OREANDA-NEWS. GE Digital (NYSE:GE) today announced a major release of its Plant Applications Manufacturing Execution System (MES) solution for hybrid manufacturing industries, designed to manage highly automated production processes. This new version features a new user interface, using GE’s advanced UX design, to better enable operations staff to analyze equipment effectiveness and identify root causes of downtime. The first phase of the Plant Applications user interface enhancement makes it easier for plant personnel to utilize MES systems in their day to day work.

Plant Applications holistically automates and integrates data collection from assets on the plant floor used to manage production execution and performance optimization in hybrid manufacturers in industries such as Food & Beverage, Consumer Packaged Goods and Chemical. Because hybrid manufacturers operate in complex, interconnected environments, there are constant pressures around costs, quality and efficiency. Manufacturers that rely on manual processes face a major challenge because they lack operational visibility and need to leverage data to make effective decisions to drive operational performance.

Plant Applications manages, monitors and synchronizes the execution of real-time, physical processes involved in transforming raw materials into finished goods. The solution coordinates execution of work orders with production scheduling and enterprise-level systems like ERP and product life cycle management (PLM) to provide holistic process performance management. It also delivers superior material-level traceability and genealogy and provides real-time connectivity and operations visibility, which helps reduce costs.

The latest version of Plant Applications will be demonstrated at Hannover Messe 2017 in Hall 12 booth number D50. The solution benefits manufacturers by supporting their initiatives to:

Increase production efficiency by improving manufacturing visibility and eliminating manufacturing bottlenecks

Ensure product safety and quality by providing highly granular "track and trace" and product genealogy

Improve yield and reduce waste by tracking and monitoring product and process quality within the context of production events

"Plant Applications incorporates two decades of best practices tested with the world’s most successful manufacturing companies including GE’s own manufacturing businesses," said Craig Cumberland, Vice President of Applications for GE Digital’s Brilliant Manufacturing Software. "More than 700 of the world’s leading companies, both large and small, have deployed this software."