It is not difficult ERP. The road to hell runs through MES.

MES (engl. Manufacturing Execution System) is executive system of production. MES is information and communications system of the production environment of the enterprise (determination of APICS).

MES – manages production process. MES is the main and most important part of a production management system. In this article confirmatory arguments are collected. The most important, but not all. Thousand words will not show all depth of an abyss.

MES is intended for industrial process control

Three vectors forced me to distract from industrial automation and to write about that, as it is so clear, any visiting at school not only a P. E. class and singing.

1. Software makers for ERP, from SAP to Galaktika, promise to lower automation from accounting on shop level by gain of expansion of deepening of implementation of the product. Give money – all dopily!

2. Implementers often bring a formula on production: MES are ERP of shop level. Heresy! (began to smell sulfur) Izydi a Satan!

3. The physics asks for everything "in an adult way". Both vendors, and vnedryala do not receive tenderness on "ground floor". Real production workers send them steadily and surely, but is insufficiently loud and organized.

Article colors with the third vector.

To the fourth class I did not shirk mathematics yet. In gratitude of the mathematician explained me the following:

Scale. The huge workshop can be the single trigger in a technology algorithm or one device may contain the complete MES system managing the closed fabrication cycle. MES happens in one box, can be placed on one desktop. Sometimes uniform MES extends to several plants in different regions. "Yes! It happens!" - the narrow-eyed kanban winks because of the next table. At its table "Porsche", "KamAZ" and others, everything with one question: "Well as there, on "Toyota"? And we so want. And so it is necessary to us".

The scale of MES is not defined by structure of the enterprise or its sizes. The scale of MES is defined by structure of the selected technology. Who does not agree – let will offer the scheme of the room NPP or a fireplace for the whole megalopolis.

Multidimensionality. An ERP system tries to reduce all processes to a two-dimensional scale: price, quantity. The picture is flat as the Windows 8 interface. MES of a mnogomern as life.

Concurrent or identical processes for ERP, for MES are different. An ERP system is tied to accounting and reflects a set of the enlarged statuses. They are always discrete, with different degree of a detail. MES can have continuous and dynamic processes. Can work with quantum statuses. The whistle on a teapot is MES, but not ERP.

ERP system has standard processes, and they are regulated by traditions of a business conduct and the legislation and are very similar (are almost identical) at the different enterprises. Production technologies are unique and in them the foundation of life activity of the enterprise, its profitability, advantages and restrictions of the selected technology, basic bases in differences of a product and the relations with suppliers, opportunities and speed of readjustment and adaptation of technology and consequently, competitiveness are laid.

The ERP is more standard the easier to live. The MES, the better is more unique. MES are basic functions for the sake of what there is an enterprise. ERP are support functions even if vital.

Replacement of the ERP system does not change an essence of the enterprise. Other MES is other enterprise.

Cost efficiency of implementation of ERP systems in many cases is foggy and indistinct. People argue – I pound a little. The efficiency of MES is calculated quite precisely.

Risks. The error ERP will cause additional transactions. Sometimes manual: three clerks gathered and drew up the statement reflecting unforeseen a system transaction.

The errors MES sometimes cause:

• irreplaceable loss of resources (there were materials – now junk),
• destruction of technology (from incision on the machine to the cooled-down blast furnace),
• accidents (Chernobyl turned the city and power plant into the Zone),
• replication of losses when violation of technology transaction leads to loss not only materials, and and results of accomplishment of other transactions.

Adjustment of the plan. The attempt to make the plan at the level of ERP and "lower" it on the MES level will lead to inevitable adjustment on a feedback when in matmodel of technical process the realistic plan is calculated.

Outsourcing of the ERP functions does not change the nature of the enterprise. Thousands of examples of external accounting, hired IT service or outstaffing. Transfer to the external contractor of production functions leads or to distribution of MES on several legal persons, or it will be already other enterprise.

Adequacy. MES operates with actual physical quantities and processes. ERP lives myths and prejudices simplifications and abstractions. MES begins resources and comes to the end with a product. And always has the measured values and statuses.

Directions of information flows:

ERP system cannot manage production. An ERP system gives wishes, preferences and restrictions for shop level. MES manages production. Manages and transfers data to the ERP system which fixes them and accumulates in a type, clear for people (any simplification leads to loss of significant information). There are no technology need and the production need for it. These are only legal rules. It is caused by the nature of human relations. For the solution of a production task no functions of ERP systems are required.

Processing of incidents in ERP will result in need to execute transaction manually, in MES can lead to unpredictable effects.

Processing speed for ERP is desirable, for MES is critical.

ERP system transfers to the performing devices the described and smoothly running processes. Implementation of MES usually leads to change of technology process, imposing on it only restrictions measuring and actuators.

ERP displays process, and MES sets as a main objective change of process towards optimization of maximum efficiency and the minimum cost of accomplishment of production processes.

MES not addition to ERP, the ERP system are an accompanying processes for MES.

For these reasons (not only on these), attempt to create a production management system on the basis of ERP systems cannot give rise to effective solution.

ERP system represents itself at pyramid top, but it is correct only from the point of view of lawyers and accountants. The metallurgical enterprise can easily pass with Ltd company into closed joint stock company or on the contrary, and from the point of view of suppliers, consumers or workers will remain the same metallurgical enterprise. And if to pass from coke to gas?

MES works tactically, but the choice of MES is a strategic decision. The solution defining a way of life of the enterprise for years. An ERP system tries to describe strategic decisions, but the choice of ERP is a tactical step. Domestic or foreign, purchased or self-written, the ERP system does not influence industrial automation level in any way. Consolidate accounts "on a corner", in the spreadsheet or in the subprogramme is not the level of automation, but comfort level. Therefore it is so heavy to make full-fledged MES. For this purpose it is necessary to describe correctly the processes turning resources into a product and still to put accounting of the purposes and restrictions in a system. And, above all - to create a possibility of the correct and automatic reaction to deviations from the purposes and on an exit out of limits of restrictions. In other words: the correct MES is if "jambs are settled in itself, and the lafa directly is on a silver platter".

My opinion subjective. I work in a command which develops MEScontrol. And in a dream, and in reality I see MES the main enterprise information system and the main instrument of development. I consider that to lawyers, to accountants and businessmen it is worth expressing the opinions and to wait patiently, so far engineers and mathematicians will make everything as it is necessary.

I ask to speak those to whom this subject seems important.