This article outlines the key steps for using the Connect MES-system with plastics manufacturing machines.


Setup & configuration

The setup is done by the BMSvision installation team. They add your machines to your subscription and configure the Data Units. The only thing you have to do is configuring the machines in Plant view. See Configuring a machine.


For system settings, refer to the System settings articles.


Creating production orders

A Production order can either:

  • Come from the ERP system, along with the required data (product, tool, etc). See ERP connection.
  • Be entered manually. See Production orders.
    This requires to first create a Product to be produced and optionally the Tool that is required to produce the product. See Products and Tools.

Planning a production order

If a machine is assigned while the production order is defined, the order is automatically put at the end of the planning queue. Without machine assigned, the production order must be planned manually on a machine with the Planning board.


The Planning board shows:

  • The planned production orders and their status.
  • The orders that are executing.
  • The orders that have been executed.

Released and not-released orders can be selected and dropped on the planning queue of a machine if the machine matches for the order. The planning can be changed with drag and drop.


See Planning board.


Running the order

On the Data Unit that is installed on the machine, buttons are available to do the following:

  • Info button: View the status and KPI's of the actual order.
  • Scrap button: Entry of scrap reason and quantity.
  • Declaration button, e.g. to give a specific reason why the machine stopped or to indicate that a machine is running scrap.
  • Planning button: See the planning queue, end a production order, start an order from the queued orders.


See the attachment of the Planning board article.


Monitoring the order and machine

The MONITORING section in the menu includes the key modules Plant view, Event board and Reports that are essential for real-time and historical analysis of your production. See Plant view, Event board, Reports.