“Should I start selecting an MES right now in the middle of the crisis? Or would it be better to wait until the situation calms down and it becomes clearer where things are headed?”
The second part of this blog series focuses on the factor of time.
You are working on a strategic investment program for the future of your company.
What does this mean exactly? On the one hand, it is not about introducing a new office program that you can delete if it doesn’t work or you don’t like it. It is about software for the effective control and monitoring of your production. This means you need to consider a number of interfaces in advance, and in the future, many people in your company will interact with the MES.
You are integrating an MES into your company — both from an IT and organizational perspective. It is strategic software that cannot easily be “rolled back,” and only up to a certain point. Beyond that, you have too much production data in the new system, making it practically impossible to revert to the old system. This applies whether you already have software in place or are recording data manually. Besides, the purpose of an MES introduction is certainly not to roll it back — on the contrary!
That is why it is essential to carefully select what you buy! The MES must fit your company!
It makes sense to invest in:
Your strategy for production digitization and Industry 4.0,
Your specific goals for the MES implementation and, above all, the question “how do we know when we have achieved our goal?” (see blog post Clarity in MES Selection),
And, importantly, the thorough identification of all your requirements (see blog posts Requirements and Integration).
You’ve surely heard the saying: “Buy cheap, buy twice.” Adapted here: “If you don’t do your homework upfront, you will need twice the time and budget.” Consider what it would mean to have to roll back an MES, as described above. Conversely, if you do your homework, you know exactly what you need, when, and why.
It is also about mindset in the company. Production works differently when a system dictates the sequence of products or what happens at a particular machine. In the future, the knowledge of engineers and operators will be embedded in the system. You must accept this and trust the system. This is another reason to build corresponding expertise within the company.
This requires time and a willingness to invest in both the mindset and the appropriate software. It also requires ongoing, transparent communication at all levels.
Think of it this way: you are embarking on a journey. What Industry 4.0 ultimately means for you is your decision and will be implemented individually for your company, subsidiaries, supply chain, or partners and customers. You decide where to go and when. But you must start the journey!
MES selection is the first step toward production digitization. Along the way, you will see that some processes in your company cannot be easily digitized. It is also clear that not everything can be automated. Automation works only when processes are clearly and unambiguously defined, with no (or only clearly describable) deviations. Here, we are not talking about “perceived deviations” or “perceived problems,” but about numbers, data, facts (NDF). Production is controlled and deviations addressed based on these NDF. It is a long process to describe processes and workflows well enough to make them automatable.
All these topics are opportunities for learning and growth — and they all take time. The good news is that as your learning curve progresses, further topics can be implemented faster, because systems are already established and the mindset exists.
To clarify further: after the MES rollout, your further digitization could look like this: “Start with small projects and scale accordingly.” As illustrated in the image (source: Deloitte Analysis), this could mean starting with a single machine, a specific logistics process, or a particular quality measurement. Once that is done, move on to the next machine, the next process, then the entire production line, then all lines of a factory, and eventually across multiple factories.
Why this approach? First, each successful “proof-of-concept” project provides a sense of achievement that inspires colleagues. These successes contribute to building your company’s digital mindset. Second, even if a project is not fully successful, you gain valuable lessons. You learn as you go — again highlighting the factor of time.
Every project and every learning experience takes time. Therefore, it is worthwhile to start now.
As mentioned, implementing an MES is just the beginning. In the first step, you start collecting production data. The advantage is that the MES collects these data in the correct context — data from your production, machines, or sensors are stored with the right timestamp and context (which product was produced, on which machine, under what conditions). This happens automatically and in real time, which is crucial, because you need a usable data foundation to control your production. Delayed or manual reporting makes context unreliable and timely reactions to deviations impossible. More on data will be discussed in other blog articles. Here, the focus is on the fact that an MES creates a meaningful production data foundation, enabling further digitization projects.
Conclusion: the factor of time is extremely important — waiting is not an option.
It takes time to develop strategies for production digitization and the company’s future. It also takes time to properly prepare MES selection and do the “homework” on project goals, requirements, and conditions. Building a true digital mindset in the company also takes time and commitment. Perhaps the current situation, where operations may not be fully utilized, is an opportunity to take this time and invest in the company’s future.
What is your opinion? Start now and use the time, or wait?
What is your path to Industry 4.0?
Do you want to get started now and have plenty of questions?
Take advantage of the opportunity and schedule a free strategy session! I assure you: it’s worth it — enjoy the clarity and the good feeling of having definitely taken a step forward.
Simply click the blue button below this blog post. I look forward to speaking with you!
