Ready-made MES and SCADA systems vs. tailor-made solutions – which one to choose?
Ready-made MES system or a tailor-made solution? That is the question. Choosing an IT system for production is less and less about a simple decision of “implement or not implement.” Increasingly, companies face another question: is it better to go for a ready-made MES system or a dedicated solution fully tailored to our processes? The answer is not always obvious, especially when MES or SCADA module customization comes into play.
In this article, we explain how the process of adapting an industrial system works, when it is worth choosing ready-made modules, and when to opt for full customization.
Implementing ready-made MES system – quick start and lower production costs
Imagine you want to replace your bed. You go to a chain store. You look at one, another, and a third one… none of them are perfect – one is too wide, another too long, the third one doesn’t have storage for bedding, but you can still sleep on any of them. But what if you went to a carpenter, told him about your needs, and designed a model that fits perfectly into your bedroom, has the ideal height, and a handy shelf for your alarm clock?
Implementing a ready-made module (e.g. as part of the explitia Production Portal) is like buying a bed from a chain store. It has one major advantage: it is easily accessible. A ready-made IT solution can be implemented relatively quickly and within a predictable budget. The modules have already been tested in other plants, so the risk of technical errors is low.
Such solutions work well when:
- we want to quickly start working with a new system,
- company processes are close to industry standards,
- the implementation budget is limited,
- we want to test the system in a pilot on a selected line or machine.
In practice, this means that a company can start collecting production data, creating reports, and analyzing indicators (e.g. OEE) within the first weeks of the project.
IT systems personalization in production – when standard modules are not enough
Personalization of an IT system (e.g. MES) consists of expanding a ready-made module with additional functions, dashboards, reports, or integrations with other systems in the plant. Unlike a ready-made product, a tailor-made solution takes into account the specific requirements of a given production process (just like a custom-made bed takes into account the customer’s needs).
How can IT solutions for Industry 4.0 be customized? At the software personalization stage, the system can be enriched with:
- additional operator dashboards with custom indicators,
- reports created for the specific needs of the quality or maintenance department,
- the possibility of integration with a non-standard ERP, WMS, or CMMS system,
- non-standard sensors and devices.
As you can easily guess, such changes require more time, and the cost of implementation is higher than in the case of a ready-made module. The tangible benefit, however, is that you gain a solution tailored to your processes, which can translate into greater savings in the longer term.
Why is it worth starting with a ready-made MES system?
Although customization sounds attractive, explitia’s experience shows that it is best to start by implementing a ready-made module and only after a few months of working with the system decide which functions really need to be expanded.
Why? Because:
- Many “hypothetical needs” turn out to be unnecessary in practice.
- Only working with the system reveals the real requirements of users.
- We avoid creating solutions that no one will use.
As Adrian Stelmach, CEO of explitia, says: “The best ideas come when we start using something. Before that, they are only hypotheses”.
IT system customization in five steps
Five steps to IT system customization:
- Audit and needs analysis – we check what data is available, what processes can be automated, and what business goals we want to achieve.
- Implementation of the base module – we launch a ready-made IT solution that allows a quick start.
- Gathering experience – users work in the system, report comments and ideas.
- Customization – based on verified needs, we expand the system with new functions.
- Service and development – we maintain the system and introduce further changes as the plant develops.
Ready-made or dedicated MES? How to make the right decision in a manufacturing company
Will a ready-made MES solution work in every manufacturing company? No. Just as there is no single answer to the question of which solution is better for a given plant. A ready-made module (e.g. MES system) means a quick start, lower risk, and lower initial costs. Investment in dedicated software, on the other hand, makes it possible to adapt the system to unique processes and fully unlock its potential.
In practice, a mixed strategy usually works best: start with a ready-made solution, and then expand step by step based on real user experience.
Therefore, examine the needs of your manufacturing plant to make the right decision. And if you still have doubts, use independent technology consulting (e.g. from explitia).
Contact us – we will show you how to adapt the system to your production without unnecessarily extending the project or increasing costs.
