Given the sheer number and complexity of production activities today, manufacturers seek a more granular approach toward diagnosing and correcting their process flaws. The emergence of Manufacturing Intelligence/Analytics (MA) is one such approach that involves data aggregation from local or geographically distributed sources and disparate streams—ERP, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), PLCs, databases, and other automation data sources. “More data means a better basis for manufacturing process planning and control analysis,” begins Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Kletti, Founder and CEO, MPDV. “Our integrated MES helps store all the digital data in a single and central database, which enables better analysis for current and future manufacturing operations.”

Based in Orland Park, IL, MPDV offers customized MES software solutions to its customers and implementation partners. The company also provides requirements-based services for production firms that can be obtained generically—consulting or support. “Our wide application portfolio, long lasting experience in MA, and large customer base are key factors that differentiate us from other MES vendors,” says Kletti.

MES solutions by MPDV enable organizations to collect, evaluate, and display all data from production, quality management, and HR along the value chain in real-time. With MPDV’s MES, members of client’s staff can react to all unscheduled events and introduce counter measures in their daily production routine. Further, the MES enables manufacturers to carry out practical functions from powerful shop floor scheduling to control production, and evaluate the development of individual KPIs.

MPDV’s HYDRA meets all the requirements of a modern MES, complying with VDI guideline 5600 (based on IEC 62264), and is therefore a synonym for vertical integration between the technically geared production level and the more commercially directed ERP or management level.

Our integrated MES helps in storing all the digital data in a single and central database, which enables better analysis

HYDRA offers people working in the production environment relevant information, evaluations and planning functions for production, HR and quality management. Further, HYDRA functions and its collected data are made available on mobile devices, allowing users to immediately react if necessary.

“HYDRA collects data from connected machines via standardized interfaces like OPC, file transfer, serial connection, industry specific protocols like EUROMAP 63, or any other possible connection,” says Kletti. This data will be stored in the HYDRA database for generating later reports and displaying current values and KPIs. The interfaces can be configured individually to help the users decide which data should be transferred to the MES.

MPDV has vast experiences of providing its clients with value services. Phoenix Contact, one of MPDV’s clients is a worldwide market leader for components, systems and solutions in the field of electrical engineering, electronics, and automation faced issues in managing and controlling a great variety of data derived from complex multi-staged manufacturing processes. To address this issue, Phoenix integrated MPDV’s HYDRA, which supported their managers in fulfilling the complex production requirements in various locations. In a short period of time the use of HYDRA resulted in much higher transparency in manufacturing and therefore improved productivity. “The HYDRA terminal gives us a significant point of information directly at the workstation. This point of information is multifaceted and is being increasingly used to continuously improve our processes,” says Harm Hubert, MES Manager, Phoenix Contact.

MPDV’s goal is to globally increase its workforce and provide MES products, services, and solutions in the international market in the near future. To remain at the forefront of MES functionalities, the company continues to provide frequent upgrades of its solutions to its clients. “We plan to expand our services so they can benefit from all the MPDV research and knowledge in manufacturing,” concludes Kletti.