Jenifer Rydberg Wright

Manufacturing execution systems for sustainability: Extending the scope of MES to achieve energy efficiency and sustainability goals

Manufacturing execution systems (MES) have evolved into a cornerstone of plant-wide automation schemes across a range of industries and manufacturing processes. Benefits of MES implementation include production increases, cost reductions, quality improvements, product tracking, data collection and regulation compliance, among others. While MES implementations have led to reductions in energy use and waste, the conventional focus of MES has been on production management. This paper demonstrates how MES can help meet the challenges of sustainable production in addition to conventional uses. The methodology for extending the scope of MES to achieve energy efficiency and other sustainability goals is explained using standardized practices and actual installations.