MES by Plex

Production Management Module

Defect Log

Track production defects at the inventory container level

Deviation Tracking

Track approved deviations from control plan dimensions or specifications during the production process

Dynamic Control Plans

Combine the benefits of specification-level control plans with failure mode effects and analysis (FMEA) methodology, gage repeatability and reproducibility (gage R&R) and process capability (Cp/Cpk)

Issue Management

Identify and record issues on which company focus needs to be maintained

Part Specifications

Establish and maintain a detailed list of dimensions and characteristics on specific parts, including dimension name, target value and tolerance

Process Flow Charts

Create presentation-quality process flow diagrams

Diagrams are dynamic and driven directly from process routing data

Statistical Process Control (SPC)

Collect in-process inspection data for statistical process control (SPC)

Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) Overview

Support for the advanced product quality planning (APQP) discipline to coordinate multiple tasks that help ensure product quality is built into the production process.

This is often a necessary element for quality standard compliance.

Continuous Improvement Project Tracking

Track and document implementation of cost-saving ideas, best practices, Poka-Yoke (error proofing) and other continuous improvement projects

Cost Recovery

Normally used in conjunction with the Problem Control feature set

Electronic Gage Integration

Connect electronic gages to Plex to eliminate manual data entry of dimensional measurements

Check Sheets and Process Instructions

• Access process instructions and author check sheets directly from the control panel
• Fully integrated with and driven from the Control Plans module

Continuous Improvement Project Tracking

Track and document implementation of cost-saving ideas, best practices, Poka-Yoke (error proofing) and other continuous improvement projects

Control Plans

Help ensure compliance with quality standards by creating and managing powerful and effective, highly-detailed process control plans with detailed inspection instructions and checksheets

• Specify sample frequency, gaging, control chart type and other quality-oriented data
• Define control plans specific to each product, product type or process
• Optionally create one or more ​“common” control plans to cover a whole range of products or processes in a generic fashion
• View and execute control plan instructions and check sheets directly from the Control Panel and other interfaces
• Highly integrated with product specifications
• Is often a necessary element for quality standard compliance

Failure Mode & Effects Analysis (FMEA)

Use failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) to address questions like:

• What can go wrong with a product design or a production process?
• What will happen if it fails?
• What controls do we have in place to detect failures?
• What product or process improvements should have the highest priority?
• Create, edit and view design and process FMEAs
• Link FMEAs to specific products or product types

May be a necessary element for quality standard compliance.

Gage Control

• Manage and control measurement devices within the facility using a master list of gages
• Optionally serialize and identify gages with barcode labels
• Perform gage studies including gage repeatability and reproducibility (GR&R), bias, linearity and stability

Inspection Data Collection

• Establish and maintain a detailed list of product dimensions and characteristics
• Assign dimension names and descriptions, gage type, target values, dimensional and attribute tolerances
• Where appropriate, define formulas that derive variable specification limits from data such as actual chemical composition of the inventory being produced
• Optionally specify custom gages, SPC special cause alert parameters and significant characteristic symbols
• Link specifications to potential failure modes
• Keep a complete history of specification changes and applicability over time

Internal and Supplier Auditing

• Define, track and conduct internal and supplier quality audits
• Custom configure audit forms for a variety of other auditing and checking tasks and projects

Manufacturing Execution System (MES+)

Plex delivers the industry’s most comprehensive and scalable multi-tenant Cloud MES solution. The complete Plex MES functionality is easily extendable to accommodate ​“non-traditional” MES specific capabilities which allows you to dramatically improve manufacturing efficiencies and product quality while also reducing overall costs. 

The Plex MES capabilities include:

• Core MES – Production Management including all functionality under the Production Management category, end-to-end Inventory Management including the functionality under Materials Management, and in-process Quality Management 

• MES+ — Traditional MES solutions rely on 3^rd party add-ons to extend the Preventative Maintenance, Tooling and Gauge control, and Quality Planning functions required for a complete production control solution. With Plex, these modules were designed to work as an integral part of Plex but are optionally turned-on with MES+.

Problem Control

Use highly configurable forms to apply techniques such as problem reporting and resolution (PR/R), 8‑discipline (8D), 5 Why or other corrective action methods to record, track, follow-up on, resolve and report problems and concerns within the company, whether caused by suppliers or raised by customers.

• Assign actions needed for containment, correction and prevention of problem recurrence
• Suppliers can directly collaborate on the resolution of problems for which they are responsible using the Plex Supplier Portal
• This is often a necessary element for quality standard compliance

Production Part Approval Process (PPAP)

Create and manage first-piece inspection packages or production part approval process (PPAP) for submission to your customer to obtain approval to begin production.

Print a combined set of documents such as part submission warrants as required by your customer to obtain approval to begin production.

The system draws data from a variety of other modules to produce other supporting documents such as control plans, FMEAs, gage R&R, first-piece inspection data, etc.

Compliant with Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) for PPAP 4^th Edition on the Part Submission Warrant (PSW); forms for PPAP Dimensional Results (CFG-1003, March 2006); and the PPAP Performance Test Results (CFG-1005, March 2006).

Quality Standards Compliance

Help ensure accomplishment and retention of certification to the quality standards important in your industry using flexible, user-configurable methodologies.

Document itemized quality standard requirements within the system, then use a formalized mechanism for review/signoff, audits, checklists, procedures, documentation and follow-up activities.

Supplier PPAP

Issue and manage first-piece inspection packages for production part approval process (PPAP) to help ensure vendors are qualified to supply products and materials you may order from them.

• View and print a combined set of documents such as part submission warrants provided by the supplier
• Compliant with AIAG for PPAP 4^th Edition on the PSW

Supplier Quality Management

• Manage supplier quality by tracking supplier status, certification level, problem history, quality performance and other metrics
• Prevent purchase orders from being issued to suppliers with an unknown or unacceptable status
• Suppliers can directly review and collaborate with you to improve their performance using the Plex Supplier Portal
• Integrated with Supplier List, Problem Control, Purchasing and Shipping and Receiving
• Supplier Returns
• Track product that needs to be returned to a supplier
• Integrated with inventory and lot tracking, problem control, supplies, rejections and general shipping

Test Tracking

Store and track information about tests performed on products and materials, often performed as a pre-delivery inspection.