Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Press Release: MESA International Brings the Information Technology Experts to Milwaukee


 

MESA International Announces 2014 North American Conference

 
Event to be held in conjunction with IndustryWeek Best Plants 2014 Conference.
 
As recently announced yesterday, MESA International is once again the Title Sponsor of IndustryWeek's Best Plants conference. IW Best Plants 2014 is set for May 5 - 7, 2014 in Milwaukee, WI, USA and marks the second straight year MESA has been the event's Title Sponsor. As such, MESA will play a vital role at the IW event - moderating the 'Manufacturing Technology Strategies' track, exhibiting in the Solutions Hall, introducing keynote speakers, and bringing the MESA community to Milwaukee.
 
MESA will also hold its own NA Conference in conjunction with the IW event - offering a MESA Global Education Program course, four unConference sessions, networking opportunities, and multiple speakers throughout the event. Members and friends of MESA qualify for discounted registration and exhibition rates for IW Best Plants and can also sponsor the MESA NA Conference directly.
 
"MESA knows the significant financial and operational gains companies can realize by understanding the role of modern Information Technologies in their production operations," said Mike Yost, MESA President. "We encourage the entire MESA community to join our NA Conference to contribute to these important conversations shaping the industry and to demonstrate the value of knowing what MESA knows with the broader IndustryWeek audience."
 
Full conference details including MESA agenda items and all sponsor and exhibitor options available through MESA are available at conference.mesa.org.
 

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Press Release: MESA International and LNS Research Launch New 'Metrics That Matter' Manufacturing Research

Global Manufacturing Community and Technology Research Firm Provide Critical Resources for Accelerating Manufacturing Operational Excellence
Cambridge, MA and Chandler, AZ - LNS Research, a technology research firm focusing on the industrial space, and MESA International, a global not-for-profit industry association of manufacturers, producers, industry leaders, and solution providers, have launched the fifth ‘Metrics That Matter’ research survey. Targeted at manufacturing executives, IT and plant managers seeking to improve and optimize business performance, the 2013-2014 research focuses on the trends and correlations between specific operational metric improvements, the use of Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) and other manufacturing software applications, role-based metrics reporting, and the effect of emerging technologies such as mobility, big data, and cloud computing on metrics programs.

“We are excited to extend the previous MESA metrics research work into new operational and technology areas that manufacturers and software suppliers are seeing as transformational to their businesses going forward,” states Mark Davidson, Principal Research Analyst for LNS Research. “We also appreciate the support we have from a great group of sponsor and advisor companies that are helping to guide the research, including: Aditya Birla, Epicor, InfinityQS, Invensys, Plex Systems, Rockwell Automation, Volvo and Whirlpool.”

“MESA’s point of view is that metrics do matter to manufacturers’ success, and that manufacturing matters to the global economy. MESA is delighted that LNS Research is leading fresh primary research on best practices in measuring and improving performance,” says Julie Fraser, Outreach Director for MESA International.

Industry professionals are invited to participate in the new ‘Metrics that Matter’ survey until November 15, 2013 through this link. Qualified participants will receive one year of access to the LNS Research Performance Management Research Library. This library contains the previous ‘Metrics That Matter’ research report, a 2013 Manufacturing Operations Management Best Practices Guide, and the new ‘Metrics That Matter’ research report upon completion in early 2014.

--------------------------------------------------------

About LNS Research: LNS Research provides advisory and benchmarking services to help Line-of-Business, IT, and Industrial Automation executives make critical business and operational decisions. It focuses on providing insights into the key business processes, metrics, and technologies adopted in industrial operations. LNS Research’s current coverage areas include: Enterprise Quality Management, Sustainability / Industrial Energy Management, and Manufacturing Operations Management.


About MESA International: MESA International (Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association) is a global not-for-profit industry association dedicated to improving outcomes for businesses and their people through the use of manufacturing information. MESA is comprised of manufacturers, producers, solution providers, and industry thought leaders collaborating to formulate practical strategies to turn plant-floor data into valuable knowledge for enterprise success. We do this by:

• Collecting, sharing, and publishing best practices to help drive greater productivity and the overall profitability of the manufacturing enterprise. Over 800 webcasts, guidebooks, whitepapers, studies, and surveys are available for download in our Resource Library
• Educating professionals through our IACET- accredited  MESA Global Education Program (GEP) for recognized continuing education units (CEUs).
• Facilitating collaboration with. Among members in over 40 countries who connect, contribute, cultivate understanding, and exchange strategies to drive business results through real-time enterprise and Plant to Enterprise (P2E) integration.
• Creating partnerships with other industry associations and experts like the World Batch Forum (WBF). Our 2012 merger broadens our knowledge of ISA-95 related standards like B2MML, and ISA-88 related standards like BatchML.


The bottom line?  Members benefit from knowing what MESA knows.

###

If you would like more information about this research project, or to schedule an interview with Mark Davidson, please connect with Natalie Tarutis at 617-614-7182 or Natalie.tarutis@lnsresearch.com.
LNS Research Contact: Natalie Tarutis
Tel: 617-614-7182
Email:
Natalie.tarutis@lnsresearch.com
MESA Contact: DeAnn Fedyski
Tel: 480-893-6883
Email:
deann@mesa.org   

Thursday, September 5, 2013

MESA Webcast: Cyber Security beyond anti-virus

REGISTER NOW!

MESA Webcast: Cyber Security beyond anti-virus -
How to Keep your MOM Software and Application Servers More Secure.


Securing MOM (Manufacturing Operations Management) software and application servers from hackers and potential malware threats continues to be a concern.
Attend this MESA Webcast to learn steps you can take for effective security beyond just installing anti-virus software and patching systems. We will discuss techniques to protect your critical systems including application whitelisting, use of Microsoft Windows Core operating system components, limiting software and user access to least required privileges, and more!

September 24, 2013, 11:00 AM EDT


Presenters:


Bryan Owen
Cyber Security Manager
OSIsoft, LLC

View Bio





Eric CosmanEngineering Solutions IT Consultant
The Dow Chemical Company
View Bio


Follow the link to register!

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/332399681

Friday, August 16, 2013

MESA GEP: Online and Onsite Training

Global Education Program
GRAB YOUR SEAT!

The MESA Global Education Program offers world-class education with IACET approved CEUs for executives, manufacturing practitioners, and IT professionals.
MESA GEP is the first step to building a winning hand!
We've trained over 600 professionals! Read testimonials here.

UPCOMING COURSES:
CoC: Certificate of Competency
CoA: Certificate of Awareness
B2MML CoC: B2MML & Integration Fundamentals Certificate of Competency

 
ONSITE AND IN-HOUSE
August & September Dates
All onsite courses earn CEUs and certificates upon successful completion. All programs run from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (0830-1700) unless otherwise noted. All programs are in the English language except those in Germany which are presented in German.
  
August 27-30, CoC, Johannesburg, South Africa More Info
  
September 9, B2MML & Integration Fundamentals CoC, Raleigh, NC, United States More Info

September 17-20, CoC, Minneapolis, MN, United States More Info Group discounts available, contact Nancy!
  
September 24, 2013, B2MML & Integration Fundamentals CoC, Copenhagen, Denmark More Info
  

ONLINE, INSTRUCTOR LED COURSES
August & September Dates
All online courses earn CEUs upon successful completion.
Attending 9 individual courses earns CEUs and a Certificate of Awareness upon successful completion

August 22 - 9:00 AM to 11:15 AM EST
203. Relationships between Manufacturing Operations Standards More Info
 
August 29 - 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM EST
204. Manufacturing Transformation Strategy: Maturity and Roadmap Modeling More Info

September 5 - 9:00 AM to 11:15 AM EST
405. MES/MOM Implementation and Governance: MES/MOM System Requirement Specifications, GAMP and Industrial System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Methods More Info

September 12 - 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM EST
407. Justifying MES/MOM Systems to Business Leaders, Business Case Justification and Return on Investment (ROI) Assessment More Info

September 26 - 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM EST
408. MES/MOM Statement of Requirement (SoR), Request for Proposal and Product Evaluation Method More Info
  
Don't see a GEP date/location for you? Hold an in-house program! Contact Nancy for more info
 
GEP BUCKS $$$ - Did you know ALL premium manufacturing membership fees are credited towards the cost of GEP? That can mean over $10,000 in savings for our large-sized manufacturing members.
 

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Press Release: MESA International's Global Education Program Now Offers Online Courses

New online option makes training and knowledge-sharing more accessible 
CHANDLER, AZ, July 16, 2013 - MESA International has been working for the last several years to establish a global baseline of knowledge that will benefit both manufacturers and solution providers. This effort continues to grow and progress, with MESA now offering a variety of instructor-led online courses. Upon successful completion, these courses provide CEUs and can also be applied towards a MES/MOM Methodologies Online Certificate of Awareness.  For full certificate requirements, visit http://www.mesa.org/en/globaleducationprogram/CoA-MES-MOM-Online.asp

"Neither the speed of business nor the acceleration of technology advancement is slowing down," said Mike Yost, President, MESA.  "The MESA Global Education Program (GEP) helps companies establish a reliable approach to aligning technologies and solutions with business needs."

"There is significant financial and operational benefit for companies that figure out how to leverage modern Information Technologies in their production operations. Taking MESA GEP training online will expand the accessibility of this valuable knowledge to many more companies looking for a competitive advantage."

Why choose an online course?
Offering Global Education Program courses online makes the training and knowledge-sharing more accessible to more people in more areas. Online training benefits include:
  • Minimum time away from the workplace
  • No travel and related expenses
  • Instructor-led courses ensure access to industry-leading experts
MESA knows the value of leveraging modern Information Technologies in production operations.  The online GEP courses will make sure more people know what MESA knows.

What courses are available?
Individual courses in MESA's MES/MOM Methodologies curriculum can now be taken online - or the entire 9-course curriculum can be bundled - allowing people to earn the MESA Certificate of Awareness (CoA) completely online.

GEP courses are available for members and non-members. For premium members, MESA credits 100% of membership fees towards the cost of any GEP course. This can yield upwards of $10,000 in savings for large, premium manufacturing members.

To learn more about online course offerings, upcoming dates, and how to register, visit: http://www.mesa.org/en/globaleducationprogram/Register-for-Upcoming-Online-Courses.asp. Space is limited.
  
###

About MESA International
MESA International (Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association) is a global not-for-profit industry association dedicated to improving outcomes for businesses and their people through the use of manufacturing information. MESA is comprised of manufacturers, producers, solution providers, and industry thought leaders collaborating to formulate practical strategies to turn plant-floor data into valuable knowledge for enterprise success. We do this by:
  • Collecting, sharing, and publishing best practices to help drive greater productivity and the overall profitability of the manufacturing enterprise. Over 800 webcasts, guidebooks, whitepapers, studies, and surveys are available for download in our Resource Library
  • Educating professionals through our IACET-accredited MESA Global Education Program (GEP).
  • Facilitating collaboration among members in over 40 countries who connect, contribute, cultivate understanding, and exchange strategies to drive business results through real-time enterprise and Plant to Enterprise (P2E) integration.
  • Creating partnerships with other industry associations and experts like the World Batch Forum (WBF). Our 2012 merger broadens our knowledge of ISA-95 related standards like B2MML, and ISA-88 related standards like BatchML.
The bottom line?  Members benefit from knowing what MESA knows.
For Immediate Release

Contact:
DeAnn Fedyski
MESA International 
480.893.6883
deann@mesa.org

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Press Release: MESA announces the publishing of MESA White Paper #45


Applying Manufacturing Operations Models In A Discrete Hybrid Manufacturing Environment

CHANDLER, ARIZ., June 27, 2013 - All the manufacturing processes, scenarios, modes of operation, and application of techniques described in this paper are currently in use in an established discrete and discrete/batch hybrid manufacturing enterprise that produces and repairs complex machinery. The enterprise makes products ranging from simple parts machined from bar stock to complex machined assemblies; the final products incorporate numerous in-house and third-party-supplied subassemblies. Occasionally, the optimized operations definitions vary across characterized and uncharacterized abnormal modes of operations or situations. The optimized and abnormal modes of operation are modeled using the concepts of MES/MOM as set forth by ISA-95 Part 3, Activity Models for Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM).

The paper explains a requirements definition method using ISA-95 Part 3 modeling techniques to describe the integration of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) as part of MOM into enterprise manufacturing architecture. The MES functions, by definition, are part of MOM system architecture, which complements the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and supply chain management (SCM) systems by providing essential information for production and support operations. This is a foundational user requirement for the company's operations transformation to a fully integrated operations environment to reduce dependence on manual data entry and to improve data integrity into the extended enterprise from manufacturing sites.

Ultimately, a MES/MOM implementation to the enterprise helps keep operations visible to ensure that production and shipments are as scheduled and operations costs predictable.

The paper has two sections. The first section is background information describing (1) the domain of discrete hybrid manufacturing operations with the three main types of operations applications that support operations in most companies and their touch points and (2) the system design and execution required to implement MES/MOM using a model-driven approach based on the ANSI/ISA-95 series of standards.

The second section is a discussion about the advantages of applying an operations model approach to manufacturing operations. The section describes the operations advantages of running with an integrated electronic records system instead of a paper-based system. These advantages are further demonstrated with an example of an "As Is" environment composed of systems operating as silos and exchanging information via paper-based records. Then, a "To Be" example demonstrates how the number of systems can be reduced to the three types of operations software with orchestrated electronic interfaces. Finally, the paper concludes with the importance of using standards-based models to design information exchanges between these systems.

This paper was produced as part of the MESA/ISA-95 Best Practices Working Group through an international peer review process involving 5 or more subject matter reviewers.  This MESA White Paper is also be published in the methodology best practices collection, The MOM Chronicles: ISA-95 Best Practices Book 3.0 (Published by ISA, February 2013)

All of MESA's white papers are available at www.mesa.org for MESA premium members, who have complimentary access to over 800 white papers, presentations, MOM/MES guidebooks, industry studies and web casts.

Authors:
Donald A. Fraser, Jacobs
Charlie Gifford, 21st Century Manufacturing Solutions LLC

Contributing Editor:
Patrick J. Weber MBA, PMP (LogiSync)
###
  
About MESA International
MESA International (Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association) is a global not-for-profit industry association dedicated to improving outcomes for businesses and their people through the use of manufacturing information. MESA is comprised of manufacturers, producers, solution providers, and industry thought leaders collaborating to formulate practical strategies to turn plant-floor data into valuable knowledge for enterprise success. We do this by:
  • Collecting, sharing, and publishing best practices to help drive greater productivity and the overall profitability of the manufacturing enterprise. Over 800 webcasts, guidebooks, whitepapers, studies, and surveys are available for download in our Resource Library
  • Educating professionals through our IACET-accredited MESA Global Education Program (GEP).
  • Facilitating collaboration among members in over 40 countries who connect, contribute, cultivate understanding, and exchange strategies to drive business results through real-time enterprise and Plant to Enterprise (P2E) integration.
  • Creating partnerships with other industry associations and experts like the World Batch Forum (WBF). Our 2012 merger broadens our knowledge of ISA-95 related standards like B2MML, and ISA-88 related standards like BatchML.
Contact:
DeAnn Fedyski
MESA International 
480.893.6883
deann@mesa.org

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Press Release: MESA International's Global Education Program announces first date of B2MML & Integration Fundamentals Program


One-day course focuses on business-to-manufacturing integration

CHANDLER, ARIZ., June 26, 2013 - MESA International is offering its first ever B2MML & Integration Fundamentals program on September 9, 2013 in Raleigh, NC. The one-day course will cover the fundamentals in plant-to-enterprise integration using B2MML and ISA-95 standards, and offers participants a MESA Certificate of Competency for successful completion.

Integration of business systems to shop floor systems can be a complex, time consuming task, but applying the best practices as identified in the ISA-95 standard, and the MESA B2MML implementation of the standard, can help manufacturers significantly reduce the risk, cost, and time of an integration project. This new class will help companies that are thinking about plant-to-enterprise integration projects identify the best path forward - showing them the potential pitfalls in the integration process and how to avoid them.

This class is intended for those starting, thinking about or currently supporting an integration project. It covers all of the important aspects of integration, and also highlights how real users of the B2MML standard have used it to completely automate ERP to MES integration.

"The MESA Global Education Program arms companies and individuals with best practices and working knowledge to safely and effectively leverage today's software-based solutions to drive real value for their business," said Mike Yost, President, MESA International. "Our goal is to educate companies and individuals within the industry on "how" and "why" to use Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions in their production operations. When it comes to plant-to-enterprise integration projects, this is clearly a need. The B2MML & Integration Fundamentals program is an important step in MESA's efforts to address that need for the industry."

To learn more about the course, visit:http://www.mesa.org/en/globaleducationprogram/B2MMLCoC.asp
  
To register for this class, visit: http://www.mesa.org/en/globaleducationprogram/dateslocations.asp?_mid_=20420. Space is limited - so sign up today to reserve your seat.

The course is also available as a private, in-house program. For more information about holding an in-house program for your company or industry group, please contact Nancy Kolling at Nancy@MESA.org.
  
###
  
About MESA International
MESA International (Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association) is a global not-for-profit industry association dedicated to improving outcomes for businesses and their people through the use of manufacturing information. MESA is comprised of manufacturers, producers, solution providers, and industry thought leaders collaborating to formulate practical strategies to turn plant-floor data into valuable knowledge for enterprise success. We do this by:
  • Collecting, sharing, and publishing best practices to help drive greater productivity and the overall profitability of the manufacturing enterprise. Over 800 webcasts, guidebooks, whitepapers, studies, and surveys are available for download in our Resource Library
  • Educating professionals through our IACET-accredited MESA Global Education Program (GEP).
  • Facilitating collaboration among members in over 40 countries who connect, contribute, cultivate understanding, and exchange strategies to drive business results through real-time enterprise and Plant to Enterprise (P2E) integration.
  • Creating partnerships with other industry associations and experts like the World Batch Forum (WBF). Our 2012 merger broadens our knowledge of ISA-95 related standards like B2MML, and ISA-88 related standards like BatchML.
The bottom line?  Members benefit from knowing what MESA knows.


Contact:
DeAnn Fedyski
MESA International 
480.893.6883
deann@mesa.org

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

MES 2013: CBI's 8th Annual Forum on Manufacturing Execution Systems

 
August 13-14, 2013
Hyatt at the Bellevue
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Build and Deploy Effective MES Projects within a Highly Regulated Industry

Ensure Manufacturing Intelligence and Excellence – Successfully Deploy, Integrate, Maintain and Utilize Data from MES
This is the only Forum to address innovative efforts within the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industry. MES is necessary for process control, QA/QC, better yield, reduced reliance on paper batch records and FDA compliance. With an outstanding turnout in 2012, the 2013 forum is expected to be our best yet, uniting MES professionals to discuss how to develop, deploy and maintain an effective automation and manufacturing execution system within a regulated environment. 
 
Key topics include:

• MES integration with other shop floor systems
• FDA expectations and regulatory requirements
• MES in emerging countries
• Multiple deployment strategies
• Implementation case studies
• Aligning R&D with MES
• Discrete and process manufacturing

MESA Members use code FTN687 to get $400 off total registration fee.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Press Release: MESA announces the publishing of MESA White Paper #44

Defining an Operations Systems Architecture

CHANDLER, ARIZ., June 17, 2013 - Information systems provided by industrial software vendors are evolving constantly with new features and implementation strategies. The complexity and variety of available options make it difficult for many manufacturers to adequately discuss and compare software alternatives that may or may not meet their requirements.

Vendors typically promote architectures that are supported by the products or solutions in their suite or toolbox. If a manufacturer does not have a clear vision for the architecture of its operations systems, it often adopts the vendor's approach. This approach may be the best fit for the system being developed; however, in many cases it is not or the vendor's solution is not configured correctly.

In the absence of a target "To-Be" architecture, the vendor approach is inevitable. With the increasing reliance on system agility and associated operations management capability, the need to raise the bar is evi-dent. Best-in-class manufacturers must be able to understand their production processes and structures as a foundation for actual process improvement. Once understood, the As-Is and target To-Be architectures serve as a common basis for the discussion and mapping of alternatives.

This paper presents techniques for describing operations systems and engaging stakeholders in projects based on product-independent architectures with examples.

Taking this approach changes the game in vendor negotiations from product-centric evaluation to one in which operations system capability is the focus of discussion. The product selection process includes requirements and alignment to key design principles. Vendor responses are compared against a common operations model and strategy to build pragmatic MOM architecture.

A series of state-of-the-art enterprise and solution architecture concepts are presented, which can be used as a starting point for developing an operations systems architecture (OSA). This architecture can then be used to guide any project, from the smallest upgrade to the largest enterprise solution.

This paper was produced as part of the MESA/ISA-95 Best Practices Working Group through an international peer review process involving 5 or more subject matter reviewers.  This MESA White Paper is also be published in the methodology best practices collection, The MOM Chronicles: ISA-95 Best Practices Book 3.0 (Published by ISA, February 2013)This white paper is available at: https://services.mesa.org/News/View/49133b89-b398-451d-affa-563528d360de

All of MESA's white papers are available at www.mesa.org for MESA premium members who have complimentary access to over 800 white papers, presentations, MOM/MES guidebooks, industry studies and web casts.

Author:
Gavan Hood, Simul-Tech Pty Ltd

Contributing Editor:
Charlie Gifford, 21st Century Manufacturing Solutions LLC

###

About MESA International
MESA International (Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association) is a global not-for-profit industry association dedicated to improving outcomes for businesses and their people through the use of manufacturing information. MESA is comprised of manufacturers, producers, solution providers, and industry thought leaders collaborating to formulate practical strategies to turn plant-floor data into valuable knowledge for enterprise success. We do this by:
  • Collecting, sharing, and publishing best practices to help drive greater productivity and the overall profitability of the manufacturing enterprise. Over 800 webcasts, guidebooks, whitepapers, studies, and surveys are available for download in our Resource Library
  • Educating professionals through our IACET-accredited MESA Global Education Program (GEP).
  • Facilitating collaboration among members in over 40 countries who connect, contribute, cultivate understanding, and exchange strategies to drive business results through real-time enterprise and Plant to Enterprise (P2E) integration.
Creating partnerships with other industry associations and experts like the World Batch Forum (WBF). Our 2012 merger broadens our knowledge of ISA-95 related standards like B2MML, and ISA-88 related standards like BatchML.

Friday, June 7, 2013

MESA member discount for Manufacturing Process Excellence Forum in July


9th - 11th July, 2013
- Charlotte, North Carolina

Dear colleague,

I am writing to invite you to join me at PEX Network's Manufacturing Process Excellence Forum, taking place July 9th-11th in Charlotte. I will be speaking at the event alongside over 20 process and operations leaders from companies such as Ford, J&J, Corning, DJO Global, Rock Tenn, Whirlpool and Raytheon. I hope you can join us.

The event is providing a unique networking opportunity for us to share experiences and learnings and discuss how to improve business agility and seize and sustain growth opportunities during this period of unprecedented change and uncertainty. MESA is pleased to be associated with an event that will make a major contribution to the sharing of good practice of Process Excellence in the Manufacturing industry.

As my colleague and member of MESA International you are entitled to a 50% discount (simply quote PEXMESA) off the standard conference prices if you register by June 14th.

Reserving your place is really easy, get in touch with the Manufacturing Process Excellence team at enquire@pexnetwork.com, call them at +1 646 378 6026/ +44 207 036 1300 or visit www.manufacturingpex.com.

I look forward to meeting you in July!

Mike Yost
President,
MESA International

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Top MES questions that will give you insight

Dear Friend of MESA,
 
If you have experience with plantwide software, we need your help to educate the industry on benefits from MES/MOM. Did your project give you what you expected? More? Less?

Please fill out this survey.
  
MESA is partnering with leading IT advisory group Gartner Inc., to conduct a study on the business value of MES.

MESA Members will get access to the final report. You can use these results to support your MES program investment initiatives or to facilitate a change in your company's MES strategy-and compare your experience against your peers!
                           
Please take the survey by June 7th.  You can also click on the link below.
Thank you in advance for your time and for keeping the industry moving forward!

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Press Release: MESA announces the publishing of MESA White Paper #43

Applying Global MOM Systems in a Manufacturing 2.0 Approach
CHANDLER, ARIZ., May 28, 2013 - What is the Global Best Practice for Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) systems and IT architecture? What practices do industry experts recommend for different manufacturing types and supply networks? Is your management thinking and corporate culture outdated for the changing global market? Is MOM technology too expensive and  your IT architecture unable to rapidly adapt to market change?

Manufacturing companies have long been reluctant to adopt the "new" thinking for operations work processes, especially where intelligent systems are making task-level decisions based on operations rules and real-time inputs. While plant equipment evolves continually, work processes supporting intelligent equipment are still primarily based on paper transactions to execute production orders, as if to say, "Our methods have worked for 20 years, why should we change them now?" With this thinking, the world of intelligence technology has evolved rapidly with only few adapting and most manufacturers left behind. The very few best-in-class manufacturers globally use the new developments in intelligent operations methods. The truly progressive ones have adopted these intelligent manufacturing developments most often through a trial and error process over 10-15 years.

So what do end user manufacturing technologists and manufacturing software vendors (MES/MOM vendors) need to change in their thinking?

These groups need to be exposed to the thinking and concepts of Manufacturing 2.0 (Mfg 2.0) as developed by the Gartner Group and then supported by case studies and Global Best Practice studies done by industry organizations such as MESA and the ISA-95 Best Practices Working Group. Once manufacturing companies start asking for flexible MOM systems based on Mfg 2.0 architecture, the vendors will follow.

This paper explores the four main perceptions and obstacles that the above-mentioned "best in class" progressive companies had to overcome to gain enterprise-wide acceptance of their MOM systems architecture as a corporate strategy.

The paper discusses four obstacles or perceptions as proof that end user manufacturing technologists and vendors are not progressive in their thinking, but reactive. These are:
  1. Why MOM and Not MES?
  2. Why Service-oriented Architecture (SOA) in Manufacturing?
  3. Why MDM for Manufacturing?
  4. Is EMI Best Positioned Against or With Business Intelligence (BI)?
For each of these concepts, what they mean and where they fit are explored individually to expose manufacturing technologists to the concepts and the benefits of accepting and working toward this vision. The paper concludes by evaluating the different integration approaches used over the years and comparing them to the current proposed "best practice" and Mfg 2.0 vision.

This paper was produced as part of the MESA/ISA-95 Best Practices Working Group through an international peer review process involving 5 or more subject matter reviewers.  This MESA White Paper is also be published in the methodology best practices collection, The MOM Chronicles: ISA-95 Best Practices Book 3.0 (Published by ISA, February 2013)

All of MESA's white papers are available at www.mesa.org for MESA premium members, who have complimentary access to over 800 white papers, presentations, MOM/MES guidebooks, industry studies and web casts.

Authors:
Gerhard Greeff, Bytes PMC
Charlie Gifford, 21st Century Manufacturing Solutions LLC

Contributing Editor:
Mike James, ATS International B.V.
###
  
About MESA International
MESA International (Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association) is a global not-for-profit industry association dedicated to improving outcomes for businesses and their people through the use of manufacturing information. MESA is comprised of manufacturers, producers, solution providers, and industry thought leaders collaborating to formulate practical strategies to turn plant-floor data into valuable knowledge for enterprise success. We do this by:
  • Collecting, sharing, and publishing best practices to help drive greater productivity and the overall profitability of the manufacturing enterprise. Over 800 webcasts, guidebooks, whitepapers, studies, and surveys are available for download in our Resource Library
  • Educating professionals through our IACET-accredited MESA Global Education Program (GEP).
  • Facilitating collaboration among members in over 40 countries who connect, contribute, cultivate understanding, and exchange strategies to drive business results through real-time enterprise and Plant to Enterprise (P2E) integration.
  • Creating partnerships with other industry associations and experts like the World Batch Forum (WBF). Our 2012 merger broadens our knowledge of ISA-95 related standards like B2MML, and ISA-88 related standards like BatchML.


Monday, May 20, 2013

MESA's Americas Board Chairman, Dennis Brandl's talk on Enterprise Recipe Management at OSIsoft's 2013 Users Conference.

MESA's Americas Board Chairman, Dennis Brandl's talk on Enterprise Recipe Management: ISA 88 Recipe Definitions and Exchange Across the Enterprise at OSIsoft's 2013 Users Conference.                       
 
Presentation Abstract:

We are living longer than ever before. We are healthier than ever before. We have more doctors, hospitals, medicines and health products than ever before. But, we have a problem with continuing to make these improvements. It still takes too long to get medicines and medical devices from lab to doctor to the patient, especially as we use more outsourcing and supply chain partners during the entire product development lifecycle. This talk presents the concept and examples of Enterprise Recipe Management, a method for the process industries to manage product definitions across their internal production chain and their extended supply chain. Companies using this approach have significantly reduced time and cost of technology transfers and validation. This talk will provide a foundation to understand how to use the ISA 88 and IEC 61512-3 standards for recipe management and the MESA BatchML standards for information exchanges in implementing Enterprise Recipe Management.

Speaker Bio:

Dennis Brandl is the founder and chief consultant for BR&L Consulting, specializing in Manufacturing IT applications, including Business-to-Manufacturing Integration, MES solutions, General and Site Recipe implementations, and automation system security. He has been involved in automation system design and implementation in a wide range of applications over the past 25 years. They have included biotech, pharmaceutical, chemical plants and oil refineries, food manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, and aerospace systems. Dennis Brandl has been an active member of the ISA 95 Enterprise/Control System Integration committee for the past ten years and is editor of the set of standards. He is a USA expert on batch control to IEC, is the former chairman of the ISA 88 Batch System control committee, and is the chairman of the IEC and ISO Joint Working Group on Enterprise/Control Integration. Mr. Brandl has written numerous papers and articles on business to manufacturing integration and flexible manufacturing solutions, has a regular column in Control Engineering, and has authored the book “Design Patterns for Flexible Manufacturing”, available through ISA. Brandl has a BS in Physics and an MS in Measurement and Control from Carnegie-Mellon University, and a MS in Computer Science from California State University.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Press Release: MESA announces the publishing of MESA White Paper #42

The Role of Semantic Models in Smarter Industrial Operations

CHANDLER, ARIZ., May 14, 2013 - The paper investiages the application of semantic model design and technology in industrial operations integration and the evolving role of Semantic Computing in operations management. Semantic (data) modeling as a core component of application architecture is compared to more familiar architectural integration patterns. As operations functions are described, the value of semantic models is illustrated through a series of examples that should be familiar to the reader.

Manufacturing best practices only match what is driven by competition; so to compete by differentiating its performance, each company must judiciously apply leading practices. Semantic Computing now has sufficient industrial application to be considered a leading practice. As such, various ways in which Semantic Computing supplements legacy technologies and possible longer term enhancements are suggested to facilitate operations safety and data integrity.

Three critical elements are often described in discussions around smarter plant solutions, of which semantic concepts are a key element. These three critical elements, the three “I”s as they are sometimes labeled, are “Instrumented,” “Intelligent” and “Interconnected.” These elements support the idea that much data are collected from the world around us and if we use the three “I”s to federate the data, operations intelligence is derived and with that we drive timely communication, response, and optimization around critical business tasks.

Important in this approach is the ability to interpret data for timely analysis and to derive understanding from a wide variety of sources in a wide range of formats and contexts. With Semantic Computing, the calculations and analysis are generalized to apply them to all instances of similar objects.

Data in the real world are subject to constant change. Therefore, structures need to be self-adapting and not rigidly predefined. This difference is referred to as the “Open World” versus the “Closed World.” Semantic modeling and its technology identify changes in underlying data and the potential interactions of those changes.

However, for the most part, the role of semantics is to alert a human promptly and in the appropriate context so that responses to those changes can be identified and appropriately acted upon.

Implemented semantic models can federate data from any connected data store into an agile, adaptive, fit-for-purpose model that leverages and extends industry standards and ontologies. When semantic models are coupled with applications that perform analysis, logic, reports, views, etc., which are easily and consistently applied and adapted, manufacturers are truly evolving to an global environment in which business and operations personnel are directly in control of their data, business and operations rules, and business and operations processes.This evolution is refered to as the “evolving ubiquitous computing model,” since computing power has become highly distributed and pervasive.

Industrial architectures must be designed to handle ever-changing, disparate data and implied, actual relationships between the data. Data sources include structured and unstructured data, sensor data (current value and historical), images, audio, and video. In addition, interactions of proposed data changes must be identified so that coordinated change is the rule and discovery is minimized. Not only does current data handling not fit well into standard relational persistence structures, but there is also the challenge to make sense of this data in context and adapt to additions, deletions, and changes with validation but without undue complexity.

This paper was produced as part of the MESA/ISA-95 Best Practices Working Group through an international peer review process involving 5 or more subject matter reviewers. This MESA White Paper is also be published in the methodology best practices collection, The MOM Chronicles: ISA-95 Best Practices Book 3.0 (Published by ISA, February 2013)

This white paper is available at: https://services.mesa.org/ResourceLibrary/ShowResource/cd41c356-ca0d-4128-93eb-25471b8c7508

All of MESA's white papers are available at www.mesa.org for MESA premium members, who have complimentary access to over 250 white papers, presentations, MOM/MES guidebooks, industry studies and web casts.

Authors:
Dave Noller, IBM
Tim Hanis, IBM
Michael Feldman, Savigent Software
Charlie Gifford, 21st Century Manufacturing Solutions LLC


Contributing Editors:
Jimmy Asher, Savigent Software
Bill Bosler, P.E., Texas Consultants, Inc.
Eyad A. Buhulaiga, Saudi Aramco


###


About MESA International
MESA International (Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association) is a global not-for-profit industry association dedicated to improving outcomes for businesses and their people through the use of manufacturing information. MESA is comprised of manufacturers, producers, solution providers, and industry thought leaders collaborating to formulate practical strategies to turn plant-floor data into valuable knowledge for enterprise success. We do this by:


  • Collecting, sharing, and publishing best practices to help drive greater productivity and the overall profitability of the manufacturing enterprise. Over 800 webcasts, guidebooks, whitepapers, studies, and surveys are available for download in our Resource Library.
  • Educating professionals through our IACET-accredited MESA Global Education Program (GEP).
  • Facilitating collaboration among members in over 40 countries who connect, contribute, cultivate understanding, and exchange strategies to drive business results through real-time enterprise and Plant to Enterprise (P2E) integration.

Creating partnerships with other industry associations and experts like the World Batch Forum (WBF). Our 2012 merger broadens our knowledge of ISA-95 related standards like B2MML, and ISA-88 related standards like BatchML.