MES and MOM – A clarification of terms

Digitalization in manufacturing

Production is one of the most heavily optimized industrial sectors, and for good reason. Avoidable scrap or machine downtimes not only consume time and nerves but, above all, a significant amount of money. To prevent this, companies organize use digital systems to organize and execute their manufacturing processes. For this purpose, they often rely on Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). Recently, another term has gained increased attention: Manufacturing Operations Management, abbreviated as MOM.

This blog post explains how MES and MOM are related and what to consider when choosing an MES.

What is MES?

MES is software that helps manufacturing companies organize their production. Initially, sales planning is carried out and corresponding production orders are created in the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Subsequently, the production department uses the MES to execute these orders.

In the MES, it is determined who will execute which production order and which resources and tools they will use. During production, employees manually enter operational data into the system and therefore supplement the automatically collected data from machine controls and sensors. To ensure product quality, the MES enables planning and documentation of quality inspections.

The MES thus creates transparency within the production department. Finally, employees report completed orders back to the ERP system, triggering logistical and commercial follow-up processes.

What is MOM?

Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) is a holistic concept with the goal of optimizing the overall value chain process. Companies achieve this by digitally managing their manufacturing processes and transparently providing manufacturing-related information across multiple departments. Production processes are considered an integral part of cross-departmental business processes. To ensure seamless communication from the manufacturing to the management level, information exchange between different IT system domains is essential. This includes, for example:

  • Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) for product development and planning work steps in production,
  • Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) for sales planning and commercial order processing,
  • Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) for executing production orders,
  • Quality Management Software (QMS) to ensure product quality,
  • Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform to consolidate data from machine controls and sensors and monitor manufacturing processes in real-time.

The interaction of IT systems makes collaborating between different departments and teams more efficient, positively impacting the entire value chain process. Production operates at lower manufacturing costs and can ensure shorter delivery times and high product quality. By integrating production processes into the overall value chain process through the holistic MOM approach, companies can adapt quickly and flexibly to changing market situations.

How do MES and MOM differ?

MES is an important component of the MOM approach. As shopfloor software, it primarily focuses on executing tasks and processes within production. MOM, on the other hand, describes the overarching concept that integrates production processes into the business processes of the overall value chain. The approach aims to optimize the value chain by coordinating information across various departments. The concept includes not only the execution level (MES functions) but also adjacent functions from areas such as ERP, PLM, QMS, and IIoT.

What to consider when choosing an MES?

The challenge in selecting MES software is ensuring that it fits the company’s manufacturing structure and corresponding needs. For example, process manufacturing often requires recipe management, while discrete manufacturing involves working with bills of materials.

Furthermore, it is crucial to focus on the seamless integration of the system into the current IT infrastructure, encompassing elements such as PLM, ERP, QMS, and IIoT platforms. Following the MOM approach, maintaining cross-departmental information consistency significantly improves overall efficiency.

Companies should consider the following aspects:

  • Expandability
    Depending on the project scope, initially rolling out some basic MES functions minimizes project risks. Subsequently, it is possible to gradually add further functional areas until all relevant processes are integrated. For this approach, a modular software that grows step by step with the company’s needs is recommended.
  • Scalability
    In addition to the functional expansion of an MES to cover more areas, it is relevant whether the solution can scale to all manufacturing locations. This requires support for the relevant languages and the ability to centrally consolidate and analyze local information. Ultimately, the MES provider must also be able to conduct implementation projects on a global scale.
  • Customizability
    Production processes are as individual as the manufactured products. The better the MES supports the company’s processes and information needs, the greater the benefit.
  • Future-proofness
    The economic resilience of the MES provider and their affinity to integrating new technologies, such as IIoT and artificial intelligence (AI), are crucial factors for the system’s long-term development.
  • User Experience (UX)
    If the software is intuitive and well-designed, it avoids acceptance issues and the need for extensive training measures. The most feature-rich system might be worthless if end users do not use it correctly.

If you are looking for an MES for discrete manufacturing and want to follow the MOM approach, CONTACT Elements for IoT could be the right solution for you. This holistic manufacturing management system combines traditional MES functions with advanced maintenance management, energy monitoring, and seamless IT integration. The result: cost savings through reduced scrap and downtime and the integration of manufacturing into the overall value chain process.

Numbers, please! Energy efficiency is measurable

Energy is cheapest and most environmentally friendly if we do not consume it in the first place. Therefore, energy efficiency makes a significant contribution to the energy transition, and we have already tapped into savings potential in many areas: LEDs are now standard and energy-intensive devices like old refrigerators or water heaters have either been replaced or switched off. At CONTACT, we have initiated a project to optimize energy efficiency in office buildings. It is surprising how much saving potential still exists, even though employees are already conscientious in their resource usage. By replacing electrical devices and air conditioning in the server room, as well as turning off and merging old servers, energy consumption has been reduced by 50 %. This is not only ecologically sensible but also economically beneficial. A lot can be achieved with little effort, provided consumption data can be logged and visualized.

Energy efficiency is not possible without software

The German government’s report on “Energy Efficiency in Numbers” provides an overview of the final energy consumption in Germany for sectors such as industry, transportation, private households, and commerce/trade/services.

Energy Consumption in 2019 vs. 2020

Nearly a third of Germany’s final energy consumption comes from industrial processes. To achieve efficiency improvements here, it is essential to examine them more closely. A significant portion of energy (about two-thirds) is attributed to process heat, which is used, for example, in the production of products. To identify which facilities and machines in the production hall have saving potential, monitoring and controlling are necessary. Our software platform, Elements for IoT, provides companies with the ability to monitor, graphically represent, and analyze their consumption data. Data from metering points, such as those measuring power consumption, can be assigned to individual machines and production processes. Additionally, it is possible to process sensor values and machine control states and merge them into a digital twin of the machine. For the specific requirements of energy management, we have developed a new module that represents a continuous improvement process of energy performance indicators (according to ISO 50001). Starting from energy consumption, broken down by different energy types such as electricity or compressed air for a machine on the shopfloor, consumption values can be calculated down to a manufactured unit of the product. This also provides the opportunity to calculate the CO2 footprint of the manufactured product. The following example of a dashboard for a production facility shows a summary of a shift and provides information on energy consumption for the production process, as well as the average consumption for each manufactured unit from that shift.

Dashboard CONTACT Elements for IOT (© CONTACT Software)

Energy efficiency in production

Energy performance indicators can be used in various ways and are particularly important for audits according to ISO 50001. These audits require proof of a continuous improvement process. In addition to implementing sustainability concepts, this simultaneously saves resources such as electricity or gas.

Furthermore, energy information can be used to calculate the CO2 footprint, which can then be exchanged across supply chains. In the context of this data exchange, we implement the concept of the Asset Administration Shell to integrate the submodel for the CO2 footprint into our IoT platform.

Energy consumption data can also be useful in the manufacturing industry to optimize production processes. By assigning energy consumption data to the processes happening simultaneously, analyses show which sections are particularly energy intensive. Often, the usual metering interval of 15 minutes is not sufficient and higher time resolution data is required. Smart meters allow for sampling rates in the minutes or even seconds range, facilitating analyses that help optimize production processes.

AI-based forecasts for energy consumption

Interestingly, machines on the shopfloor are often found in standby mode, waiting for the next production order, even when there are no orders for the next few hours or the upcoming weekend. Optimized machine shutdowns which consider ramp-up times can directly save energy costs. A specific example of this is the implementation of an alarm mechanism that informs machine operators based on planned tool changes, services, or manufacturing orders about when it is advisable to shut down the machine. Additionally, the machine dashboard displays when the next order is due. Historical data studies have shown that for machines equipped this way, electricity cost savings can amount to about 23%. In the dashboard shown below, the shutdown recommendation is visualized by the red traffic light. It also indicates by how many kilowatt-hours the predicted value deviates from the actual measured power consumption.

Dashboard Power Prognosis CONTACT Elements for IOT (© CONTACT Software)

The forecast of electricity consumption is based on decision trees and directly implemented in the platform. Consumption data is accessed through the digital twin of the machine. The forecast’s inference model uses data from planned manufacturing orders, including time data and information on the material to be produced, to calculate the expected electricity consumption in kilowatt-hours. If the actual measured value deviates from the forecast by a fixed limit, the system informs the responsible person(s) with a red traffic light on the dashboard.

Furthermore, peak management uses forecasts to avoid load peaks. If multiple machines or systems are in operation simultaneously at a production site, this can lead to overlapping peaks in energy demand, resulting in higher fees. Based on forecasts of the electricity consumption, it is often possible to optimize execution times and machine occupancy to evenly distribute energy consumption and prevent expensive penalty payments.

With the data from a digital twin, companies can increase the efficiency of energy-intensive production facilities. Especially when they also use AI. The added value that this combination creates for energy management in companies is explained by Dr Nicole Göckel and Johann Heinrich in the technical article ‘Increasing yield with digital twins’.

Why connecting Cloud PLM and CAD is important

How the integration of Cloud PLM and CAD supports efficient product development

Engineers, designers, and CAD users often experience data chaos in their daily work: MCAD files (Mechanical Computer-Aided Design) can either be archived in a technical document management system or stored in the file system. While some ECAD systems (Electronic Computer-Aided Design) offer dedicated database solutions, there is still limited communication and interaction between the MCAD and ECAD worlds. The consequence? Mutual dependencies are not consistently represented in a single software. Although workflow management systems can provide good orientation about the current project phase, they are limited to merely providing links to documents without managing them reliably. This leads to data silos that complicate collaboration among design teams and slow down the entire product development process.

The integration of Cloud PLM and CAD solves this problem. PLM software connects CAD models with all other product-descriptive documents and data, breaking down silos and organizing the data chaos.

Find out how the integration of Cloud PLM and CAD leads to more efficient product development in this interview with Kai Ruhsert and Heiko Jesgarsz, Product Managers at CONTACT Software.

What is the advantage of PLM in the cloud?

KR: Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) allows companies to manage the entire lifecycle of a product, from the initial idea and development to production, distribution, and maintenance. Instead of installing PLM software locally, cloud-based PLM provides access via the internet. This not only leads to better scalability and increased security but also lower IT infrastructure costs. The integration of employees at any additional locations is simplified, making collaboration in global product development projects more efficient.

What benefits arise from the integration of Cloud PLM and CAD?

HJ: Many design teams need to collect, review, and assess product-related documents from various sources. Providing information to ERP systems or business partners further increases manual efforts. This is not only a challenging but also time-consuming task with significant potential for errors. In some cases, media discontinuities may occur, for example, when outdated information is recorded in Excel spreadsheets and passed on to downstream processes. The results are “data silos” which complicate information exchange and collaboration, causing unnecessary efforts.

Such shortcomings are particularly problematic when it comes to fulfilling documentation and process compliance due to high customer requirements or legal changes. Or when component manufacturers want to become system providers and the new customers demand an audit-proof documentation of the entire product development process. Without a PLM system, the necessary technical infrastructure for this is lacking.

The solution to this problem: managing all relevant data of the development process using PLM software, thereby creating a “single source of truth”. The PLM system not only links MCAD and ECAD models but also establishes a consistent cross-disciplinary database. This leads to high data consistency and transparency regarding the functional and structural relationships between electronics and mechanics.

The integration of Cloud PLM and CAD is particularly valuable for many companies as it simplifies collaboration and information exchange between design teams and other departments. This ultimately makes product development and manufacturing more efficient.

What solution does CONTACT Software offer to connect Cloud PLM and CAD data?

KR: The CONTACT Workspaces Desktop. This file explorer is a powerful tool for product data management. As a central platform, the Workspaces Desktop allows designers and CAD developers to customize their work environment, organize files, promote teamwork, and access essential tools for their work. It acts as the technical bridge between CAD systems and CONTACT Elements. Information seamlessly flows between these systems and product-relevant properties are securely stored in the CONTACT Elements platform.


The structures of documents in MCAD systems such as SOLIDWORKS, NX, Catia, and Creo are complex and require intelligent team data management. CONTACT’s Workspaces Desktop meets these requirements. It relieves designers from tedious routine tasks while ensuring a process-safe database. This is achieved through standard interfaces to leading MCAD and ECAD systems, along with the most powerful multi-CAD data management on the market. Additionally, the open architecture ensures seamless business processes with other IT systems like SAP.

In conjunction with CONTACT’s Cloud PLM system, CIM Database Cloud, the Workspaces Desktop allows to access all CAD data from anywhere at any time and to link it with all data along the entire product lifecycle.

Conclusion

The seamless integration of PLM and CAD is essential to avoid data silos. Cloud-based PLM software connects MCAD and ECAD models with all other product-relevant documents and data. This ensures access to identical data at any time and from anywhere. Using Cloud PLM with interfaces to CAD systems creates a fundamental prerequisite for efficient, cross-location collaboration between design teams.

The Cloud PLM system CIM Database Cloud integrates seamlessly with leading MCAD/ECAD systems. The CONTACT file explorer Workspaces Desktop allows users to connect all CAD documents with product lifecycle data and access them from anywhere.