Digital Solutions

MES, IoT, and everything in between.

In industrial and manufacturing environments, ‘going digital’ is no longer a goal – it’s a reality, and that reality looks different for everyone.  For some of our clients, it means wringing the most out of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES).  For others, there is a movement away from MES towards something lighter like the Internet-of-Things (IOT).  In every case and every industry, however, it’s all about using real-time technology to drive value.

The Real-time Digital Space

For our clients, real-time digital technology typically links business systems (e.g. SAP, JD Edwards) with plant-floor systems like PLCs, CNCs, sensors, etc.   With this link, the industrial process becomes information driven triggering actions that execute operations, enforce quality checks, schedule production, monitor energy, etc. 

Brock Solutions' scope of services includes all levels of your operation.

MES, MOM, IoT, etc

Performance MGMT

Quality MGMT

Tracking / Genealogy

Energy MGMT

Inventory Control

Data Historian

Recipe MGMT

Maintenance

Manufacturing Intelligence (Analytics) & AI

Control Systems

PLCs

DCS

HMIs

Devices

Equipment

Sensors

AGVs

HVAC

What’s Changed?

Traditionally, MES filled this middle role.  Solutions were designed to do everything – recipe management, track and trace, production scheduling, quality management – all under one roof.  Deployments tended to take many months to weave together all the different rules required to build a comprehensive solution.  Although many manufacturers continue to rely on these systems today to run operations, we have seen a movement away from a one-size-fits-all solution to something lighter and more modular.  Rather than trying to design for everything, it’s more about targeting a particular problem on the plant floor and going after the $ quickly.  For clients operating on legacy systems, there’s no longer a need to rip and replace everything. Our clients often leverage existing investments, wrapping and extending and filling gaps as needed, with the end result being a modern, supportable platform that is cheaper and painless to adopt.  

Real-Time Visualization screenshots

Real-Time Visualization

  • Downtime reason tracking
  • OEE/OLE
  • Equipment utilization
  • Maintenance notifications
Operator Advisor Screenshots

Operator Advisor

  • Work instructions and step execution
  • Order assignment
  • Issue alerting and progress tracking
  • Digital thread – CAD & PLM
Operator Advisor Screenshots

Scheduling

  • Order assignment to routes and equipment
  • Order re-sequence on equipment
  • Current order status and progress
  • Automated ERP / Order download
Real-Time Visualization screenshots

Energy Management

  • HVAC and BMS control
  • Consumption tracking
  • Predictive maintenance
  • Optimized asset utilization and weather control
Warehouse Management screenshots

Warehouse Management

  • Material lot / Unit management
  • Tracking & Location
  • Forklift & Personnel order requests
  • Operation history
Track and Trace Genealogy screenshots

Track & Trace / Genealogy

  • Product genealogy
  • Execution auditing
  • Production & WIP Tracking
  • Employee verification
Quality assurance screenshots

Quality

  • Defect capture and logging
  • In-line SPC tracking
  • Quality control & process interlocking
  • Issue alerting
Real-Time Visualization screenshots

Production Definition

  • Engineering change management
  • Revision history & auditing
  • Recipe management
  • BOM Management

What’s Changed?

Traditionally, MES filled this middle role.  Solutions were designed to do everything – recipe management, track and trace, production scheduling, quality management – all under one roof.  Deployments tended to take many months to weave together all the different rules required to build a comprehensive solution.  Although many manufacturers continue to rely on these systems today to run operations, we have seen a movement away from a one-size-fits-all solution to something lighter and more modular.  Rather than trying to design for everything, it’s more about targeting a particular problem on the plant floor and going after the $ quickly.  For clients operating on legacy systems, there’s no longer a need to rip and replace everything. Our clients often leverage existing investments, wrapping and extending and filling gaps as needed, with the end result being a modern, supportable platform that is cheaper and painless to adopt.  

Real-Time Visualization screenshots

Real-Time Visualization

  • Downtime reason tracking
  • OEE/OLE
  • Equipment utilization
  • Maintenance notifications
Operator Advisor Screenshots

Operator Advisor

  • Work instructions and step execution
  • Order assignment
  • Issue alerting and progress tracking
  • Digital thread – CAD & PLM
Operator Advisor Screenshots

Scheduling

  • Order assignment to routes and equipment
  • Order re-sequence on equipment
  • Current order status and progress
  • Automated ERP / Order download
Real-Time Visualization screenshots

Energy Management

  • HVAC and BMS control
  • Consumption tracking
  • Predictive maintenance
  • Optimized asset utilization and weather control
Warehouse Management screenshots

Warehouse Management

  • Material lot / Unit management
  • Tracking & Location
  • Forklift & Personnel order requests
  • Operation history
Track and Trace Genealogy screenshots

Track & Trace / Genealogy

  • Product genealogy
  • Execution auditing
  • Production & WIP Tracking
  • Employee verification
Quality assurance screenshots

Quality

  • Defect capture and logging
  • In-line SPC tracking
  • Quality control & process interlocking
  • Issue alerting
Real-Time Visualization screenshots

Production Definition

  • Engineering change management
  • Revision history & auditing
  • Recipe management
  • BOM Management

Our Approach

A more modular, lighter solution requires a different implementation approach too.

The days of year-long engineering projects are over, and the focus is on $ value and return. To that end, Brock has honed our methodology to focus on the following steps:

Value-First

Understand business objectives

Map solution to business needs

Executive Alignment

Executive engaged from the start is critical to success

Ensures a holistic approach is taken

 

Workshop-Based

Understand manufacturing process, environment and readiness

Define direction and scope to turn around fixed proposal

 

Quick-To-Value

Phased approach to get functionality in customers hands sooner

Prove value quickly while deisgning for the enterprise

 

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What Goes Where?

Many organizations are struggling with decisions around which technology to use — there are many to pick from, and often confusing terminology to decipher from solution providers and system integrators.  With the growing convergence of the Information Technology and Engineering functions, it is critical to have a consistent vision and strategy for technology deployment.  Because we are vendor-neutral, and have been doing this for 30 years, Brock often gets engaged to help answer these questions on how to get started and where…

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Resources

Learn more about how we provide value to our customers in the digital solutions space.

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Blog

Emulation ORD xray Perspective Graphic

IoT or MES: How to decide

The big development now is adding to that core to truly offer a digital solution from supply chain to manufacturing, to aftermarket and back again. 

Blog

the-digital-market-mes

The Digital Market

A breakdown of some of the typical criteria we look at when helping a manufacturer evaluate MES vs. other tools. 

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