Empowering Industry 4.0 Transformation with Critical Manufacturing MES

Stay competitive = turn to advanced technologies = streamline operations and gain a strategic edge!

One solution that is gaining significant traction is Critical Manufacturing MES, a flexible and configurable Manufacturing Execution System (MES) designed to help organizations meet stringent product traceability and compliance requirements.

Unlike legacy MES platforms, Critical Manufacturing MES offers a range of innovative capabilities that empower manufacturers to thrive in the era of Industry 4.0. The system is inherently designed to accommodate the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), mobile devices, automation, and sensors, making it a true "Industry 4.0 hub". 

Key features of Critical Manufacturing MES include real-time visibility and control over production processes, even across distributed sites [1][4]. This allows for continuous improvement analysis, tracking, and reporting, enabling data-driven decision making. The system's modular and adaptable architecture also ensures easy customization and powerful integration with enterprise-level applications such as ERP and PLM.

"Before implementing Critical Manufacturing MES, Philips had spent several years trying to standardize operations with a competitive product, without a successful result," said Frank van der Sheur, Associate Director of Information Technology at Philips. "It proved to be inflexible for Front End operations and we could not achieve useful reporting. We had to change course and after a mapping exercise with potential MES candidates, Critical Manufacturing ranked highly with advanced capabilities designed specifically for use in Front End and semiconductor operations."

In addition to its core MES functionality, Critical Manufacturing MES offers IoT Data Platform, Factory Automation, Augmented Reality, and Factory Digital Twin technologies. These capabilities allow manufacturers to progress confidently towards Industry 4.0 and overcome the challenges associated with a rapidly changing world.

"Getting new products into the system is quite positive. The time it takes was reduced from 20 hours over a few months to five hours within one day," said Richard Eweg, Manufacturing Engineer & MES Champion at Elekta Limited. "We can now build up the work instructions and flow structure, prepare it completely, and do a dry run to test it. When we're ready to switch from an old to a new product, everything is ready."

By bridging the gap between the plant floor and the broader enterprise, Critical Manufacturing MES helps manufacturers achieve new levels of efficiency, quality, and responsiveness. As the industry continues its transformation, solutions like this one are poised to play a crucial role in empowering manufacturers to stay ahead of the curve.