Integrated Solutions
One of the most important roles of an MES systems integrator is to enable seamless communication between the different MES building blocks.
This requires a high level of interfacing knowledge, but also a detailed knowledge of the business process flow and the specific customer requirements.
Business processes span vertically into silos as well as across the entire business – product streams or business units. Integration specifications and interface detail specification are compiled and presented within the design and implementation documentation – Implementation, commissioning and handover concludes the scope – unless maintenance support is required - which can then also be undertaken.
MES Africa is not only experienced in the MES field itself, but also in connecting disparate systems to the ERP level. ERP applications have to deal in quanta of time (e.g. day, week, campaign, or run). One caution in bringing the two together, however, is that many of the methods and standards at the shop floor level do not work at the
enterprise level. The ERP level needs an accountant’s version of a recipe, not the S88 level of detail. The ERP model of the shop floor is at a gross connectivity level, not a detailed model based on physics. The calculation and timing ability of the ERP system in minimal, so the shop floor level must do all the aggregation, calculation, conversion, and correction of the data before it is sent to the ERP system.
With good information from the specialized applications in the organization, ERP systems like SAP become the driving forces for high return.
Systems such as Scheduling, Planning, Inventory management, Stock Reconciliation, Maintenance, Asset management, Quality and Material Management are amongst the ones that can benefit most from integration with the ERP level.
We specialize in OPC connectivity but are not limited to only OPC. Integration has been done from a variety of SCADA systems to historians such as PI and PHD. SCADAs include systems such as Allen Bradly, Moore, Citech, Plantscape, Adroit, etc. We work hand in hand with DCS & SCADA vendors to make sure that the best integration method is used for your needs.
If you have a system that you want to integrate, we will find a solution for you.