MES Buyers Guide

MESManufacturing execution systeMs

About Managing Automation Research Services

Vendor Profiles

Product Comparison Tables

How to Evaluate Vendors

How to Evaluate Costs/ROI

Technology Landscape

Category Introduction

a Buyers guide

2011

a report Prepared by: Managing Automation Media Research Services

2010 Thomas Publishing Company, LLC

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he transformation of the traditional factory from a pro-duction facility into a modern service center has resulted in management problems for which many manu-facturers are not yet prepared. the economic efficiency of modern value creation is not a property of the products but rather of the process that creates them. what this means is that the decisive potential of compa-nies is found less in production capability and more in process capability.1

the requirement for process capability gives rise to the requirement that all value-adding processes be geared to the process result and thus to the customer. a necessary condition of process transparency is the ability to map the companys value stream in real time, without the acquisition process involving major outlaya capability beyond enterprise resource planning (erp) technology, but perfectly suited to manufacturing execution systems (mes). 2

manufacturing execution systems soft-ware is an increasingly critical component of modern manufacturing environments. mes collects and analyzes production data, tracks quality control, and is frequently integrated

with erp systems to monitor manufacturing schedules and ensure delivery of orders. mes serves as the intermediary between a busi-ness system such as erp and a manufacturers plant-floor control equipment; it creates an audit control for tracking, tracing, and compli-ance purposes, and delivers work instructions to plant-floor personnel.3,4

the origins of the mes concept are found in the data collection systems of the early 1980s. various functional areas of corporate manage-ment (e.g., production planning, personnel, quality assurance) were furnished with dedi-cated data collection systems, which became part of the computer-integrated manufactur-ing (cim) pyramid model.5

cim focused on the hierarchy of the manufacturing enterprise. as new pressures transformed manufacturing (e.g., increasing globalization and customer focus), the need for a new model emerged, resulting in mes.

amr research (now part of the research and analysis firm gartner) first used the term manufacturing execution system in 1992 as part of its introduction of the three-layer mes model. this model reduced the manufacturing model to three functional areasplanning, execution, and controland helped manu-facturers by reducing the number of layers of software, and focusing on the need to link the planning process to the control process through the newly defined execution process.6

mes is defined by the manufacturing enterprise solutions association (mesa) as a dynamic information system that drives effec-tive execution of manufacturing operations:

Using current and accurate data, MES guides, triggers, and reports on plant activities as events occur. The MES set of functions man-ages production operations from point of order release into manufacturing to point of product delivery into finished goods. MES provides mission critical information about production activities to others across the organization and supply chain via bi-direc-tional communication.7

despite a proliferation of articles and com-mentaries on mes, for many manufacturers it remains a confusing acronym. although all systems are used to manage and monitor work-in-progress on the factory floor, the software may vary significantly for each vertical industry and product line. in general, mes systems will allow users to specify when materials should be ordered and to schedule tasks against an or-ganizations total production capacity through advanced production scheduling (aps). this allows for visual representations of projected workloads, and offers some form of overall equipment effectiveness (oee) reporting to gauge real-time efficiency. mes can also guide workers or machines through the production process. specialist functionality for particular process industries can include modules such

category introduction

Tamr

research first used the term manu-

facturing execution system in

1992 as part of its three-layer mes

model.


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as ingredient expiration date monitoring and emergency shutdown systems.8

By providing operator support, produc-tion scheduling, tracking and tracing capa-bilities, and accurate, real-time visibility into production processes, MES may deliver the following benefits to a manufacturer:

Reduction of errors, and therefore a reduction of waste and rework

Better understanding of the location and source of problems Reduction or elimination of manual entry time and costs Reduction of cycle time, resulting in increased yield and throughput More efficient use of equipment assets Improved planning and streamlined schedules Reduction of inventory Reduction of order-to-ship times Lower costs for regulatory compliance an mes system can either reside on a centralized server or be distributed across modular hardware and software units that provide services and communicate on a local area network. the distributed design allows a business to assemble modules from different vendors without the need for the placement of multiple copies of complex

and expensive computer systems in areas that will not use their full capacity.9 when the first mes setups hit the market in the 1990s, they were a good idea but ahead of their time. they promised great efficiency and significant quality improve-ments, but were too immature and expen-sive to make economic sense.10 much has changed since then. product lifecycles are shorter, profit margins are tighter, and regulatory environments are more severe. as these market dynamics continue shifting toward smaller produc-tion runs, greater emphasis on quality, and more complex market environments, only automated data collection and processing in a real-time, continuously available environ-ment will provide manufacturers with the agility they need to survive. therefore, it is widely accepted that for manufacturers to thrive in the decades ahead, they will have to deploy mes across their enterprise.11 Normally, MES would include the following basic functional modules:

Detailed planning and control Material management Operating resources management Personnel management Data acquisition and processing Interface management

Performance analysis Quality management Information management12

while the implementation of an mes system is always challenging, the rewards and return on investment are higher than they have ever been.

category introduction

for manu-facturers

to thrive in the decades ahead, they will have to deploy mes across their enterprise.


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Vendor Profiles

n many respects, mes deployments are similar to the erp sys-tems that preceded them. mes brings to manufacturing operations the efficiency and data analytics that erp brought to financial systems. a key difference that is sometimes over-looked, though, is the difference in transac-tion time frames. erp system transactions are measured on a time scale of months, weeks, and days. mes setups have much shorter transaction time frames, measured in hours, minutes, and seconds. this is why mes must be designed for continuous availability. even a momentary outage can break critical record chains that determine whether a product can be sold or is written off as spoilage. mes solutions also support real-time strategic decision-making, which depends on uninter-rupted data collection and processing.13 todays plants are difficult places to run an application. typically, data is scattered across hundreds of disparate systems, many of which were developed decades ago. the cost to develop and run applications using legacy data is painfully high. it cripples application delivery efforts, limits the room for application upgrades and replacements, and encourages many users

to stick with manual processes (even though theres a broad-scale understanding that such processes are anathema to efficiency). corporate it departments are seeking to standardize enterprise applications globally as a way to streamline, simplify, and over-come many of these challenges. yet mergers and acquisitions, outsourcing, and contract manufacturing are trends that create barriers to the drive for standardization. plants often have multiple instances of different applica-tions across their sites and business units, and many have resorted to standalone solutions to avoid the complexity of extensive integra-tion and coordinating with corporate systems. this drives the number of disparate applica-tions in systems even higher. 14

in the late 1990s, when mes was first de-ployed as a means to bridge the gap between transaction-oriented business systems and real-time production operation decisions, there was a recognition that the challenge of fitting mes software into the shop floor was taking place in unique operating environ-ments. each plant per industry, per produc-tion style, has unique operating characteris-tics, says roy c. wildeman, senior analyst at forrester research. as a consequence, mes developed as a fragmented market, full of specialist vendors. the combination of special-ized requirements and fragmented support

left manufacturers with limited options to choose from, which led many manufacturers to perform custom development as a de facto mes approach.15

according to wildeman, this picture is steadily changing. large manufacturers are increasingly recognizing the benefits of stan-dardized production processes, and macro drivers are propelling this idea as a more com-mon must-do approach in many cases. process standardization helps manufacturers pool plant capacities across the extended enter-prise, better enabling the pursuit of a virtual factory concept and providing more strategic flexibility to respond to demand changes.16

consider, for example, an international contract manufacturer. as its processes are standardized globally and an mes shows excursions at any given factory (e.g., high yield fallout or another unusual trend), the company can track the excursion to its root cause, be it process steps, a bad batch of material, or a test or design issue. it can track all its material by lot, in case there is an issue with incoming components, and alert all the plants with parts from that lot of the potential issue before they use the parts. an older system of local data location would never be able to prevent other facilities from using the bad material, except by non-automated processes (e.g., sQe e-mails, phone calls). the mes solution has the poten-

the technology Landscape

process stan-dardization

helps manu-facturers

pool plant capacities across the extended

enterprise.






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the global economic

collapse has forced some

manufac-turers to

postpone or limit plans

to upgrade or replace their existing mes.

tial of saving the company tens of millions of dollars alone in preventing bad material.17

Technology advances are offering better support for multi-site MES deployment:

Automation code is more accessible Code versions can be controlled across decentralized architecture Dashboards can aggregate disparate data sources Shop-floor applications can be delivered centrally as a single instance Hosted and SaaS deployments are lowering upfront capital requirements18

many of the controls vendors increasingly standardize their products around opc speci-fications, making integration more cost effec-tive and allowing it to more easily abstract equipment-specific parameters into the mes layer, wildeman says. three years ago, amr research attempted to raise the technological bar for mes, coining one of 2007s major buzzwords: manufac-turing 2.0. this referred to next-generation technologies such as blogs, wikis, instant messaging, and user-centric interfaces on the shop floor. it called for a manufacturing ser-vice-oriented architecture (soa) that merged

product data management (pdm), process development models, and event-based supply chain collaboration with support for mobile and sensor technologies. the concept was developed in response to a growing interest in mobility, soa-enabled applications, cloud computing, and new paradigms for factory training. manufacturing 2.0 was also touted as the solution to some of the problems of tradition-al mes systems: rigid architecture, inability to support new lean and six sigma initia-tives, difficult and costly deployments, and trouble functioning in multiple manufacturing styles.19 but the global economic collapse has limited discussion of manufacturing 2.0, as it budgets have been slashed and some manu-facturers have been forced to postpone or limit plans to upgrade or replace their existing mes infrastructure. roughly half of the installed mes software was deployed in the last six years, a sign that manufacturers are finding that mes upgrades are not easy. as more manufacturers look to standardize their mes, many are opting to rip and replace the systems, rather than up-grade existing ones. integration is far easier with the new mes systems that are based on microsoft.net web services technology, says robert parker, an analyst at idc manu-facturing insights. this is making the drive to standardize across multiple plants easier, and

supports wildemans observations. parker says that most mes setups handle scheduling processes very well, but for other functionality, its a mixed bag. he also contends that mes software has not added many truly new functions in recent years, with recent innovations focusing on visualization of the production process and analytics.20

the technology Landscape


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How to evaluate costs/roi

ompanies should analyze the capabilities of state-of-the-art mes to estimate what an mes deployment should cost. what would be a reasonable price?

historically, mes setups were big bang im-plementations, where functionality needed to be delivered immediately. these created large projects and long time lines that frequently failed to deliver an adequate business return and often were not aligned to the current business problems upon project completion.

saps introduction of xapp manufacturing integration and intelligence (sap xmii), which it bills as the worlds first manufacturing intel-ligence portal, is another example of technol-ogy advances offering better support for mes deployment. like erp systems, mes solutions have historically had two basic pricing models: user-based and usage- or module-based. the former entails one license fee per user, which includes access to all modules of the system. the latter means functionality is purchased on an a la carte basis, plus an additional per-user fee.21

according to simon Jacobson, a research di-rector at amr, a new mes can cost anywhere from $150,000 to $300,000 for the software license, plus one-and-a-half to three times

that amount for services, depending on the complexity and number of sites installed.22

hosted and software-as-a-service (saas) deployments are also emerging as means to minimize capital requirements. cfos can balk at a large capital outlay for enterprise software if it doesnt translate into immediate roi, but some saas vendors, such as plexus systems, are helping clients overcome this challenge by offering mes functionality as a subscription service over the web.23

saas pricing models are in flux, though. at forrester researchs recent it forum, a round-table was undertaken with several leading software and services firms around the topic of saas pricing trends. Key takeaways:

1. saas pricing is evolving toward true usage-based models. most early saas pricing was on a fairly simplistic, per-user-per-month basis, sometimes with add-on costs for extras such as mobile, storage, or advanced modules; today, many buyers are seeking pricing op-tions that more closely map to value, such as usage-based or transaction-based models.

2. many saas vendors are providing trans-parency into pricing and contract terms. these vendors have typically had transparent pric-ing, often listed on their websites or shared by user communities. one challenge for buyers who are stuck in a traditional, on-premises

purchasing mindset is that saas vendors typi-cally have limited transparency into break-down of pricing (i.e., splitting out software, hosting, and support).

3. freemium remains common, but ap-proaches vary widely. many saas vendors continue to offer various types of free trials or free low-end editions to allow potential customers to try the product before buying, and to capitalize on the word-of-mouth that is quite common among saas users. 24

typical project payback for mes investments comes in six to 24 months. most mes projects are justified on cost-reduction measures: lower work in progress (wip) and finished goods inven-tory (fgi); reduced waste, scrap, and materials; reduced cost of regulatory compliance; reduced rework; lower maintenance costs; reduced indi-rect labor costs; shorter cycle times; shorter lead times; improved quality; and reduced process and product variability.

process improvements also accrue to the roi for mes investments: faster new product introduction (npi) cycle, shorter time to inno-vation, improved adherence to customer audit requirements (traceability and genealogy), and promotion of flow manufacturing.

finally, overarching market improvements are supported by mes: better collaboration, improved supply chain visibility, and a plat-form for continuous improvement.25

Ca new mes

can cost from $150,000 to $300,000 for the software license, plus one-and-a-half to three

times that amount for

services.





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How to evaluate Vendors

t is a daunting tasK to identify criteria for selecting an mes solution and, by extension, an mes vendor. the more you understand about the matter, the harder it be-comes to Keep an overview perspective. where should you start, and where should you stop?

once youve looked at multiple system presentations, it may be difficult to see where they differ; after a while, all user interfaces can look the same.

mes setups are complex it installations that, depending on the form they take, can affect a large number of functional areas in a manufacturing concern. systems may be used for anything from straightforward feedback regarding quality assurance and personnel management to complex detailed scheduling-control systems.

once objectives have been defined, a bet-ter assessment can be made of the scope of services offered by different systems and sup-pliers. for example, if you want to start with machine data collection but know that in a

year or two the company will be looking at in-centive wages, you can immediately establish knockout criteria. any potential supplier not able to integrate a staff work-time function and a performance-based remuneration func-tion can be ruled out immediately.

consider the possible objectives that can be met by the introduction of mes. this usually means that quantifiable approaches can be found, which then form the basis for calculat-ing an roi. such a procedure is more efficient and involves less work; further, the level to which objectives have been achieved can be better assessed for the purpose of control-ling subsequent investments. the following checklist should provide some assistance in designing and selecting mes solutions: 26

General Criteria1. does the mes have fully integrated production, personnel, and quality

management?2. does it support paperless production?3. does it include all necessary standard

products?4. does the system offer escalation

management and workflow functions?5. what references and knowledge of the

industry does the supplier have?6. how easy is it to adapt the mes

setups functionalities to the

customers processes?7. does the mes manufacturer have a clear

standard product and release strategy?

System Concept1. is the complete mes functionality

provided in a single system?2. can the individual components be

used as modules?3. can the functions be configured?4. does the mes have an enterprise

services architecture-oriented (esa) structure?

5. does the system orient itself by common industry standard products?

6. does the system support the necessary platforms?

7. does it support the necessary interfaces?

8. how easily can it adapt interfaces to the requirements of the customer?

9. what possibilities does the system offer for the customers own developments?10. can these adaptations be made just

as easily at a later time?11. what tools are available for preparing

ones own analyses?12. can the existing analyses in various

levels of data aggregation be adjusted for all corporate levels?

Iany supplier not able to integrate a staff work-

time function and a perfor-mance-based

remunera-tion function

can be ruled out.





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13. is there an interface with leading erp and pps systems?14. does the modular architecture of the

mes permit a gradual expansion to include further functions?15. is the system architecture open?

Production1. are there integrated functions that

offer a view of all resources involved in production?

2. are there overviews that allow evaluation of the current manufacturing situation?

3. are the detailed planning functions based on current data?

4. does detailed planning manage primary and secondary resources?

5. is there a load planning function for different kinds of secondary resources?

6. can you model different possibilities of technological relationships?

7. is inter-order networking possible?8. can the types of capacity be varied?9. are different planning strategies

supported?10. can detailed planning instances be evaluated by means of flexible and

combinable key data?11. can alternative planning variants be

simulated?

12. can different optimization strategies be implemented?13. does the mes support different

production structures (multiple machine work, multiple operator work, etc.)?14. is material tracking possible (e.g., in

batches and buffer storage)?

Quality1. can quality inspections be

incorporated like work operations in the overall order structure?

2. is there a dynamic configuration function to monitor testing and inspection equipment?

3. is non-conformance management work flow supported?

4. is gapless traceability of the production process possible?

5. does production planning have access to quality data?

6. can process measurement data also be used as quality characteristics?

7. is there support for automatic transfer of measured data via standard interfaces?

Personnel1. is staff work-time logging with

information and intelligence functions available at the terminal?

2. can working hours and payments models be configured simply for personnel time management?

3. is there a workflow for processing of applications and approvals?

4. is there a straightforward method to adapt calculation of incentive wages to collective bargaining agreements?

5. is there a short-term manpower planning function with direct coupling to production loading?

6. is there a short-term manpower planning function that assigns employees to work centers at which orders have been scheduled?

Data Acquisition1. does the mes permit gapless automated

data acquisition and processing?2. are standard interfaces provided to

machines and automatically controlled machines?

3. can all data acquisition functions be configured for better ergonomics and thus greater acceptance?

4. are standard data acquisition interfaces such as opc supported?

5. are the data acquisition functions available on different platforms, such

as rfid, bar-code readers, and label printers? 27




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a good selec-tion process starts with

the creation of a cross-functional

team.

these questions open the door to the standard set of vendor evaluation criteria that any manufacturing company would use to conduct due diligence for a significant pur-chase such as an mes. the de facto questions include number of years the vendor has been in business; how long the mes product has been on the market; functionality for the type of business considering the purchase; vendor stability and reputation; ability to service and support the software; and, of course, making sure the vendor has a roadmap for the future of the product. a good selection process starts with the cre-ation of a cross-functional team tasked with developing business requirements that will be used to evaluate alternatives. these require-ments will be matched with specific features of the product under consideration. specific requirements are more helpful in the selec-tion process than general ones, which may be met to some degree by all the contenders, making it difficult to choose among them. 28

throughout the selection process, conclude each step with the consensus of all members of the selection committee, including end us-ers, to gather enterprise-wide acceptance for the mes package.




Vendor Profiles








Vendor name Product names Functional range industries ServedSize of

business Served

databases Supported Platforms Supported delivery Mode

Apriso FlexNet Managing and executing pro-duction, warehouse, quality,

maintenance, and labor activities

Automotive, aerospace and defense, clean-tech, consumer goods, industrial equipment, life sciences, packaging, electronics

Large Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle

Has built-in Microsoft.NET with SOA; BPM

On-premises, virtual environment

Aspen technologies

aspenONE Includes data collection and storage, performance analysis, production dispatching, produc-

tion resource management, production definition manage-

ment, production execution

Chemicals, polymers, oil and gas, pharma, CPG, food and beverage

Small, midsize, and large

Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle

Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows

Vista

On-premises

camstar Systems

Includes early collaborative manufacturing process devel-

opment, capacity and capability analysis, integrated engineer-ing change process, product/WIP traceability, genealogy, audit trail, quality data collec-tion and process limits, global

change enforcement and audit trail

Medical devices, biotech, solar, semiconductor, electronics

Midsize and large


Microsoft On-premises, SaaS

cdc Software CDC Factory Real-time finite production scheduling, real-time perfor-mance mgt., quality control, continuous improvement,

business analytics, agile main-tenance response, enterprise

asset management, safety

Process mfg. and discrete mfg. Midsize and large


Microsoft .NET, Windows 64

On-premises


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Camstar Enterprise Platform





business Served


de clercq Solutions

Objective MES Dispatch work orders from ERP, production scheduling, manufacturing process mgt., non-conformance and correc-tive action, quality documenta-tion, statistical analysis tech-niques, production reporting,

supervisory control

Food and beverage, plastics, industrial parts and equipment, semiconductor, wholesale and

distribution

Midsize and large

IBM DB/400, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle,

MySQL

HP/UX, IBM AIX, Sun Solaris/Sun OS, Linux, Microsoft Windows CE, Windows NT/2000/XP, Windows Server 2003,

Windows Vista

On-premises

Emerson Process

Management

Syncade Smart Operations

Management Suite,AMS Suite (asset

performance management)

Production operations, inven-tory mgt., quality mgt., mainte-

nance mgt., integration

Chemicals, food and beverage, life sciences, metals and mining,

oil and gas, and others


Microsoft SQL Server 2005, 2008

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and 2008, Windows XP, Windows

7, Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Android

On-premises

Eyelit eyelit MES Asset mgt., costing, shop floor control, reporting

Solar, semiconductor, MEMS, aerospace and defense, automo-

tive, electronics

Midsize and large


Microsoft Windows, Unix, Linux, and others

Clients deploy using Java WebStart

gE intelligent Platforms

Proficy Plant Applications

Includes order completion status, interactive schedule

planning, automatic set-point loading, material delivery mgt.

Aerospace, automotive, chemi-cals, electronics, oil and gas,

textile, constructions, CPG, and others


Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft On-premises





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business Served


HighJump Software

HighJump Manufacturing

Advantage

Work order import, prioritization and dispatch; material picks and delivery to work cells;

work queue; instruction and documentation review at work cells; material replenishments; real-time production review and adjustment, performance analy-

sis; scrap reporting; machine utilization; labor productivity

Industrial mfg., automotive, aerospace,

food and beverage

Midsize and large


Microsoft Windows On-premises, cloud

Honeywell Process

Solutions

Business FLEX,

OptiVision, Uniformance

Includes planning and schedul-ing, supply chain mgt., opera-tions mgt., data warehousing,

integration and communications

Refining, oil and gas, power, chemicals, life sciences, and

more



Any system from any vendor

On-premises

ibASEt Solumina Process planning, MES/MOM, quality management systems,

supplier quality assurance, MRO

Aerospace, defense, nuclear products, shipbuilding, industrial equipment, industrial electronics,

medical devices

Midsize and large


Microsoft Windows, Unix On-premises

intercim Pertinence Suite powered by

Velocity

Includes simplified process planning, advanced predictive analysis, process execution,

quality mgt.

Aerospace, defense, discrete mfg., life sciences, high-tech,

energy, and more


Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2,

Oracle 11g

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 (32/64-

bit), Windows XP Professional, Windows

Vista Business, Windows 7 (32-bit)

On-premises


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Matrikon,





business Served


invensys Manufacturing Execution Module

Includes electronic work orders, BOM, product traceability,

operations standard functional-ity, inventory control

Hybrid, process, discrete mfg. Small, midsize, and large

Microsoft SQL Server 2005, 2008; Oracle

Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Windows Vista

(64-bit)

On-premises

MPdV Mikrolab

gmbH

HYDRA Production data collection, shop floor scheduling, material and production logistics, machine data collection, tool manage-ment/DNC, quality assurance, process data collection, time and attendance, personnel scheduling, incentive pay,

access control

Plastics, metal, automotive, food and beverage, plant and

mechanical engineering, furniture, wood products, printing and pack-aging, precision mechanics and optics, electrical engineering and

electronics

Midsize and large

Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle,

MySQL, Informix, ASCII text file-based

HP/UX, Sun Solaris/Sun OS, Linux, Microsoft NT/2000/XP, Windows Vista, Windows SQL

Server 2003, Windows CE, Palm OS

On-premises

Parsec Automation

TrakSYS Includes data/information inte-gration management, process and asset/infrastructure model-

ing, production planning and dispatching, resource alloca-tion, data acquisition, process

and operation mgt.

Pharma, medical devices, food and beverage, consumer health products, automotive, chemicals,

and others

Midsize and large

OLE-DB-compliant Microsoft Windows, Linux, Unix

Browser technology/Web-based

Performix Performix xRecipe, Performix xMES, Performix xBatch

Includes electronic work orders, multi-language support, OSI PI integration, material tracking,

resource tracking, plant super-visory functions

Chemicals, consumer products, food and beverage, pharma

Midsize and large

Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft Windows 2000, 2003, 2008, XP, Vista,

and 7; Linux

On-premises


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business Served


Plex Systems Plex Online Includes production scheduling, finite scheduling, lean tools, shop floor control, bar-code

labeling, traceability, labor/time tracking, SPCs

Automotive, medical devices, industrial mfg., food and bever-age, life sciences, aerospace

Small and midsize

SaaS/cloud-based SaaS/cloud-based SaaS

oracle Oracle Manufacturing

Execution System for Process

Manufacturing, Oracle

Manufacturing Execution System

for Discrete Manufacturing

Execute, record, and monitor shop-floor activities in real time

Aerospace and defense, industrial mfg., high-tech, CPG, life sci-ences, oil and gas, and more

Midsize and large

Oracle Solaris x86-64 (64-bit)

Linux x86, Linux x86-64, HP-UX Itanium, HP-UX PA-RISC (64-bit), IBM AIX on Power Systems

(64-bit), Microsoft Windows Server (32-bit), Oracle Solaris SPARC

(64-bit)

On-premises, on-demand, or hybrid

rockwell Automation

FactoryTalk ProductionCentre

Scheduling, order mgt., quality control and mgt., material track-

ing and mgt., WIP/Inventory, workflow and performance mgt.

Pharma, biotech, medical devic-es, CPG, food and beverage,

automotive

Midsize and large

Oracle 10, 11; Microsoft SQL Server 2005,

2008; Windows 2003, 2008,

including 64-bit; Linux; Solaris

Enterprise

Oracle 10, 11; Microsoft SQL Server 2005, 2008;

Windows 2003, 2008, including 64-bit; Linux;

Solaris Enterprise

On-premises, SaaS

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Editors Note: this select list of erp suppliers is based on market research reports, analyst reports, and company information.


business Served


SAP Ag SAP Manufacturing Execution

Traceability, non-conformance mgt., production transfer, ERP integration, return and repair,

labor tracking, engineering change mgt., production met-

rics, globalization

High-tech, industrial machinery and components, aerospace and

defense, automotive, medical devices



Microsoft Windows Server, HP-UX, Solaris,

Linux, AIX

On-premises

Schneider Electric

Ampla Metrics, production, downtime, quality, inventory, energy, planning, cost, knowledge,

maintenance

Mining, food and beverage, CPG, water/wastewater

Midsize and large

Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, OPC DA, OPC HDA, InSQL,

major SCADA and historian systems

Microsoft, Java CD

Siemens MES SIMATIC IT Includes quality control, trace-ability, process efficiency, pro-

duction mgt., collaboration

Electronics, automotive, assem-bly, food and beverage, and

others

Midsize and large


Microsoft Windows XP, Windows 7

On-premises, Web-based

Werum Software &

Systems

PAS-X Master batch records, finite scheduling, weighing and

dispensing, electronic batch recording, equipment mgt.,

material track-and-trace, ware-house mgt., process quality

control, corrective and preven-tive actions, operator training

records, manufacturing intelligence

Pharma, biotech Midsize and large

Oracle Flexible On-premises


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Vendor Profiles

Apriso

apriso traces its roots to 1992, when teledyne industries spun off its software business to aprisos predecessor organization, cim vision international. the company recognized the need for an adaptive mes. as a result, in 2002, flexnet was launched as a modular and easily integrated application suited to fill the critical gaps between business and process control applications.

the flexnet platform is a unified suite of manufacturing software applications that can coordinate all manufacturing operations within a plant, between plants, and across the supply chain and enterprise. functionalities include managing and executing production, warehouse, quality, maintenance, and labor activities.

in addition, extended quality capabili-ties enable advanced spc calculations to be embedded directly within any process, as well as the ability to perform quality planning or quality containment management, should an out-of-spec event occur. flexnet replicates processes across multiple locations, enabling global Kpi reporting with actionable capabili-ties to instantly remedy an out-of-tolerance event. aprisos ceo is Jim henderson.

Aspen Technologiesaspen technologies, led by president and

ceo mark fusco, is a supplier of software that optimizes process manufacturing in a number of industries. established in 1981, aspentechs annual revenue last year was $166 million. more than 75,000 users at over 1,500 compa-nies rely on aspentech products.

aspentechs mes product, aspenone, pro-vides functionality consistent with s-95 pro-duction operations management models to help customers increase profitability, achieve better asset utilization, and drive continuous improvement efforts. the aspentech mes product aggregates process, production, and business information into a context for under-standing and improving performance.

Camstar Systemscamstar is a privately held company led by president and ceo scott toney. the company provides manufacturing execution, process planning, enterprise quality management, and supply chain intelligence products. since 1984, camstar has served hundreds of customers worldwide, the majority of which are tier-one companies.

camstars mes product supports a broad diversity of manufacturing industries and processes. the highly configurable platform adapts to a users business without custom code, and its open soa architecture was designed for ease of integration to enterprise

applications and shop-floor automation. the manufacturing model provides revision-controlled, auditable, structured definition of the product definition and associated manu-facturing processes. it includes workflows with approved alternate paths, step-by-step opera-tor procedures, parametric data collection with limits and out-of-spec actions, electronic signature requirements, and detailed bills of materials. by enforcing adherence to process-ing rules, this model is the basis for the manu-facturing audit trail.

CDC Softwarefounded in 2002, cdc softwares mes product is cdc factory, a packaged manufacturing op-erations management system that transforms manufacturing performance by letting people make real-time, actionable decisions. cdc factory integrates the functionality of shop-floor data capture, packaged metrics such as overall equipment effectiveness, analytics and scorecards, continuous improvement ca-pabilities, and paperless quality management.

the technology is combined with a change method that focuses on developing a struc-ture of daily performance reviews to drive bet-ter performance. the process develops opera-tor skills so operators are able to drive their own improvements; the product is typically deployed in less than six weeks per factory.

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cdc had 2009 revenues of $204 million, and is headed by ceo peter yip. the company delivers industry-specific solutions to 10,000 customers worldwide in the manufacturing, food and beverage, business services, distribu-tion, transportation, retail, government, real estate, financial services, healthcare, and not-for-profit industries.

De Clercq Solutions de clercq solutions has more than 10 years of experience with the implementation and in-tegration of mes setups. the companys mes offering, objective mes, starts with detailed planning; it optimally controls operators and machines, and analyzes performance and quality.

the product dispatches work orders ef-ficiently, taking into account the real capacity and capacity utilization. objective mes also helps optimize resources. it monitors produc-tion and reacts to problems. the system also supports maintenance activities and quality management. Koen de clercq is the ceo of the company.

Emerson Process Managementemerson electric is a global leader in bringing together technology and engineering to pro-vide solutions to industrial, commercial, and consumer markets through its network power, process management, industrial automation, climate technologies, and appliance and tools businesses. the companys sales in fiscal 2009

were $20.9 billion. emersons ceo is david farr.

emerson process management, an emerson business, is a leader in helping businesses automate their production, processing, and distribution in the chemical, oil and gas, refin-ing, pulp and paper, power, water and waste-water treatment, mining and metals, food and beverage, life sciences, and other industries. emerson process management offers two mes products, syncade and ams suite, to the industries it serves.

Eyeliteyelit, founded in 1997, delivers a broad set of manufacturing solutions, including eyelit mes. the software provides insight into production process efficiency, performance/equipment efficiency, inventory control, and resource management, along with the ability to automatically react to conditions in any factory system. led by ceo salil Jain, eyelit has designed its mes product for use in the aerospace/defense, electronics, semiconductor, and solar industries.

GE Intelligent Platformsge intelligent platforms, headed by ceo mary-rose sylvester, is a global provider of software, hardware, services, and expertise in automa-tion and embedded computing. the company serves industry segments such as energy, water, consumer packaged goods, government

and defense, and telecommunications.ge intelligent platforms offers a number

of products with mes functionality, including proficy plant applications and a number of other products that fulfill the proficy platform.

HighJump SoftwarehighJump software is a global provider of sup-ply chain management software that stream-lines the flow of inventory and information from supplier to store shelf. founded in 1983, highJump has more than 3,500 customers worldwide. the companys ceo is russell fleischer.

for discrete manufacturers, highJump provides an mes product called highJump manufacturing advantage. it bridges the dis-connect between mes and warehouse man-agement systems (wms), enabling optimal inventory flow throughout the shop floor. the highJump manufacturing execution system also provides a flexible and adaptable system architecture.

Honeywell Process Solutionshoneywell process solutions is a unit of hon-eywell internationals automation and control solutions business. the ceo of the unit is norm gilsdorf. with offices in more than 100 countries, hps serves a range of industries, including refining, oil and gas, pulp, paper and printing, power generation, chemicals and petrochemicals, life sciences, metals, minerals,

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and mining. the company employs more than 10,000 people and has installed over 28,000 systems at more than 7,500 sites since 1974.

honeywells portfolio of collaborative mes products offers critical real-time performance, business processes, and operations manage-ment for process manufacturing industries. the products support virtualization environ-ments to improve total cost of ownership and offer improved business process modeling capabilities.

iBASEt ibaset has been a leading provider of high-tech software products and services since 1986. ibasets mes product is called solu-mina. the software is an operations process management suite that manages work and quality processes for the manufacturing and maintenance, repair, and overhaul of highly engineered products. solumina functional modules include process planning, mes and operations management, quality manage-ment, and supplier quality assurance in one integrated system. the companys ceo is ladeira poonian.

Intercimfounded in 1983, intercim, headed by ceo John todd, supports more than 100,000 us-ers worldwide in a number of fields, mainly advanced and highly regulated industries. in 2009, dassault systmes took a minority position in intercim. both companies believe

in real-time information exchange and col-laboration between engineering, manufac-turing, and the supply network. as a result of the combination, intercims mes software product, pertinence suite powered by velocity, bridges the gap between product design and the supply chain.

pertinence suite supports lean, six sigma, and other process initiatives. from simplified process planning and advanced predictive analysis to best-in-industry process execution and quality management, pertinence suite is designed to help manufacturers reach their operational goals.

Invensysinvensys plc formed invensys operations management in 2009, when it merged six long-standing branded product groups into a single unit focused on meeting the manu-facturing industrys need for comprehensive, real-time operations management solutions. today, invensys operations management, led by president and ceo sudipta bhattacharya, is a provider of automation and informa-tion technology, systems, software solutions, services, and consulting to the global manu-facturing and infrastructure industries. the companys products are used by more than 40,000 clients around the world in more than 200,000 plants and facilities.

invensys operations managements offer-ings are delivered under several prominent in-dustry brands, including avantis, eurotherm,

foxboro, imserv, infusion, simsci-esscor, skelta, triconex, and wonderware. manufac-turing execution module is the latest mes release. the software is offered in two levels of functionality. operations -- standard provides basic mes functionality such as electronic work orders, specifications, bills of material (bom), product traceability, and genealogy. operations-- premium provides all of the op-erations standard functionality plus inventory control, certifications, steps/procedures, and labor tracking. a new addition to operations and performance software 4.0 is the mes cli-ent, an archestra toolkit-based front end.

MPDV Mikrolab GmbHmpdv is a leading software provider specializ-ing in recording and processing company data in the areas of production, human resources, and quality management. mpdvs core mes product is hydra. through hydra, mpdv provides a method for increasing economic efficiency in manufacturing plants.

mpdv also produces the xmes product family, which provides sap users or those using its tools with a wide range of mes functionality based directly on sap ags composite application mii. the xmes line of-fers machine interfaces, collection functions, and modules for shop-floor data collection, machine data collection, and process data collection, as well as information systems and information portals. the companys ceo is Jrgen Kletti.

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Parsec Automationparsec automation, led by president and ceo eddy azad, is focused on helping companies rapidly improve the productivity of their fac-tories. parsec does this by providing traksys, an advanced and scalable manufacturing-productivity management software applica-tion suite.

traksys is an extensible mes application that is designed to aid lean, six sigma, tpm, and operational excellence efforts for compa-nies in many industries, including automotive, chemicals, consumer products, construction materials, electronics, food and beverage, metals, mining, packaging, pharmaceuticals, paper products, textiles, utilities/energy, and wood products.

Performixperformix, founded in 2005, develops products for the batch process manufacturing industry. sham afzalpurkar is performixs ceo.

the companys suite of composite software applications, performix xmes, is designed to leverage sap technology and manufacturing system infrastructure. performix serves the chemical, consumer products, food and bever-age, and pharmaceutical industries. perfor-mix xmes suite is used by dow corning and several leading pharmaceutical companies.

Plex Systems since 1995, plex has been a provider of online software for the manufacturing enterprise and

is the developer of plex online, an saas-based product. its integrated, on-demand software has resulted in a near 100% customer reten-tion and solution implementation success rate. plex systems serves a global cross-sec-tion of manufacturing industries (oems and suppliers), particularly automotive, medical-device, food and beverage, and aerospace and defense companies. plex online offers features for virtually every department within a manufacturing company, including manufacturing opera-tions management and quality management systems for the shop floor, customer relation-ship management for sales and marketing, supply chain management for procurement, and enterprise resource planning for finance and management. plex onlines integrated model delivers a shop floor to top floor view of a manufacturers operations. plex systems, headed by ceo mark sy-monds, is a privately held company. in 2009, recurring revenue grew 31% over 2008, and total revenue grew 14%.

Oracleoracles mes offerings are modular, open, and integrated solutions that provide a structured and standards-based shop-floor execution toolset. they include the capabilities needed to execute, record, and monitor shop-floor activities in a highly efficient and effective real-time basis.

oracle serves 370,000 customers globally

across a wide range of industries, including aerospace and defense, communications, en-gineering and construction, financial services, health sciences, insurance, oil and gas, retail, tax, and utilities. founded in 1977, oracles annual revenue for fiscal year 2010 was $26.8 billion. oracles ceo is lawrence J. ellison.

Rockwell Automationrockwell automation, headed by ceo Keith nosbusch, is a $4.3 billion company with 19,000 employees and an extensive partner network.

factorytalk productioncentre is rockwell automations mes offering. factorytalk integrates quality management and business analytics with paperless shop floor and repair execution. this integrated product improves operational efficiencies while ensuring regula-tory compliance and the highest levels of quality.

SAP AGheadquartered in walldorf, germany, sap is the worlds largest business software com-pany. founded in 1972, saps 2009 revenues were more than 10.6 billion. the company has more than 95,000 customers in over 120 countries. bill mcdermott and Jim hagemann snabe are co-ceos.

sap manufacturing execution (sap me) is an enterprise-level, scalable manufacturing business product that enables global manu-facturers to manage and control manufactur-

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ing and shop floor operations. it provides a multi-faceted set of functions that integrate business systems to the shop floor, allowing for complete component and material-level visibility for single and global installations.

sap me collects data from multiple sources, integrating data systems with shop-floor ac-tivities to create one comprehensive produc-tion record. the result is an aggregate record of the entire product history, stored and available for effective key decision-making and for meeting compliance requirements. sap me was added to the sap product portfo-lio for manufacturing with the acquisition of visiprise in 2008. since the acquisition, sap continues to invest in technology and func-tional enhancements adhering to sap product standards, including the introduction of sap xmii, which it bills as the worlds first manu-facturing intelligence portal.

Schneider Electricas a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, schneider electric offers a variety of power management and automation products in sec-tors such as energy and infrastructure, indus-trial processes, building automation, and data centers/networks, as well as a broad presence in residential applications. focused on making energy safe, reliable, and efficient, the com-panys 100,000-plus employees achieved sales of more than $22 billion in 2009.

schneider electrics mes software, ampla,

empowers businesses to reduce costs and im-prove production efficiency, performance, and profitability. amplas energy module supports the identification and tracking of energy over-consumption based upon production context. ampla is used to identify bottlenecks, analyze production downtime causes, calculate key performance indicators, manage wip inven-tory, track the real costs of production, and manage other important operational perfor-mance issues. ampla supports continuous improvement projects to achieve operational excellence.

Siemens MESsiemens, founded in 1847, is a global leader in electronics and electrical engineering, and operates in the industry, energy, and health-care sectors. with 405,000 employees in 190 countries, siemens reported worldwide rev-enue of $104.3 billion in fiscal 2009. siemens in the usa reported sales of $21.3 billion in the u.s. and employs more than 60,000 people throughout all 50 states and puerto rico.

simatic it, siemens mes product, allows companies to implement a cross-plant tech-nological solution for enforcing value-driven strategies on the one hand and performance measures on the other. simatic it, with its open architecture, offers the collaboration and integration technologies that allow manufacturers to couple disparate systems, support distributed manufacturing opera-tions, and connect manufacturing operations

with the rest of the enterprise.

Werum Software & Systems werum is a leading supplier of mes for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical indus-tries. founded in 1969, the company employs more than 400 people at its headquarters in lneburg, germany, and at eight other locations in germany, france, the u.s., Japan, and singapore. hartmut Krome is president of werum america inc., and chairman of the ex-ecutive board of werum software & systems.

werums mes software product is called pas-x. it is installed at 16 of the worlds top 30 pharmaceutical and biotech companies, and runs in more than 500 installations around the globe. werum provides integrated and ready-to-be-validated mes packages.

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footnotes

1. lhn, Johann. government commissioner for technol-ogy transfer, baden-wurtemberg, germany, in the fore-word to Manufacturing Execution SystemMES. Jrgen Kletti, springer publishing, inc., June 27, 2007.

2. ibid, vi.

3. cole, brenda. interest in manufacturing 2.0 mes soft-ware persists despite recession, searchmanufacturing-erp.com, may 27, 2010.

4. managing automation. http://www.managingautoma-tion.com/enterprise-software/manufacturing-execution-systems.

5. Kletti, Jrgen. Manufacturing Execution SystemMES. springer publishing, inc., June 27, 2007, p. 13.

6. unger, Keith. manufacturers needs not changing but acronyms are, InTech, oct. 3, 2001.

7. flakol, rita. mes vs. erp: is it all in the Jargon? Manu-facturing & Logistics IT, nov. 28, 2008.

8. ibid.

9. Khosrow-puor, mehdi. Emerging Trends and Challenges in Information Technology Management. idea group, inc., 2006, p. 865.

10. stratus technologies. manufacturing it infrastruc-ture: ready or not for mes? white paper, october 2006, p. 3.

11. ibid.

12. the association of german engineers (vdi), vdi guideline 5600.

13. stratus technologies, ibid, p. 4.

14. wildeman, roy c. manufacturing execution systems

(mes) strategy update: must-Know trends, searchmanu-facturingerp.com webcast, april 26, 2010, slide 2.

15. ibid, slide 3.

16. ibid, slide 4.

17. stratus technologies. ibid, p. 4.

18. wildeman, roy c. ibid, slide 5.

19. cole, brenda. ibid.

20. bassert, edward, evaluating your need for an mes upgrade, searchmanufacturingerp.com, april 8, 2010.

21. erp software blog. http://www.erpsoftwareblog.com/2010/06/4-questions-to-ask-to-lower-the-cost-of-accounting-software-user-licenses.

22. bassert, edward. ibid.

23. wildeman, roy c. ibid, slide 7.

24. herbert, liz. liz herberts blog for sourcing and vendor management professionals, forrester.com, June 7, 2010.

25. global cybersoft. effective manufacturing with inte-grated erp and mes solutions, may 14, 2008.

26. Kletti, Jrgen. ibid, p. 259.

27. ibid, p. 260-262.

28. Knight, Jason and lamb, susan. selecting and using a manufacturing execution system, MDDI, october 2006.

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about Managing automation research services

MANAGING AuTOMATION MEDIA RESEARCH SERVICES (mam research services) is the market and buyer research arm of managing automation media, which publishes Managing Automation, Manufacturing Executive, and the techmatch technology product database, and produces the manufacturing leadership summit conference. managing automation media is a unit of thomas publishing company, llc of new york. mam research services specializes in a variety of custom research and publishing products, including custom publishing supplements, manufacturing market surveys, and buyers guides.

Important Note Concerning This Buyers Guide

this buyers guide is solely intended to provide information to help buyers in their understanding and navigation of the purchase process associated with particular technologies. publisher makes no claim and does not warrant that the buyers guide is fully inclusive or comprehensive in its discussion of market trends, purchase process factors, or in the selected representation of vendors and their products, nor does the publisher claim or warrant that use of the buyers guide will result in a successful pur-chase process outcome. publisher advises users of this buyers guide to conduct their own due diligence process in the selection of any technology, and to use or engage other sources of information or counsel in that process where appropriate.



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