Common challenges in implementing MES systems and how to overcome them

Production planning and tracking systems (in English, APS and MES) have become essential components of modern manufacturing operations. They enable real‑time monitoring, control, and optimization of production processes. When implemented successfully, these applications can boost productivity, reduce costs, and improve quality.

However, the road to implementing an MES system is not without challenges.

In this article, we explore some of the most common difficulties encountered when deploying MES systems and offer you solutions to overcome them.

What are production planning and tracking systems (MES)?

MES systems (Manufacturing Execution Systems) are software solutions used in production facilities around the world, designed to optimize manufacturing processes. These systems provide managers with real‑time data, supporting them in making fast, informed decisions.

By collecting data on how production processes unfold, from the movement of materials within the facility to the analysis of equipment performance, an MES system has a major impact on improving operational efficiency, reducing waste, and increasing output.

MES also plays a key role in meeting regulatory requirements and quality standards such as ISO 9000, while ensuring full material traceability throughout the production chain. This is especially important in industries like pharmaceuticals, food, and beverages, where product quality and safety are top priorities.

Tracking the execution status of all technological operations with MES applications helps you:

• know at any moment how much you have consumed and how much you have produced;
• see the current status of the products ordered by your customers;
• manage warehouse operations efficiently so you don’t run out of raw materials and supplies;
• meet, or adjust in time, the delivery deadlines for customer orders;
• track the performance of production operators;
• track equipment performance and detect potential machine failures early.

⚙️ Why an independent MES application?

Why a separate, dedicated application for production workflows?

There are many reasons why, over time, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) modules have evolved into standalone applications. In fact, ERP systems are themselves an evolution of the first enterprise‑level applications, known as MRP (Material Requirements Planning).

Today, an ERP application is designed to manage all company processes from an accounting and financial perspective. Inventory, for example, although tracked quantitatively, is primarily managed for its financial value.

A separate application dedicated to a specific process detaches from the financial component and focuses on the operational aspects of the activity. In the case of an MES application, we are interested in consumption from a quantitative and batch‑level perspective. When this information is collected correctly by MES and sent to the ERP system, the financial calculation of consumption becomes far more accurate.

An ERP system cannot collect data directly from machines. For this, a dedicated application is needed, one that gathers, interprets, and then transmits this data to the ERP in a compatible format, enabling it to be transformed into relevant financial‑accounting information.

This way, differences between theoretical (scriptic) and actual consumption are known immediately, allowing the right decisions to be made. You no longer need to wait for a warehouse inventory to discover that actual consumption is higher than recorded and that production costs need adjustment. The same applies to operator time tracking, data collection on produced quantities, and many other aspects.

⚙️ Common challenges in MES implementation

Implementing an MES (Manufacturing Execution System) can radically transform production processes, but it also brings its share of challenges:

🔄 Integration with existing systems

There are several types of integrations to consider when implementing an MES system. First, we refer to integration with the ERP application.

MES–ERP integration. This integration is essential, and mandatory, for synchronizing the data needed in financial and accounting processes.

There are also other applications that can be interpreted as ERP modules, such as WMS (the MES from Axes Software includes an integrated WMS module), CRM, or TMS. This represents a second level of interoperability between similar applications, business applications, and so on.

Equally important for increasing data accuracy and speeding up data collection are integrations with various industrial devices. Here we mention PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) – equipment that controls machines and sends commands to them. In a factory, there are many such devices from which data can be extracted regarding the progress of production stages. For example, a PLC can provide information about consumed quantities or produced quantities. In some cases, PLCs can provide additional information such as product quality or weight.

A PLC can also be used by the MES to send signals back to the production machine. For example: stopping the production line because the required quantities have been produced, or because the scrap rate has reached an unacceptable level. The MES application makes the decision, and the message is sent to the PLC.

If PLCs do not exist or cannot provide all the necessary data, sensors using IoT technology can be used to transmit data to the MES system. The data collected from sensors is interpreted by the MES, which can then make decisions and communicate them either to PLCs or to application users.

Today, product quality is often verified using Machine Vision with Artificial Intelligence, which identifies defects or packaging errors, for example. Visual defect detection can be difficult for a human operator, but for advanced AI‑powered equipment, the speed of detection and decision‑making is extremely high.

RFID is a technology that greatly helps with traceability and item identification in certain cases. We know that today all major fashion brands use this technology in stores. The same technology can be used on clothing production lines to track the stage of each item. RFID is becoming increasingly popular, with costs now acceptable for certain industries.

Tablets or portable terminals (Android) can be used to collect production data in real time. At each machine, a tablet can be installed where the operator can declare events or even quantities of finished products, consumed raw materials, or scrap. Moving raw materials from the warehouse to the machine, or moving semi‑finished goods between machines, can be done by scanning barcodes on each container for 100% traceability.

📊 Data quality and accuracy

Incomplete or incorrect data can lead to poor decisions and operational issues. If data is not collected correctly, and especially not in real time, calculating production costs becomes a challenge for any company. Likewise, not knowing the quantities produced and available for delivery (and invoicing) disrupts JIT (Just In Time) principles.

In many factories, production runs 24/7. Office staff (TESA) can enter data into the system (ERP) only during the day, for the previous day. But if you produce at night and want to deliver at night, preparing documents becomes a nightmare because they are often inaccurate.

🧑‍💼 User adoption

Resistance to change can affect MES implementation. Everyone experiences some level of resistance to change – and this applies to new software systems as well. In the case of an MES application, the underlying factor is the feeling of losing control over what happens in production workflows.

Our motto, process automation, implies that many events occur without requiring someone’s intervention or decision. This is why training is a crucial stage in MES implementation. It must cover both machine‑area users and TESA staff (Technical, Economic, Social‑Administrative) who will administer the application.

After an adjustment period, staff will no longer imagine running the factory without the MES.

🧩 Customization complexity

An MES with generic functions can be inefficient; too much customization can delay the project. An Agile approach can deliver quick results for a minimum set of requirements. As the project progresses, new functionalities and customizations can be added, increasing system complexity but also significantly improving production efficiency and drastically reducing errors, especially reporting errors.

Every factory has its own approach to material and production processes. We believe an MES must be configurable to fit a company’s specific processes and customizable even if it is dedicated to a particular industry. A company’s competitive advantage, especially in manufacturing, comes from workflow customizations and, implicitly, from MES customizations.

💸 ROI

The return on investment for an MES system can come from many areas. Of course, the inventory component – as managed in the xTrack MES application – brings immediate benefits from day one: reduced losses, accurate stock levels, accurate consumption, and more.

But if we look strictly at MES, we must consider the following:

• The time an operator spends filling out various papers to declare consumption or production is significant. These documents then go to TESA staff to be entered into the system. This is a major opportunity for time savings. We have implementations where this process represented up to 20% of the involved staff’s time – and the data still wasn’t accurate. How many people in your factory could save 20% of their time? Let’s say 10 people. That means 20% equals two salaries saved per month. Multiply those two salaries by 12 months and calculate the annual savings.
• From the same perspective, machine efficiency increases. Let’s say by only 10%. If a machine runs 24/7, that means saving 2.4 hours per day. In 10 days, you recover one full day of operation; in a year, you recover a full month. What is the depreciation rate of that machine? How many machines do you have? This calculation reveals another source of ROI.
• Consumables can be a cost – paper, for example. The number of paper forms drops to zero, contributing to ROI.
• Product quality. Quality inspection is done on an independent flow and at the level of each pallet of goods, raw material, or finished product. Communication time between departments drops drastically – even to zero. Think about how long it takes to prepare quality documents in a food company. That time goes to zero.
• Customer satisfaction cannot be measured in money. It is Priceless! Where does this satisfaction come from:
  • Order status updates
  • Properly prepared documents
  • No delivery errors
  • Respecting packaging/delivery requirements

🔍 Process transparency

Production operators must focus on the quality of their work, which is directly tied to the production process. Each operator works independently, but data must be collected with minimal effort from them.

Operators often need production‑related information. The MES system can provide these details instantly, such as: technical drawings (on the tablet screen), information about previous production stages, raw material availability at the workstation to avoid blocking the production line, and more.

These are areas an MES must cover, and operation must be as simple as possible so it does not interfere with production work. All these events or actions from operators are transformed into useful information for TESA staff. This increases their efficiency and eliminates routine work that can generate errors in data collection and interpretation.

📜 Regulatory compliance

Legal regulations are always a challenge in any implementation. In addition, industry‑specific safety requirements must be considered.

A simple example: in factories, ID badges are not used because wearing them around the neck can cause accidents. If tablets are used, operators must enter a username and password. With a badge, scanning a QR code would make identification instant. Username and password complexity must be reduced. In this case, data security must be high, and tablet access must be restricted strictly to the user’s data. For example, an operator should not know how much the previous operator produced – nor be able to find out. Data security vs. workplace safety.

Another aspect is the working environment. If it involves explosive materials or special gases, specific certified equipment must be used. Another example: the food industry is not dangerous for humans, but it is dangerous for equipment because highly corrosive cleaning substances are used daily. Equipment must be protected with special casings.

✅ Overcoming challenges in MES implementation

To successfully implement an MES (Manufacturing Execution System), you need a strategic approach. The approach should consider an AGILE implementation, allowing you to achieve minimal, measurable results in the shortest possible time. Here are our proposed solutions:

👉 Plan carefully: Analyze your processes, systems, and objectives. Create a clear plan with defined deadlines and a realistic budget. Do this together with a consultant. Where can you obtain quick results? For example, in the raw materials warehouse? Or in the packaging stage, or perhaps in quality control. The plan should be built starting from the stage that is easiest to implement and can deliver the first measurable results.

👉 Choose the right provider: You may be tempted to choose a provider who has already implemented MES in your industry. This is a valid approach. However, you must understand the provider’s methodology. The provider with experience may not approach the project in a way that fits your operational workflow, including production.

👉 Involve stakeholders: Consult production, IT, and management teams to integrate their needs into the project.

👉 Create a POC (Proof of Concept): Do not start a complex project unless you are convinced your requirements can be met. Identify the critical point in your workflow and run the POC there; you will see how the provider’s proposal performs.

👉 Manage change: Provide training and continuous support, communicate the system’s benefits, and involve staff in the transition. It is crucial that personnel accept the new application. We begin this process with consulting sessions that help the Axes team understand the requirements — and help the client understand the benefits we bring and the philosophy behind the application we are about to implement.

👉 Develop an integration strategy: Use applications or specialized programs that help the MES communicate and work together with the other systems already used in the factory. Integration also involves the teams who supplied those systems. For example, you will need to contact the ERP provider or the PLC supplier if you want PLC‑level integration.

👉 Focus on data quality: Validate and manage data to ensure accurate decisions. Data must be clear and easy to transform into useful information. Make sure data is collected only after certain validations have been performed by the system or by designated people, such as the shift supervisor.

👉 Adopt balanced customization: Keep standard functions where possible and customize only what is truly necessary. Use customizations to give an additional boost to efficiency.

👉 Improve continuously: Optimize the system periodically to keep up with your business evolution. This is the principle behind AGILE implementation. You will eventually reach a very complex project, but you don’t need to start with 100% complexity.

👉 Consider regulatory compliance: Work with experts to ensure compliance with the regulations applicable to your industry.

👉 Project management: Appoint an experienced manager and constantly monitor progress and costs. This person must be dedicated to implementing an application as complex as an MES. They must have access to company resources, plan effectively, and commit to agreed deadlines with the provider. The PM must also have a deep understanding of your factory’s existing processes.

A MES system is the key to transforming production challenges into competitive advantages. The control, efficiency, and adaptability it provides are essential elements in any modern factory.

Discover the benefits, modules, and functionalities of our xTrack MES application.

📞 If you’re ready to unlock the full potential of MES, the Axes Software team can guide you toward efficient integration and a smooth production process. Contact us!