Early entry into ERP

In the 1980s, the Westerheim-based company took the plunge into an ERP system relatively early on. However, by 2017 at the latest, the company saw a great need for new software. In view of the diversified customer requirements and individual challenges, the existing production data acquisition system proved to be no longer fit for the future. The management team hoped that a new investment in digitalization would give them more room for manoeuvre.

Optimize processes promptly

What was missing in production was transparency in the monitoring of employees and systems. In order to stay on track in terms of user orientation and Industry 4.0, the processes had to be optimized in a timely manner. The solution: a suitable, intelligent Manufacturing Execution System, or MES for short, for better recording of machine and operating data and valid evaluation.

Proxia Software was awarded the contract in July 2020. The machine manufacturer had a wide range of requirements for the software system: The company works in Westerheim in CNC production with a PDA connection in combination with assembly workstations (manual workstations). A professional and modern machine data acquisition (MDA) system was required for CNC production; later, the IT department requested an OPC UA interface.

"It was all about the detail - we had to create transparency and map our processes precisely," says Operations Manager Freddy Wiume. The various modules of the MES software suite are inspired by the most diverse requirements and processes of manufacturing companies. In this way, individual customer solutions can be implemented that precisely meet requirements. The modules used are tailored to the available data and the specific processes. This makes time-consuming queries and machine downtimes a thing of the past.

Machine ECG

After a site visit with the experienced Proxia project manager, the rough framework was set. It was important to understand the peculiarities and requirements of the medium-sized machine manufacturer in advance. After the extensive discovery phase, the implementation went all the faster. True to the motto "No news is good news", according to Meba Managing Director Mark Diener, the implementation went almost entirely smoothly and quietly - the processes were approached and integrated step by step. A common understanding of priorities and goals made the process easier - especially as there were several partners on board and many interfaces.

After two on-site appointments and a few adjustments at the company, several components were finally implemented: Machine data acquisition (MDA), production data acquisition (PDA), reports including production cockpit and OEE, the Proxia XI gateway, and the "Monitor. Web" component. MDE ensures that machine data can be analyzed decentrally and production can be optimized. With this "machine ECG", machines and systems can be perfectly monitored. This means that both the responsible worker and the plant manager are always informed about the current status of the individual machine and the utilization of production capacity.

MDE in the background

While the worker takes care of his machine as usual, the MDE recording runs automatically in the background. In this way, the production data in the MES or PPS/ERP system can always be kept up to date - adherence to deadlines is increased and productivity rises. Main times can be maximized for maximum added value. Production data acquisition, also in the assembly area, records the actual status in production or assembly directly at the point of origin - manually, semi-automatically or fully automatically in combination with MDE, as required. All users are always informed about the current status in production.