Composable MES Overview

Introducing: The Composable MES

Composability represents a paradigm shift in how manufacturing execution systems are architected, implemented, and maintained over time. Rather than relying on rigid, monolithic architectures, composability asserts that solutions should be built such that feature sets can be seamlessly combined and recombined into novel collections. The result is unparalleled flexibility, agility, innovation, and faster time-to-value.

The Composable MES (cMES) App Suite is a foundational set of apps that make it easy to deploy a manufacturing execution system in your operation. These apps are built so that they can be configured to meet the exact requirements of your operation. Whether you use them as is, expand them, or subtly configure them to match your unique requirements, these apps are built to be fast to deploy and easy to adapt.

The cMES apps are interconnected and work together with a common data model. The Common Data Model provides a starting point for organizing and collecting data in tables that make sense, and are easily extended with new apps, helping your team scale faster and solve challenges.

What does this mean for you? This means that you can download a set of feature rich applications to help design a solution from scratch, extend your existing system, or study to learn more about composable architecture.

This article introduces the three foundational cMES solutions for Quality, Inventory, and Production Management.

Composable MES Overview

The Composable MES is a tool box of apps that will lead you towards your next generation MES. The cMES provides you with best practices for the following solutions:

• Production management
• Quality management
• Inventory control

Combined, these app suites accelerate how you adopt new software and create value quickly.

You don’t need to use all apps in the cMES to create value. These apps are designed to be configured and modified to your specific needs.

App Suites

Within the cMES there are three areas of focus: Production Management, Quality, and Inventory. All app-suites come with common data model Tables, additional templates for configuration, and everything you need to digitize your operations.

The apps themselves "connect" to each other using a common data model comprised of common Tulip Tables.

Production Management

The Production Management App suite will focus on providing a clear starting point for managing production in any operation. Enabling you to make actionable next steps on important production metrics.
The value that you get from this suite tackles:

• Analyze and improve on-time delivery through work order analytics
• Address station efficiency holistically with downtime analytics to address downtime root causes
• Move from only-equipment-OEE to holistic OEE (Across machines, people, material flow, and more)

Learn more about the Production Management app suite.

Quality

The Quality App Suite focuses on streamlining the inspection process. By providing you with a way to manage and triage non conformance through a material Review Board. As well visibility into key metrics such as first pass yield.
The value you create in your operations here:

• Improve quality controls for more rigorous and traceable inspection processes
• Understand Cost of Poor Quality and improve with data-driven approach
• Understand pareto of defects by station, operator, product, and more

Learn more about the Quality app suite.

Inventory

The Inventory App Suite provides a clear starting point for managing end-to-end inventory flow in any operation. Enabling you to streamline your ordering process to optimize material flow.
The value that you will create here focuses on:

• Optimize Working Capital with improved material flow visibility and replenishment
• Reduce tribal knowledge on re-order points and eliminate stock-outs in assembly
• Provide clearer visibility of material receipt and put away operations; improve inventory accuracy

Learn more about the Inventory app suite.

Further Reading

• Composable vs. Monolithic Architectures
• How to Build Composable Apps