1. Introduction
1.1 Overview
1.2 Glossary:
MES: MES stands for Manufacturing Execution System.
Device Bank: A simplified development tool for the Industrial Internet, enabling easy access, analysis, display, and control.
Aptech: A provider of intelligent specialized equipment for the industry, pioneering the modular and minimalist design of industrial computers and its widespread adoption; a leading domestic manufacturer of ruggedized industrial computers; the first listed industrial computer company in China; the originator of the concept of maintenance-free computers; and the designated industrial computer brand of Equipment Bank.
EBOX: A super gateway for device banks, equipped with a set of protocol adaptation software, supporting cloud access for any RS485 or Ethernet protocol devices, and enabling mutual conversion between the two protocols. EBOX also supports edge computing, allowing users to customize device analysis.
ECS: Device Bank Cloud Controller = Super Gateway + PLC + Edge Computing Center, supporting 2G, 4G, and ADSL Ethernet to the cloud.
1.3 Background
With the progress of human civilization, people's needs for clothing, food, housing, and transportation are becoming increasingly larger and more diversified. The demand in industries such as automobiles, construction, home electronics, digital consumer goods, food, and medicine is growing, which is driving the rapid growth and development of the entire manufacturing industry.
However, with rising raw material and labor costs, and the appreciation of the RMB, corporate profits are shrinking. Meanwhile, as the globalization of the manufacturing supply chain intensifies and brand manufacturers increasingly outsource processing, customers are placing higher demands on suppliers' on-site management capabilities.
Driven by Industry 4.0 and Made in China 2025, digital smart factories have become a standard indicator of strength for many factories in China. MES, as part of the digital factory, solves problems such as rising raw material and labor costs, chaotic production site management, difficulty in improving production efficiency due to complex orders, and difficulty in real-time control of production anomalies. Truly achieving lean manufacturing and management is a necessary link in Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing. Given the vigorous development of China's industrial manufacturing, a large number of MES software vendors, engineers, implementers, and users have emerged.
1.4 Current Status of the Industry
The detailed explanation of MES and its relationship with Industry 4.0 will not be repeated here; please refer to Figure 1.
Figure 1. Relationship between MES and Industry 4.0
1.4.1 Current Status of Industry 4.0
While we vigorously promote Industry 4.0, few people truly understand its implementation process. What most people are familiar with is intelligent manufacturing or "unmanned factories" under the internet. But how do we achieve intelligent manufacturing? Is it simply a matter of adding an MES between ERP and industrial automation control, as shown in Figure 1? Can three people walk together harmoniously without a teacher?
A factory's mission is always to receive orders, produce products, and then sell them. While ERP systems and production automation exist to support these orders, questions arise about how to produce, when to produce, and what the final product should look like and when. This is where MES (Manufacturing Execution System) comes in. Interestingly, MES, caught in the middle, not only has to deal with ERP and underlying automation, but also has independent subsystems like WMS (Work Management System) and PLM (Product Lifecycle Management System). Without "penetration," there is no guidance. MES is software, and it must digitize and interconnect everything in the factory (including people, equipment, and materials).
Clearly, Industry 4.0 is not simply a matter of filling in the gaps in MES. The prerequisite is information technology, so that data can form the basis for decision-making, achieve transparency, and enable intelligent manufacturing.
1.4.2 Real-world requirements for MES
The value of MES (Manufacturing Execution System) determines market demand, but the national conditions of manufacturing and product requirements determine the speed of its implementation. China became a manufacturing powerhouse primarily by leveraging its abundant labor market and gradually improving factory automation. However, some industries still haven't even widely adopted Industry 3.0 automation, let alone used MES to optimize production management. Furthermore, given the rapid development of technology, the short lifecycles of various consumer products and the differentiated market demands undoubtedly increase the difficulty for factories, imposing stringent requirements for speed, small batches, and customization. All of these factors prevent MES from achieving its expected effectiveness.
In practice, over 80% of factories are aiming for informatization and paperless operations. To compete for customer orders, scale and response speed alone are insufficient; tangible figures are needed to demonstrate production capacity, efficiency, and even progress. Meanwhile, given the broader prospects, the healthy development of Industry 4.0 is receiving strong government support, with many local governments offering substantial subsidies to businesses to facilitate smart factory transformation.
1.4.3 Factory's Own Needs
In the market, there are countless manufacturing and assembly plants of all sizes in various industries. Not all of them can receive large orders from companies like Huawei and Samsung, nor can all companies receive government support. Similarly, not all customers will cooperate with a non-digitalized factory.
In the actual implementation of MES, after analyzing the process for clients, vendors don't directly present the efficiency improvements, cost control percentages, or even labor cost reductions brought by MES. Instead, they digitize the personnel, machines, materials, methods, and environment of the production process based on the company's actual production flow to achieve paperless operation. The corresponding optimization, however, requires a long-term collaboration between the vendor and the client. Therefore, companies that rely on their own digital factory transformation passively follow the market. The extent to which a multi-million dollar MES system will bring them orders or improve efficiency is blurred in the economic thinking of many business owners.
2 New Ideas for MES
In response to the current market positioning and demand for MES, we have adopted a new approach to understanding MES. We aim to analyze MES from multiple perspectives, including implementation, use, and post-maintenance, so that MES can support the backbone of Industry 4.0 in a minimalist way.
2.1 Information Dimension
In numerous articles, we have discussed many reasons why MES productization is difficult, including the difficulty of interfaceing with ERP systems and the difficulty of connecting to devices. In addition, most MES systems are based on the entire lifecycle of the production process, resulting in a tightly coupled system. Any non-standard, non-compliant, or erroneous operation in any link will affect the normal operation of the entire MES.
The emergence of equipment banks provides MES vendors with an additional reliable dimension: analyzing production operations through equipment data to guide managers in improving efficiency, reducing costs, and saving energy. This dimension offers numerous opportunities. Its purpose is not merely to directly save on labor costs in the production process, but rather to provide managers with a completely new perspective—the perspective of equipment data. Through this perspective, managers can uncover many problems that were previously invisible and unanalyzable, and by solving these problems, they can achieve the goals of improving efficiency, reducing costs, and saving energy.
Figure 2 Information Dimensions
2.2 Hardware Dimension
In the actual implementation architecture of MES, to achieve precise and efficient management of the five elements (people, machines, materials, methods, and environment), in addition to software applications, data interfaces, and databases related to process flow and information management, multi-layered and multi-point hardware interaction is also required, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3 Multi-layer, multi-point hardware interaction
Therefore, the following difficulties are often encountered during the implementation of MES:
●High temperature and high humidity;
● Dust, water droplets, and pollutants;
● Vibration and impact during equipment operation;
● Voltage instability and interference;
●Electromagnetic interference from various equipment communications;
●The installation process is cumbersome and unprofessional;
● The wiring is difficult;
●Unable to communicate with existing equipment;
● Process control cannot be achieved.
2.2.1 Device Connection
Therefore, based on the above description, you will find that the success or failure of MES systems in the past depended on financial investment and leadership support, using funds and manpower to build a customized system.
Because MES is constrained by ERP and further restricted by a series of closed automated systems, most small and medium-sized enterprises face a choice between committing to MES and waiting to die if they don't.
what to do?
The emergence of the new generation of industrial internet technology, "equipment bank," has provided a completely new way of thinking for many MES companies, and has also greatly reduced costs. The concept is as follows:
1) Reduce the costs of equipment data collection, analysis, display, and maintenance through standardized industrial internet tools such as equipment banks;
2) Fragmented MES functions, providing microservice-based industrial apps for various positions in the production workshop; (SMEs should face the reality of investment, clarify the solution to the problem, and the completeness and accuracy of information can be improved in the next iteration) Connect the industrial Internet and MES system, and the Equipment Bank provides a fully open JSON data interface, so users can easily obtain equipment layer data through the Equipment Bank and distribute it to the personnel who need it.
Figure 4 Mobile phone as a tool
Figure 5. Simplified Cloud Adaptation of Third-Party Control Systems
2.2.2 Interactive Hardware
Aptech, as the first industrial computer company in China to be listed on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ), possesses extensive cross-application experience in the automation industry. This provides reliable support for accurate data acquisition and business processing in MES (Manufacturing Execution System), making rapid deployment and implementation of MES in the field easy and simple, as shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6 Interactive Hardware
We use single-chip ultra-low power industrial tablet PCs as the interaction and data acquisition terminals for MES, and industrial-grade mobile handheld tablets to achieve material tracking management and inspection. At the business flow level, we have made the switch quantities for audible and visual alarms, WiFi, identification and RFID for material electronic tags into standard modular components, which are highly integrated with our products.
2.2.2.1 Industrial-grade interactive flat panel
Pseries-E5 is a series of ultra-thin, compact, low-power, fanless industrial panel PCs developed for Industry 4.0. Combining Apogee's modular design concept, it can be modularly combined to form various products with different sizes, multiple interfaces, and different performance to meet the different application needs of various industries.
Featuring a single-chip, back-mounted CPU design based on the Atom 4th generation Baytrail platform, a high-brightness, wide-temperature LED-backlit LCD screen, dual Intel Gigabit Ethernet, and large-area aluminum fin heatsinks for zero-distance heat dissipation, this device ensures long lifespan and stable operation. It integrates a wide-voltage power input with overcurrent, overvoltage, and EMC protection. The exterior boasts a diamond-cut finish and a fully die-cast housing for enhanced robustness and aesthetics. It is equipped with a high-temperature five-wire resistor or tempered glass capacitive touchscreen, meeting IP65 protection standards. Its compact and lightweight design supports multiple installation methods, making it suitable for MES applications across various industries.
Figure 7. Industrial tablet PC for MES interaction.
As shown in Figure 7, industrial panel PCs used for MES interaction mainly come in two series: capacitive and resistive, ranging from 10 inches to 21 inches, each suitable for different application scenarios in various industries. Their main features include:
● DC9-28V wide voltage and interference-resistant power input, suitable for complex power environments in industrial settings.
● Fourth-generation Atom Baytrail low-power fanless design
●Onboard memory and flexible storage options, resistant to vibration and shock.
● Fully die-cast aluminum, sturdy, beautiful, and durable.
● Ultra-light and ultra-thin compact design for easy installation
● Simple and efficient communication methods (WiFi/Intel Gigabit LAN/RS485/USB3.0)
●High-temperature five-wire resistive and multi-touch capacitive touchscreens, suitable for a variety of applications.
● Can be integrated with RFID readers/writers for convenient manual attendance management.
● Select high-definition cameras to achieve video monitoring and management.
●Supports dual speakers for localized alarm.
●Embedded operating system, stable and permanent use
● Wide operating temperature range of -20℃ to 70℃, long service life
2.2.2.2 RFID Reader/Writer Module
RFID is a wireless radio frequency identification technology that identifies specific targets and reads/writes related data via radio signals without requiring mechanical or optical contact between the identification system and the target. It offers advantages such as resistance to oil and dirt, encryption, and high speed. The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) has led to the widespread application of RFID technology, especially in the management of smart data related to factory materials, performance, and access control.
Figure 8 RFID Reader/Writer Module
We use a highly integrated RFID reader/writer module to facilitate accurate management of MES performance. It seamlessly integrates with the factory's existing access control system, requiring no additional installation or wiring, and only requires API calls.
2.2.2.3 Dual-band WiFi module
To save on MES implementation time and cabling complexity, we provided a wireless network solution for human-computer interaction points.
Utilizing Atheros' 802.11a/b/g/n 2.4/5GHz dual-band wireless solution, it also supports Bluetooth 4.0. Atheros is a pioneer in the 802.11 field, a manufacturer of OFDM-based wireless network technology, providing chipsets based on IEEE 802.11a 5-GHz, and has expanded into Bluetooth, GPS, Ethernet, and other areas. Atheros chips are widely used by major manufacturers, including Netgear, TP-Link, D-Link, and Intel.
In particular, the 5GHz band has the advantages of fast transmission speed, strong anti-interference ability, high compatibility and power saving.
Figure 9 Dual-band WiFi module
2.2.2.4 Isolated Input/Switching Input
In the context of mature Industry 3.0 automation environments, MES implementation requires not only data acquisition from equipment but also the addition of indicator lights, alarms, and photoelectric switches for material, process, and quality control. Implementing these functions via PLC is costly and computationally expensive, making lightweight input/output systems a popular choice.
The DIO interfaces of standard products in the industry are generally low-level signals (5V & 3.3V), which cannot enable direct communication with standard devices in the industrial field (where 24V is the main voltage, and there is signal interference, etc.). Although DIO is economical and efficient, improper application can not only prevent communication but also affect the accuracy of data and even damage the equipment.
A. Unable to drive common devices (24V)
B. Limited input voltage range; directly using a 24V signal will damage the equipment.
C. The control circuit design is complex and difficult to mass-produce and install.
D. Poor anti-interference ability, inaccurate data collection.
E. Without protection, surges or overvoltages can cause equipment instability or damage.
Therefore, for practical applications of MES in the field, we have upgraded and highly integrated DIO to completely solve the installation, development, and cost problems during implementation, enabling rapid connection and application development. It has the following application features: (Specifications are shown in Figure 7)
1) Modular design, compatible with all Apogee products.
2) Optically isolated wide voltage input
3) OMRON relay direct output
4) Multiple input methods for active/passive signals
5) Standard DB connector application interface (terminal blocks may be included)
Figure 10 Isolation Input/Switching Input
2.2.2.5 Mobile handheld tablet
In addition, we also provide the TPP-10 handheld tablet communication solution for mobile applications such as online inspection, forklifts, and trolleys.
Figure 11 Mobile handheld tablet
By extending the logistics information capabilities of smart factories through interfaces with standard x86 platforms and industrial-grade technologies, MES applications become more flexible. Its features include:
●J1900 low-power multi-core processor
●High-strength aluminum alloy body, shockproof and drop-resistant, IP65 rating.
●10-inch high-definition widescreen capacitive touchscreen
●WiFi+BT/4G/RFID/2DMudolarSelected
●Standard USB/COM/LAN/CAN industrial-grade interface
●Configurable with DDR3L memory and mSATA hard drive
●Supports Windows/Linux operating systems
2.2.2.6 Stable operating system
In the Chinese market, the WinTel ecosystem boasts a high proportion of engineering applications. However, the stability of the Windows platform has consistently been criticized by the industry in practical applications. Therefore, for the user operating system segment, we adopted the Windows Embedded Standard 7 operating system, which offers industry-leading reliability, security, and performance. Its flexible embedding capabilities are more suitable for the development and operation of various low-power products.
FBWF (FileBasedWriteFilter) is a file-based write protection filter that performs write operations on all files in memory (as shown in Figure 10). This allows the system to operate stably during frequent unauthorized power outages, prevents virus attacks, and extends the lifespan of storage devices.
We offer perfectly customized system development, enabling one-time installation and permanent use.
Figure 12 Stable Operating System
2.3 Maintenance Dimension
MES cannot be maintained!
This is a common feeling among most MES users without an IT department!
MES operation and maintenance includes several aspects:
1. Software operation and maintenance, including server operation and maintenance, such as system crashes. If there is no good hot standby system or corresponding maintenance personnel, it will often cause trouble. At best, it will result in data loss and errors with ERP. At worst, the system will crash and you will have to pay extra to have the developer provide on-site service.
2. Hardware maintenance, including the various computer systems of the electronic dashboard, data acquisition at the equipment level, and network systems.
3. Function upgrades, such as adding new production lines, or addressing issues encountered during use that require secondary modifications by the developer.
Most of the MES systems that are currently working well are either those with strong IT divisions or those with money that have outsourced this part of the work to developers. Other users mostly feel like they are being played by the MES system.
MES operations and maintenance require improvements in system robustness, productability, and maintainability. However, most MES systems, being custom-developed, perform poorly in all three aspects.
The hardest-hit areas for MES failures:
1) Industrial computers and servers
2) Industrial Internet (data acquisition, edge computing)
2.3.1 Maintainability of ECS and EBOX in the Equipment Bank
Before developing the equipment bank, I had designed a great many industrial products and had a deep understanding of the maintainability of industrial products.
I remember when I was working for a company, I developed a wireless distributed I/O module. I thought I was being clever by putting all the channel selection, station address configuration, and master-slave variable mapping into software, making the hardware more compact. Little did I know that my supposedly ingenious design would become a huge pitfall. After the system was launched, the company used it in automation projects across the country. Initially, because our own engineers were handling the on-site work, no problems were discovered. It wasn't until a few years later that this hidden danger slowly surfaced. Whenever a module failed in the field, customers couldn't replace it directly and always insisted on sending someone from our company.
Whether in Chengdu, Harbin, or Xinjiang, during that period, this door-to-door service became the biggest source of friction between users and our engineering department. Who would pay for the travel expenses? Could someone be sent to our door as soon as possible?
In the following decade or so, I encountered the same problem several times in control system products. For example, with a LonWorks control system, every time a module was replaced, LonMark had to be used to configure it on-site. This disgusting design made me hate the Americans to the core.
There are also power line carrier modules. Adding more electrical equipment to a user's system could affect communication between the modules, requiring us to send someone to the site for adjustments. Finally, one customer couldn't take it anymore and had to add a separate AC power grid for the power line carrier module's communication.
Finally, there's the IoT project before the equipment bank was established. Every time the GPRS-DTU was damaged, it needed to be configured. If it wasn't configured correctly after being sent to the user, our engineers usually had to come to their site.
Figure 13 Maintainability of Equipment Bank ECS and EBOX
In MES industry applications, the addition of the Industrial Internet allows for the uploading of data from the device layer. However, this also adds the maintenance of a separate hardware and communication system. These tasks are often not the expertise of MES companies and require assistance from other automation companies.
Figure 14 Equipment Bank Protection
Therefore, from the very beginning of its design, the equipment bank regarded configuration-free and one-click replacement as the core goal of its maintenance design.
Although I know that many of our competitors will copy our design, I am still very proud of it and need to show it off here:
1) No configuration required: All hardware in the bank's device requires no communication parameter configuration. It is connected to the cloud upon power-on and can be accessed simply by scanning a QR code. Users do not need to worry about any communication-related parameters such as domain name, IP address, port, account number, or key.
2) One-click replacement: What if the ECS or EBOX of the equipment bank is broken? Just bring a new module, scan the code, and click one-click replacement. No reconfiguration work is required! The engineer can even send a module from thousands of miles away, let the user unplug the terminal, and then the engineer can click one-click replacement remotely.
Because of the two characteristics mentioned above, the Equipment Bank's minimalist industrial internet is truly deserving of its name! This is the essence of Equipment Bank's minimalist approach to maintenance.
Figure 15. Simplified Maintenance in Equipment Banking
This frees MES users from the hassle of hardware maintenance, making replacement and maintenance simpler than changing a light bulb.
3. Conclusion
The integration of Equipment Bank with MES is a powerful boost. It's a tool, an ecosystem, and a new way of thinking for the new industry. It includes companies like Rectangular Technology (control systems), Laogou Technology (industrial internet), Aptech (industrial computers), Saiyuan (industrial internet services), and Gongkong Brothers (human-networked internet). All of them are working around the design philosophy that simplicity is beauty, gradually enriching the entire ecosystem to help industrial users improve quality and efficiency, reduce costs, and save energy.
