secondary development capability for MES products. Here is another example. The author participates in the MES selection work of a company in Zhejiang. The last selected MES product is an internationally renowned brand, and many projects have been settled in China. However, the development capabilities of companies in China are very weak, and some secondary development requests have to be fed back to foreign headquarters for development, but the secondary development needs of this company in Zhejiang are many. After several conflicts, the final project implementation effect is very general.

3 see POC

POC, ProofofConcept, is a verification test commonly used in MES selection for products provided by MES manufacturers. Based on the basic data given by the user enterprise, the POC performs real data operation on the selected server, and actually displays the requirements of the user enterprise to verify the service carrying capacity and coverage function range of the MES system.

POC is very important in MES selection. Because some companies' business processes are complex, a single functional demonstration can't cover the actual business needs. In this case, a small range of experimental objects (which can be one or two typical products or typical routings, but business logic) needs to be delineated in advance. The complexity should be representative and reflect the pain points in the production process. Through the data import and operation demonstration of these two typical products, from the practice of real business scenarios to the realization of enterprise information construction, verify the supplier's provision. MG products can achieve what functions, whether they meet their own planning and needs, so as to make objective and more accurate judgments. Moreover, through POC, suppliers can also see the ability to respond to demand and rapid deployment and secondary development capabilities, and can further examine suppliers.

4 see people

The staff includes the supplier's MES implementation team, management team and consultant team, paying attention to the experience and background of the implementation team, the communication and risk control capabilities of the management team, and the qualification of the consultant team. The companies that actually do MES are generally small in scale, and the key is to look at the core personnel. It is one-sided to choose solely based on the size of the supplier. It is not that the size of the supplier's company is not important, but it should not be the determining factor. In addition, the experience of supplier consultants is important. The consultant chosen by the supplier is preferably experienced. This way, the consultant can tell the user what to do at each stage of the project. To be successful, users must trust consultants and suppliers.

Written in the last words

MES selection is a complex system engineering. How to plan, demand, evaluate suppliers, products, teams, risks, how to do POC, have a lot of attention, it is difficult to understand. The author's most personal experience is in the ZC Group. When I first went to the MES, I did not pay attention to the many points mentioned in this article, and the selection failed. Later, I asked the author to do a consultation, systematically learned the MES knowledge, and sorted out the business process and pain points. Carefully prepared to start the MES project again in a year, it will be online in 9 months, and it has been running smoothly for more than 3 years.

Selection is risky. The author has recorded the experience of many years of MES consulting and implementation work, and hopes to help enterprises control the selection risk, so that all enterprises interested in the MES system can choose the right MES products!