DECEMBER 20208 MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY INSIGHTSIN MY OPINIONManufacturers are Refocusing on MES, and for Good ReasonsBy John Vargo, Director Manufacturing Execution Systems, RoviSysOver the last 10 years of my career, I have observed massive changes in the technologies and tactics that make up the Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) landscape. Of course, technology has advanced and changed rapidly. From rise of industrial cloud computing to cyber security as a priority to secure and open-protocol communications, and edge computing and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), hundreds of new solutions have been developed that promise to solve manufacturing operations challenges. With the emergence of Industry 4.0 and the convergence of traditional white-space IT with shop-floor Operational Technology (OT), the changes are not only related to technology. Project owners were once mostly engineering teams but are now often the IT organizations as they began to support the manufacturing floor. During this time, MES seemed to lose favor in the market. It would be difficult to recognize this transformed environment looking at it through a 2010 lens.Of the organizations that evaluated the new concepts, some tested the waters with small projects or technology pilots. A few bold organizations embraced change and rolled out solutions across their manufacturing network. Teams that succeeded typically achieved visibility and control over manufacturing performance, and a few are now able to pivot to changing market demands and supply chain constraints.While success stories are out there, there were plenty of scary stories. Trade events and conferences included sessions focused on the risks, including troubled pilots, costly and duplicated investments, scalability challenges, and poor adoption. To me, the open sharing of this real-world perspective marked the beginning of a notable shift from the preliminary hype to more realistic views of the cutting edge solutions. Catchy ads surrounding Industry 4.0 and Digital Manufacturing that held the attention of prime time viewers quickly faded away. Software vendors reinvested to refresh core platforms and legacy products, while incorporating cloud, IIoT and other technologies to enable new capabilities.Throughout all of this, the industrial and manufacturing challenges have remained steady. Availability of assets and resources, efficiency of production, and quality of the process continue to be fundamental metrics and drivers for operational excellence. Perhaps the urgency has increased as the risks of a retiring labor force draw closer and organizations with integrated supply chain information raise competitive pressures. But the fact that goods need to be produced at the shop-floor means that manufacturing data is a key component to making better decisions on both sides of the supply chain.So, what will happen next? I think of it as the revival of MES. This shift is characterized in two main ways: a realization of the new technology limitations and the recognition of the fundamental benefits of MES/MOM.John Vargo
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