The production methods that companies need today are increasingly agile, able to respond quickly to changes in the market, consumer needs and unpredictable changes in raw material costs and supplier availability.
To meet these needs, it is essential to eliminate the organizational and operational “rigidities” typical of manufacturing. This solution comes through technological innovation, the first piece of which is the integration between ERP and MES, which is essential to facilitate the circulation of information between management and production.
Integration between ERP and MES: the main advantages
Why is the integration between ERP and the Manufacturing Execution System so strategic?
The main benefits relate to the improved circulation of information, but not only that. Using an enterprise MES system or adopting one makes production more agile, enablingrapid execution of orders and modernization of processes and machinery.
Let us analyze some of them in this list:
- Real-time production adjustment: allows production plans to be adjusted to the demand recorded in ERP systems, using sensors and actuators for immediate adjustments and adjustments.
- Accurate demand forecasts: integrating ERP and MES systems triggers the collection of production data that can be used for more accurate forecasts, reducing excess inventory and optimizing resource use.
- Just-in-Time (JIT) delivery: accurately tracking inventory with IoT enables rapid reactions to changes and immediate updates to production scheduling.
- Emergency processing cancellation: better communication between ERP and MES allows for better visibility of the warehouse and, mutually, a clearer view of current orders and requests. This enables both better management of component and raw material orders and better organization of actual production, avoiding the risk of having to operate on an emergency basis.
- Efficient management of change requests: again, improved communication enables more effective and agile management of changes during production as well.
How to integrate ERP and MES successfully
Regesta, backed by a team of certified experts and long experience in the manufacturing sector, has numerous successfully completed integrations between ERP and MES to its credit. For this to be possible, it is especially essential to devote the right time and resources to the preliminary and preparatory phases. In particular:
- Identify relevant metrics-The goal of integration is to optimize production and make it more agile. Establishing metrics (KPIs) is key to evaluating results, such as reducing production costs or accelerating lead times.
- Plan integration and optimization-Data normalization and ingestion methods are at the heart of projects of this type. Data must be usable to be valued. Intuitive on-machine systems, such as HMIs, or real-time production monitoring workstations, make it possible to get the most out of the new system.
- Simplify processes-An integration project is an excellent opportunity to review processes and evaluate optimization possibilities at the organizational and production level, for example in the handling of approval documents or their circulation.
- Customize as needed – To date, most systems, even within SAP MES, tend to offer highly standardized solutions. However, this does not mean that they are not customizable. It simply means that the customization paradigm has shifted away from actual programming. An experienced consulting and systems integration service such as Regesta will know how to propose the most suitable ways to make sure that the new system meets business needs perfectly, configuring the offering in the most appropriate way.
- Include the whole company – Integration between ERP and MES represents a fundamental step toward digitization, also becoming an opportunity to activate a process of evolution that goes beyond the technological solution. With this in mind, it can become advantageous to implement or provide for other integrations, toward logistics or warehousing, other realities of the production chain or toward outsourced services.
- Leverage the value of data – It should not be forgotten that good integration allows the value of data to be extended beyond the needs of production. To use them only in this area is, in fact, to reduce their scope of use to management control, quality control and maintenance. A company that has embarked on a transformation process can put them to value in many other ways, for example, to make informed strategic choices based on data.
- The importance of training-Finally, when designing the integration between ERP and MES, the fundamental value of training should be emphasized. The new system or solution must be fully familiar to the operational staff from the first day of adoption, and above all, the added value of the new solution should be universally recognized. This is the only way to lay the foundation for a successful integration.
Successful ERP and MES integration project ensures future competitiveness
To ensure successful integration between ERP and MES, the preliminary planning and training phases are of paramount importance. Only with a holistic and well-structured approach involving the entire enterprise can an integration project be implemented that meets today’s needs and is ready for tomorrow’s challenges. This is not just a technological choice, but a strategic decision that can transform the company’s operational efficiency and competitiveness, ensuring a sustainable advantage over time.
Discover the right ERP and MES integration strategies for your company: tell us about your needs, and our team of experts is ready to listen and answer your questions.
