Integrating production machines in a manufacturing execution system (MES)
Benjamin Welsch · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 2016
Modern production machines collect a variety of data during operation: for example, operating status, information on the process result, operating data of the machine itself and metered value of the environment, of the machine and of the used tools. These data are needed for the control of the machine. Selected data are displayed at the machine for the operator. In the optical industry there is no automated capture of machine data today. Selectively data are recorded and evaluated manually. In other industries, for example, electronics manufacturing, it is common to capture data automatically and transfer them to a super ordinate Manufacturing Execution System (MES). The MES links the data of the production machines with quality data, with product data and logistical data. Based on these date, Key Performance Data (KPI) can be defined. The KPIs represent the progress, the performance of central targets or measure the success of critical factors. The evaluation can be in real-time for online presentation, for specified periods or on request. An overview of the most common KPIs is included in the compilation of VDAM 66412-1: 2009-10. Today, MES and their databases use cloud computing or internet based systems to link different plants or to integrate customers, suppliers and machine manufacturers in the communication system. The machines are therefore directly or indirectly connected to the Internet (Internet of Things).