All manufacturers collect data from their manufacturing processes with varying degrees of sophistication, and there is certainly not a shortage of solutions to analyze it. However most problems start to arise after the data is collected and the analyses usually fall short. Generally, manufacturers are either drowning in the sheer volume of shop floor data or struggling to make sense of inconsistent data gathered from a variety of applications, PLCs or facilities.

Many have approached data collection by utilizing options such as time-based historians, which have not been able to scale or make sense of this diverse data to be able to use it effectively in an enterprise perspective. So how do manufacturers close the gap?

Closing the gap between ERP systems and the shop floor holds the promise of visibility, and with it, enlightenment. Visibility into where the biggest losses on the production floor are occurring. Visibility into which products are returning the most profit. Visibility into which facilities/equipment/lines are delivering the best results. The kind of metrics every CEO wants on their desktop Monday morning.

Configurable, web-based solutions hold the most promise for these manufacturers. These solutions allow for real time, anywhere access which makes it easier for managers and sales agents alike to enter the system and view such aspects as capacity and available inventory. Visitweb-based MES to find out more about these applications. In general these applications are user friendly and will make it possible for organizations to stay on top of their data and run more efficiently.