Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association (MESA)
MESA assembled in the early 1990s during the rise of digital technologies aiming to improve manufacturing processes. Initially focused on Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), MESA’s scope has broadened to include enterprise digital technologies integrated into manufacturing processes.
Standards Development
MESA International is an influential organization that guides manufacturers on adopting and integrating technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML).
Smarter Manufacturing Model
The Arizona-based organization announced MESA Model: A Framework for Smarter Manufacturing in 2022. The framework ties three main concepts together: Lifecycles, Cross-Lifecycle Threads, and Enabling Technologies.
Lifecycles
According to MESA, “Lifecycles represent business processes and value streams required in manufacturing that need to be optimized.” Lifecycles covered in the model include product, production, production asset, supply chain, workforce, and order-to-cash.
Cross-Lifecycle Threads
Since manufacturing settings contain numerous interwoven processes, the framework explores a set of cross-cycle threads: quality, compliance, energy, analytics, security, digital twin/digital thread, and modeling/simulation.
Enabling Technologies
The MESA model considers modern technology that enables smart manufacturing, including Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Big Data, AI, ML, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), edge to cloud, blockchain, additive manufacturing, robotics, and wireless.
Benefits for MES
The standards help ensure MES solutions align with broader manufacturing initiatives. MESA guides manufacturers on improving data management, process optimization, and overall production performance to maximize the effectiveness of MES solutions.