Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Integration
A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) connects production system machines to an ERP system. IFS Cloud can be
used as a standalone MES solution or can be integrated with third-party systems. Examples of supported MES
features:
- Manufacturing Part Master data integration APIs
- Sending an outbound message to start and stop machines from Shop Floor Workbench.
- Fetching the Work Guideline Type Machine Instruction to a machine, enabling the storage of
production parameters in IFS Cloud
- Machine integration to shop Order operations and Work Center Resource status via APIs in the Shop Floor
Connector projection, enabling the following actions:
- Real-time machine registration of quality results.
- Automated registration of downtime to improve OEE accuracy.
- Operation time and quantity reporting and receiving Shop Order to stock.
- Fetching the next executable or ongoing operations.
- API reporting on Production Schedules using the Schedule Connector projection, enables:
- Getting information about the Production Schedules
- Production Schedule reporting
MES Master Data integration
The integration APIs in the Manufacturing Part Service and the Inventory Part Service Projections enable the
integration of Manufacturing Master data with a third-party system. These APIs are designed to be used together in
sequence to provide the required Part information.
| API |
Projection |
Description |
| Get Parts |
Manufacturing Part Service |
This API returns a list of parts and their connected Routing, Recipes structures and Product structures.
The part list contains information about the structure/routing types, alternates, revisions, phase in and
phase out dates.
A filter option is enabled only to return the parts which have been updated/changed within a specified number
of days. This regards changes related to the specific part within the database tables for the Main Master
Part tab and the Main Inventory Part tab, Routing Header, Routing Alternate, Routing Operation, Routing Tool,
Routing Guidelines, Structure Header, Structure Alternate, Structure Components or Structure Guidelines.
Deleted lines are not considered in this time filter. |
| Get Part Structure Information |
Manufacturing Part Service |
Given the input of part number, structures type, alternate and revision; product structure information is
returned. This includes component information and related work guidelines. |
| Get Part Recipe Structure |
Manufacturing Part Service |
Given the input of part number, structures type, alternate and revision; recipe structure information is
returned. This includes component information and related work guidelines. |
| Get Part Routing Information |
Manufacturing Part Service |
Given the input of part number, routing type, alternate and revision; routing information is returned.
This includes operation information and the related work guidelines and tools. This API does not support
configurable parts. |
| Get Part Information |
Inventory Part Service |
Returns inventory part master data and inventory part characteristics. This can be filtered to return all
parts on a site, a specific part or parts based on recent changes. |
Refer to the technical documentation & API Explorer for more information.
Outbound Communication
A shop order operation can generate an outbound message to a machine, effectively instructing the resource to
start or stop. The Send IoT Events to Device option within the Work Center must be
enabled, and a Device ID should be linked to the Work Center Resource via the Device
Map. When Machine Time is started or stopped on an operation, it generates an
Application Message. This message contains the operation ID. The IFS Connect functions Routing
Rule and Routing Address can be used to enrich the message via the "Get Operation Info" API
and pass it on to external machines.
Refer to the technical documentation for more information.
Shop Floor Connector Projection
To automate Shop Order activities and quality reporting, these APIs can be used:
- Start Production & Start Setup (Invoke action Start Operation)
Start Run Time or Setup Time of the type Machine Time on a Work Center Resource connected to a specific Shop
Order Operation.
- Stop Production & Stop Setup (Invoke action Stop Operation)
Stop Run Time or Setup Time of the type Machine Time on a specific Shop Order Operation. This can also be used to
close the operation.
- Report scrap (Invoke action Report Quantity Scrap)
Report produced scrap on a specific Shop Order Operation. Handles quantity, Scrap Reason and Time of Production.
This can also be used to close the operation.
- Report completed quantity (Invoke action Report Quantity Complete)
Report produced parts on a specific Shop Order Operation. Handles quantity and Time of Production. This can also
be used to close the operation.
- Start Machine Downtime (Invoke action Start Machine Downtime)
Start a Machine Downtime on a Work Center or Work Center Resource connected to a site. It is optional to register
the downtime cause.
- Stop Machine Downtime (Invoke action Stop Machine Downtime)
Stop a Machine Downtime on a
Work Center or Work Center Resource.
- Enter Analysis Results for Shop Order (Invoke action Report Analysis Result)
Register analysis results on a Data Point connected to a specific Analysis Number. The Data Point can set to be
completed, if the required sample size has been registered. Values sent to a Data Point will be handled
incrementally depending on the data type:
- Attribute - Sending a Result will increment the number of Nonconforming by one and the
Result value will be added to the current value of Nonconformities.
- Categorical - Sending the Category Value ID as the Result will increment the value in
the corresponding result number by one.
- Variable - Sending the result will register the value in ascending order of the
available result number.
- Receive Shop Order (Invoke action Receive Order)
Receive completed items to inventory on a specific Shop Order Operation. Non issued components are backflushed if
possible. Handles quantity, Lot Batch Number, Serial number, Location number and Handling Unit ID. When receiving
serial number items you are limited to receive one item at a time.
- Receive Produced Part (Invoke action Receive Produced Part)
Enables the receipt of produced parts like by-products, disassembly components, co-products, and the main product
into inventory. Extends Receive Shop Order functionality with the capability to handle Catch UoM, WDR Number,
Condition Code and Expiration Date.
- Issue Component (Invoke action Issue Component Part & Invoke action Issue Component Part)
Manual issue of a Shop Order Component using either Part Number or shop order Material Line Item Number. Revision
Number and Location Number are required as input. Supports Lot Batch Number, Serial Number,
Waiver/Deviation/Rejection Number, Handling Unit ID and Catch Quantity Issues
- Scrap Component (Invoke action Scrap Component)
Scrap a Shop order Component using Line Item Number. Requires Revision Number, Scrap Reason. If the component
have not been issued it is backflushed and then scrapped. Only Distribute scrap is supported. Serial and Lot
Batch tracked components need to be issued before they can be scrapped.
- Get Operation Info
Returns a list, based on an Operation ID, containing shop order operation information.
- Get Next Executable Operation
Returns "Get Operation Info" list for the next executable operation on a specific Work Center and Work
Center Resource.
- Get Current Operations
Returns "Get Operation Info" list for ongoing setup and production operations on a specific Work Center
and Work Center Resource.
- Get Shop Orders Information
Returns a list of the Shop Orders information for the Site (Contract) specified in the API request.
- Get Shop Order Produced Parts
Returns the list of Shop Order Produced Parts for the Shop order specified in the API request.
- Get Shop Order Components Information
Returns the list of Shop Order Components information for the Shop Order specified in the API request.
- Get Shop Order Operations Information
Returns the list of Shop Order Operations information for the Shop Order specified in the API request.
Refer to the technical documentation & API Explorer for more information.
Machine Instructions
The Work Guideline type Machine Instruction can hold information used by the
machine in the production process. This data can be fetched with the "Get Operation Info" API.
Production Schedule Connector Projection
These APIs can be used to automate Production Schedule activities:
- Report completed quantity (Invoke action Report Quantity)
Report a quantity of a part produced on a Production Line. Serial numbers can only be entered when reporting a
quantity of one part. This API does not support Background job receiving, Catch UoM, Edit components and Packing
Instruction.
- Report progress point quantity (Invoke action Report Progress Point Quantity)
Report a quantity on a Production Line Progress Point.
- Report scrap (Invoke action Report Scrap)
Report a scrap quantity of a part on either a Progress Point or a complete part.
- Get Production Schedules (Invoke action Get Production Schedules)
Get information about ongoing Production Schedule.
- Get Progress Points (Invoke action Get Progress Points)
Get information about ongoing Progress Point status of a Part on a Production Line.
- Get Analysis Information (Invoke action Get Analysis Information)
Get information regarding inspection analyses given a Site, Part and Production Line. The inspection can be
reported using the Report Analysis Result API in the Shop Floor Connector Projection.
Refer to the technical documentation & API Explorer for more information.