About iMes Solutions

iMes Solutions GmbH in Burghausen, Upper Bavaria, specializes in the development of MES solutions for the automation area of industrial plants.

Our strong team combines professional skills with years of experience. In cooperation with our clients, we push forward and continuously optimize the digitization of industrial manufacturing processes towards industry 4.0/5.0.

Our portfolio reaches from process data archiving via alarm and energy management, the automated acquisition of laboratory and machine data to digital shift book and reporting.

In the area of technical plant documentation, we support our clients with our documentation, service and project planning tool PLSDOC®.

Our goals are a best possible protection of plant know-how, the creation of optimal transparency for process data and an increase in productivity and quality within the framework of increased plant safety.

In addition to our products, we offer accompanying workshops for alarm and energy management, support for PCS documentation/reverse engineering, PCS migration and PCS configuration. Furhermore, we offer support in the areas of IT security audits, IT security and vulnerability analysis, IT forensic and data recovery.

Please, contact us and specify your requirements and expectations. Together, we will find the optimal solution. For today, tomorrow and for the future.

Peter Fröhlich
CEO iMes Solutions GmbH


Company Vision

      "Since 2001, iMes Solutions GmbH stands for innovative and intuitive software solutions, for quality and reliability.      
       UOur vision is a universal connection for decentralized systems and equipments in connection with central data processing and visualization –
       scalable, intuitive, simple and manufacturer independent."

 

Company Mission

      "We offer our clients tailor-made software solutions.
       Due to the modular construction of our software solutions, functionalities can be expanded quickly and flexibly.
      We work for the satisfaction of our customers. That is why we rely on a good and trustful cooperation."

News & Events

Digital Shift Book with Workflow Automation

Increase in production efficiency as a result of digital data collection and process automation

In many areas of the manufacturing industry, the collection and documentation of production and quality data are based on standards and norms. These include, for example, defect and control charts, glass lists or audit records. Frequently, they are the basis for production-relevant decisions. This means that the release of a batch in production by the plant management can be dependent on certain quality data or characteristics. Very often, the collection and documentation of these relevant data is still done manually.

The problem of manual data recording

However, data and information collected by manual means is often incomplete, subject to errors and must also be entered into third-party systems. Research is very time-consuming and cross-departmental communication is usually difficult and consumes a lot of resources.

The solution of iMes Solutions GmbH

iMes Solutions' Digital Shift Book solution provides a paperless way to automatically enter relevant data into digital data entry masks. Subsequently, the data from various sources can be processed and provided in the form of reports (e.g. daily/weekly/monthly reports). All shop floor areas such as personnel, warehouse, machines, maintenance, raw materials, production and quality management are covered.

The benefits of workflow automation

The workflow engine integrated in the Shift Book provides a fast and flexible automation of workflow processes. Information relevant to production or plant safety is forwarded ad hoc to predefined recipient groups. Response time is reduced and information is reliably forwarded to the responsible persons.

In addition, complex if-then scenarios can be modelled on the basis of the recorded data across several interfaces or applications, e.g. machine controls, process control  and third-party systems (ERP, MES, LVS, CRM). This represents an enormous support for decision-making in the design of more efficient production processes..

Examples

The use of the digital shift book is a profitable investment in the production process in a wide variety of industries.

  • Production in the pharmaceutical industry
    For the purpose of quality documentation and audits in the production of pharmaceutical products, the times at which, for example, certain temperatures or defined points in the step chain are reached are required at batch level. This documentation is fully automated by digital reading and recording of the times directly at the production line..

  • Quality management in the food industry
    Food is subject to particularly strict rules during production. For example, metal detectors are used to detect any metallic contamination in the product, which on the one hand provides evidence for audits and on the other hand guarantees a safe food product.
    The automated creation of a shift book entry based on an external trigger, e.g. a variable in a machine control system, automatically records and reports incidents such as metal detector findings. Thus, the possibility of immediate action is ensured.

  • Traceability in quality management
    The answer to the question "What was produced when and how?" is given automatically in the digital shift book. All production-relevant parameters, e.g. density, volume or moisture of the individual raw materials of the product to be manufactured are documented. The data is automatically recorded in the shift book and is available for evaluations and reports at any time.

Conclusion:

iMes Solutions' Digital Shift Book solution is a multi-functional tool in the production of various industries. The digital data collection guarantees a complete and largely error-free, standard-compliant and audit-optimized type of data collection and documentation for quality assurance in the company. Furthermore, the use of if-then scenarios offers possibilities for a more efficient design of production processes.

Read more …

Practical AI Solutions for the Shopfloor

Software developers in the automation sector of industrial plants collaborate with manufacturing industry and research institutions in order to create new opportunities in the field of AI.

For more than 20 years, iMes Solutions GmbH has been a specialist and innovator in the field of digital solutions for the shopfloor of industrial plants. The portfolio ranges from process data archiving, alarm and energy management, the automated recording of laboratory and machine data to digital shift books and reporting. In the area of digital plant documentation, customers find support with the documentation, support and project planning tool PLSDOC®.

In a separate department that has specialized in the area of data mining / AI, new knowledge is generated from collected data.
In cooperation with customers, universities and partners from the manufacturing industry, iMes Solutions GmbH is significantly involved in several research projects. These include:

  • KI-RAM - AI-based  solutions to reduce abrasion and traffic-related microplastic emissions
    in cooperation with the Fraunhofer IMWS Halle, Rösler Tyre Innovators GmbH&Co.KG, the University of Paderborn and DENKweit GmbH with a focus on
    • Analysis and reduction of the tyre abrasion of commercial vehicles with the help of the evaluation of field data (tyre abrasion sensor)

  • Development of an intelligent mechatronic sheet metal forming tool for the tool and automotive industry - in cooperation with Brabant & Lehnert Werkzeug und Vorrichtungsbau GmbH (tool and jig construction) and the Institute for Microsensors, actuators and systems at the University of Bremen with a particular focus on the following areas
    • Integration of sensors (motion, force and heat sensors, camera)
    • Quality recognition of the produced sheet metal parts from sensor data
    • Adjustment of the tool parameters or maintenance report
  • Development of an intelligent dosing control for lubrication nozzles - in cooperation with HIESSL Schmiertechnik GmbH (Lubrication engineering) and the Fraunhofer IWU - Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology with the main focus on
    • Intelligent nozzle control with readjustment
    • Algorithm for viscosity adaptation of nozzle control via sensor technology
    • Automated and precise component wetting with the nozzle control system

  • MMAA - Networked Assembly with Autonomous Workstations - in cooperation with Otto Martin Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG (engineering) and Kempten University of Applied Sciences with the focus on
    • Improvement of a modular assembly solution
    • Providing a digital workplace with intelligent support

  • InKris - Intelligent crystallisation sensor for smproved quality assurance in injection moulding - in collaboration with FOS Messtechnik GmbH (measurement technology), Exipnos GmbH and the Fraunhofer IMWS with a focus on
    • Development of an "intelligent crystallisation sensor" for quality assurance in injection moulding
    • Testing and optimization under real-life conditions in the production process

  • Golden Eye - intelligent dosing system - in cooperation with Bahner Feinwerktechnik GmbH (precision engineering) and TH Köln with the focus on
    • Image-based volume testing of fluids in the field of dosing technology
    • Adjustment of the nozzle actuation via the detected volume deviation

A detailed description of the individual projects can be found here.

The „Development of an intelligent mechatronic sheet metal forming tool for the tool and automotive industry“ has already been completed, all other projects are in various stages of research and development.

Other elements of iMes Solutions' digital development include regular participation in digital industry conferences such as VDI events or MEORGA, broad networking with partners from all areas of digitization, the publication of technical articles and contributions, and a broad presence with discussion forums in social media.

 

 

Read more …

Company from the Food Industry with its Focus on Organic Muesli Products relies on iMes Solutions' Digitization Technology.

Traceability and transparency in the production process

>> Facts
For more than 30 years, the company, based in the Upper Bavarian region, has been committed to the production and distribution of organic food. Particular attention is paid to sustainability, including social and economic aspects..

>> Initial situation
In partially automated production, many processes are still recorded and documented manually. For each end product, important parameters such as weight, moisture, volume, etc. are recorded manually. Errors are inevitable in this process.

Research and data preparation for internal and external audits are usually very time-consuming. Traceability is also difficult in the event of quality problems.

>> Target
A central software solution is to be provided for the automated storage and evaluation of data, e.g. from Siemens WinCC or metal detectors. This should simplify plant management and make it more transparent. In the future, the collected production data will be available ad hoc for reporting and audits. Above all, quality management is to be supported and relieved in the area of audit preparation.

>> Project targets & requirements in detail:

  • Central software solution for quality and process data storage
  • Guidance of plant operators by intuitive and user-friendly software
  • Process automation: workflows depending on specific events, e.g. metal detector results
  • Complete batch traceability
  • Relevant information, e.g. for audits, should be available ad hoc
  • Automated reporting, e.g. daily and weekly reports for production and quality management
  • Alarm and event recording: All events in the production line should be documented and made evaluable.

>> Technical challenges
Complete integration into the Siemens WinCC world
Creation of complex workflows for process automation: e.g. metal detector events are documented automatically and are available for ad hoc audits
Centralized and automated reporting: consolidation of production-relevant information provided by different sources

>> Decision for the iMes Solutions GmbH

  • The user friendly and intuitive web solution from iMes Solutions GmbH meets all the company's requirements.
  • The Plant Historian shift book software is coupled with the OPC server and, for example, automatically creates an ACTUAL/TARGET comparison of the product used during each weighing process and identifies any difference.
  • The shift book solution is fully integrated into the Siemens WinCC world. A button opens the dialog in the browser window and the input fields are automatically filled in advance.
  • The shift book solution is also available as an add-on in the Siemens Industry Mall.

>> Conclusion
The shift book software solution provided by the iMes Solutions GmbH is characterized by its complete integration into the Siemens WinCC world. It supports paperless working in all areas of production and quality management. This reduces the time required for recording, reporting and research, increases process quality and reliability and reduces costs. As a special advantage for its platform-independent use, the software solution can be used equally in the Windwos, Android and iOS world.

Read more …

Cookie settings

We use cookies in order to optimize our website and services. Please select an option: