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Shop Floor Control for Operations Managers
Shop Floor Control for operations managers is a vital component within the supply chain. Without shop floor control for operations, operations are...
There is still a great a need for data and analysis that Manufacturing Execution Systems can produce. Here are five important advantages of MES.
Proper implementation of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) ups your manufacturing team's efficiency on the shop floor. Before computer systems, an MES consisted of hand-drawn charts and managers with clipboards checking inventory levels. Essentially, MES tracks the manufacturing process from the raw materials phase through the finished product. It provides the right information at the right time to show the floor manager how to optimize current conditions to improve production output.
Today, computers map MES at most factories offering extensive data and analysis, previously unattainable through traditional methods. MES presents plenty of valuable advantages to manufacturers; we've listed the top five outlined below.
Capture costs more accurately
With MES, various costs such as labor, scrap, downtime, and maintenance are recorded in real-time from the shop floor. Management teams in turn use this data to evaluate unprofitable business models and in pricing new work. Since other systems share this data, MES enables your company to increase productivity in all its production facilities.
Reduce waste, scrap, and overages
MES precisely analyzes production lines and finished products. Therefore this system detects any inconsistencies or aberrations on these lines, immediately halting them to limit the number of bad parts and wasted material.
Decrease downtime
Through utilization of MES, your system generates realistic production schedules. MES accomplishes this feat by tracking raw materials and parts inventory. This eliminates time wasted from re-configuring schedules while parts are in transit. It then becomes possible to incorporate employee scheduling into this program making effective use of available staff.
Reduce costs
It's possible to streamline operations logically once you get a better handle on the product, the material, time, and labor required to complete the job. This process eventually enables you to cut back on ordering or to free up personnel from operating production lines and controlling inventory.
Reduce inventory
Storing inventory surplus costs money. Besides the cost of producing overage, transporting, storing, and monitoring these goods get expensive. An MES will constantly update your inventory records with new production, scrap material, and non-conforming product. That means your purchasing, shipping and scheduling departments know what is available in each facility, and what they need to order.
Clearly, an MES does more than simply track the amount of product coming off of your production lines. Improving your facility's efficiency begins with accurately recording production, material usage and personnel time. MES accomplishes this feat with ease and precision.
Video: Real-Time Shop Floor Data & Scheduling with MES
In this video, you’ll see how a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) collects real-time shop floor data—labor, scrap, downtime, maintenance, and inventory—and uses it to drive more accurate production scheduling. Instead of relying on manual charts and clipboards, MES captures what is happening at each work center and feeds scheduling and planning tools with up-to-date information.
You’ll learn how MES-powered data collection helps manufacturers:
– Track labor, scrap, downtime, and maintenance costs in real time to identify unprofitable jobs and improve pricing
– Reduce waste, scrap, and overages by detecting line issues early and stopping bad production quickly
– Decrease downtime with realistic schedules that account for material availability and staffing
– Lower overall costs and inventory levels by aligning production with actual demand and material usage
This video is ideal for plant managers, MES users, and production schedulers who want to connect shop floor data collection with real-time scheduling to increase efficiency and reduce waste.
Turn MES Shop Floor Data into a Better Production Plan
A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) does far more than track how many units come off a line. By capturing labor, scrap, downtime, maintenance, and inventory in real time, MES gives you the visibility you need to reduce waste, cut downtime, and lower costs.
The next step is using that data to build smarter production plans and schedules every day.
Download our one-page “The Money Is in the Planning” infographic to see how combining MES shop floor data with advanced planning and scheduling can help you:
- Turn real-time data into realistic, efficient production schedules
- Spot and fix bottlenecks, scrap, and downtime drivers before they become chronic problems
- Reduce excess inventory by aligning production with accurate material usage and demand
- Improve profitability by understanding true labor and equipment costs and planning around them
- Give operations, finance, and management a shared view of where better planning delivers the biggest gains
Share it with your operations, IT, and leadership teams as a quick visual guide to where MES + planning/scheduling work together to lift efficiency and margins.
