The applications MAGIS CB / MAGIS RV, designed for production process management, among other things include optional module MES (Manufacturing execution system). This expansion is meant for on-line monitoring of the production operations in the real time.

The applications MAGIS CB / MAGIS RV, designed for production process management, among other things include optional module MES (Manufacturing execution system). This expansion is meant for on-line monitoring of the production operations in the real time. The MES module allows for collecting the production data directly from each machine and measuring the duration of the operation and performance of the machine.

The MAGIS MES module is for everyone, who wants to have detailed overview of the production backlogs on all monitored machines and exact time frame for each machine at any moment.

The MES is designed for detailed and exact monitoring of production progress, following the start and finish of the production operation.  The records of operations are generated based on on-line monitored START / STOP type event of operations (manufacturing and non-manufacturing), where time of the event is always subtracted from the system and based on the time of the event, the duration of the operation is calculated. Applications allow for capturing the events from the machine, using sensors, or they can be set manually by the machine operator (using bar-code operations, or by capturing the ID, etc.).

Scheme of the connections between the MES, the machines and the enterprise information system

The production order with bar-code simplifies the entering of the Start-Stop event

At the initiation of the operation, the START event is triggered, with appropriate identifiers. It is possible to distinguish between START of the preparation of the operation, and START of the processing of the operation.  In the same way, non-manufacturing operations can be recorded: Maintenance operations, malfunctions or other breakdowns. If the technical equipment allows it, it is possible to automatically detect the current performance of the machine (e.g. with the use of product counter), production speed, and other parameters.

The termination of the operations is triggered by detecting the STOP event. Reporting of the production output is connected to this operation, in case of manufacturing operation. When the STOP operation is terminated, the so-called “shift report”, and report of the machine performance (and the crew performance) are automatically generated.

Dispatcher - The operations currently in progress

This is the way the real time frame of the machine operation is obtained. The performance of the other workers, registered in the machine crew, can be added to the machine records (the performance of the machinist is recorded by default).

The recorded segments of the operations can be supplemented by the data about performance of the workers

The MAGIS CB – MES applications contains functions for monitoring pro production operations. At the workplace of the production dispatcher, the current status of production operations, on each (monitored) machine, is continuously updated, along with the status of recent operations.

As the MES application is closely connected to the ERP system MAGIS CB, the data from order records, data about customer and the data from the technological sheet are displayed within the production monitoring.

Working panel of the dispatcher

The current production status on each workplace can be displayed in the form of tables or graphs. Detailed information about the selected operation can be easily displayed in both modes.

If the module for detailed production planning is used together with the MES application, then the connection with the plan allows for displaying of continuously updated time of planned termination of the unfinished operations, and most importantly, allows for continuous updating of the detailed production plan.

Technical equipment

Appropriate technical equipment, which suits the increased requirements for durability, can be easily controlled and configured, needs to be used in order for the described way of data collecting to be possible. It is because of these requirements, that we use the so-called panel PC’s for running the MES applications. Those devices have integrated basic unit with touchscreen and other interfaces, all in one panel. The panel PC’s can be connected directly to the server of the MAGIS application, or to a stand-alone server for the MES system. They have increased durability, according to the IP65 standard. 

If the input of textual or numerical data is needed, an external keyboard, or graphical keyboard, displayed on the screen, can be used. Bar-code scanner or the RFID chip sensor can be connected to the device.

Benefits of using the MES application

• Objective measuring of duration of the operations and monitoring of the production efficiency. The operations are not input by the operator, but are instead calculated, based on the Start-Stop events, captured from the sensors in the machine. It is usually possible to install the sensors even on machines, which were not originally designed for this type of monitoring.
• The application greatly increases the production efficiency, which is obvious from the sole fact of being able to monitor the efficiency of machines, and their crew, on-line.
• Objective measuring of malfunctions and breakdowns, including short-term failures, that couldn’t be monitored without connection to the signal, directly from the machine. Obtaining of objective documents for evaluation of the manufacturing complexity of specific product.
• Monitoring of deviations in speed of the machine in order processing, distinguishing between the intervals with and without production (machine is idling.
• Well-arranged tool for a dispatcher to know, what is currently going on with the production in each workplace (what order is currently being processed, current activity of the machines, current speed of the machines), but also about what has recently happened, and what will happen in near future. The MES application allows for obtaining an exact and detailed timeframe of the machine.
• Continuously updated overview of usage of the machine production capacity.
• Possibility of detailed analysis of historical data about order processing (e.g. deviations in speed or preparation time).
• Direct connection of monitoring and events with “shift report” (part of the ERP system MAGIS CB, production data collection) or production report (part of MAGIS RV). The ability to display details about a certain order, about how it is recorded in the ERP-system MAGIS in each workplace of the MES application.
• Thanks to the connection of the START-STOP monitoring with detailed workshop schedule (scheduling of operations), it is possible to make on-line adjustments to the plan, in accordance with the actual time of the initiation of the operation.