Execute a more flexible manufacturing system for industrial machinery

Today’s factory operations are defined by their flexibility. Whether it’s responding to shifting customer demands, managing highly variable, low-volume production or integrating late-stage design changes, machine builders, component manufacturers and OEMs face constant pressure to adapt on the fly. Traditional manufacturing execution software isn’t built for this level of responsiveness.

Flexible execution isn’t a matter of convenience; it’s a production requirement. To meet deadlines and quality benchmarks in an increasingly dynamic environment, manufacturers need manufacturing execution systems (MES) that do more than digitize tasks. They need MES platforms that actively enable adaptability on the shop floor.

Take a look at this infographic highlighting the challenges today’s manufacturers face and all the ways a modern, flexible manufacturing system can oftentimes be the solution.

Machine builders require a flexible manufacturing system for dynamic environments

Most manufacturing execution software platforms still act as simple record-keeping tools for many operations. They document what’s already happened: tracking parts, logging process times and closing out work orders. But when schedules shift or rework is required, these systems offer little in the way of real-time guidance or closed-loop coordination.

When scheduling, quality and execution systems are disconnected, it becomes more challenging to reroute work efficiently. Operators get stuck waiting for updated instructions. Quality teams work from outdated plans. Engineering changes trickle down slowly and create misalignment between what’s been designed and what’s being built.

Manufacturing execution like this is rigid, reactive and prone to errors. It only works until something changes.

Enabling flexible manufacturing execution with digital continuity

Modern MES solutions are designed to close these gaps. By integrating upstream engineering and planning systems with downstream automation layers, MES supports flexible execution with real-time coordination across teams and systems.

When production data flows directly from design and planning into the MES and back again through closed-loop feedback, manufacturers gain immediate visibility into:

• Work order progress and production status
• Deviations from standard process plans
• Quality data and traceability for every serialized product

When a design change is introduced or a supply constraint requires rerouting, the MES doesn’t just record the change, it facilitates the response. Operators receive updated instructions instantly, quality checks are revised accordingly, and engineering has traceable documentation of what’s being built and why.

Practical manufacturing execution agility, not just digital buzzwords

Flexible manufacturing systems are built on solving tangible problems on the factory floor. With an integrated MES, machine builders are shortening changeover time by sequencing work orders based on machine readiness and resource availability. This also reduces machine downtime by automatically rebalancing workloads across production cells.

Machine and component manufacturers can maintain traceability through every stage of a configurable product’s lifecycle with interconnected software tools. This also leads to improved quality metrics because quality processes can adapt in real time as product variants evolve.

One global manufacturer of configurable machine components adopted Siemens Opcenter, an MES solution, to manage their multiple product lines. By connecting their customer relationship management information, design data, planning system and shop floor execution into a single platform, they were able to enhance the flexibility of their manufacturing processes, improve product quality and lower administrative efforts and costs.

Manufacturing automation integration for smarter decisions

A flexible execution system also acts as a foundation for more effective automation. Data collected from IIoT sensors, robotics systems and other connected devices feeds directly into the MES.

Manufacturers can leverage this data to gain insights on equipment usage and trends. This information can be used to implement predictive maintenance or optimize process parameters based on real-time performance data. This wealth of information can also be used for root cause analysis when defects are detected downstream.

These insights actively influence execution. Maintenance actions are scheduled before failures occur. Quality limits are adjusted dynamically. Material flow is optimized based on current work-in-progress levels. And because all of this is happening within an integrated execution environment, operators, supervisors and planners are working from the same information.

A flexible manufacturing system provides a foundation for manufacturing resilience

Executing flexibly helps teams build an operation that can anticipate, absorb and recover from disruptions with minimal impact. In an era defined by supply chain volatility and labor constraints, that kind of operational resilience is essential.

With the right MES in place, manufacturers can scale up and down quickly to meet changing demands without sacrificing consistency. Quality can be maintained even as throughputs are increased when market demands go up. And mass customization becomes possible without fragmenting processes.

Since manufacturing execution is connected to planning, design and automation, these capabilities don’t come at the cost of added complexity. They’re simply built into the system.

Want to learn more? Explore how smart manufacturing solutions help industrial machinery and equipment manufacturers execute more efficiently.