How do you choose an MES for manufacturing?

Don't judge an MES by its module list. Judge it by how it links the ERP plan to actual shop-floor output, how long it takes to configure for your routings, and who will change it later. The choice is usually between in-house development and a ready-made system configured to your processes, such as SimpleMES, built on the SimpleOne low-code platform.

What to check first

• ERP connection. Is there a ready-made integration with your ERP, or will it have to be built during the project? Orders should arrive in the MES without manual entry, and actual output should flow back.
• Equipment connection. Which interfaces does the system use to get data from machines and lines: connectors such as OPC UA, or message brokers?
• Configuration for your routings. Every MES needs configuration: each plant has its own routings, inspection rules, and reports. What can you change in the interface, and what requires programming?
• Changes after go-live. Who changes the system after go-live: the vendor, a partner, or your own IT team? Does every change need the vendor?
• Quality control and traceability. Are batches and serial numbers recorded at every operation, and can an order be stopped if an inspection fails?
• Deployment. Can it run in the cloud or on your own servers?

In-house development or a ready-made system

With in-house development, the company takes on the entire lifecycle of the system: design, development, implementation, support, and ongoing development. That takes many times longer than implementing a ready-made system and requires a permanent development team. A ready-made system also needs configuration, but the vendor develops the product itself.

That is why companies replacing a legacy MES or implementing their first one look at how quickly a system can be configured to their processes and who will do it.

How SimpleMES does it

SimpleMES is built on the SimpleOne low-code platform. Forms, roles, business rules, and workflows can be changed without reprogramming the core: some changes are made in visual editors, complex scenarios with scripts. Configuration is done by an integration partner, the SimpleMES team, or the customer's IT specialists.

SimpleMES connects to ERP systems via REST API and web services. Equipment is connected through connectors such as OPC UA and message brokers such as RabbitMQ. Serial numbers and batches are recorded at every stage, and a rule in the workflow editor stops an order if a quality inspection fails. The system runs in the cloud or on the company's own servers.

Why the team built SimpleMES as a universal system on a low-code platform is covered in the SimpleMES case study.