As the Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association International (MESA) seeks to grow from a vendor association to a broadly based association of technology suppliers, solution providers and industry professionals in manufacturing companies, it has added a new tier of membership and member benefits. Basic membership is now free. It allows members to download one white paper, upload whitepapers for certification and post job opportunities. Manufacturer basic members can be listed in the MESA Web site’s member list, and all basic members will receive association newsletters and may serve on operating committees.
Premium members enjoy unlimited access to white papers, case studies and Web presentations, and receive discounted registration and discounted exhibition space at MESA’s conference. They also receive access to MESA’s exclusive Metrics Guidebook & Framework.
The association has launched a Web site designed to be a better service to members as well as visitors. It is also undertaking the development of Strategic Initiative Guidebooks designed to provide best-practices guidance for manufacturing execution systems (MES) users. It also updated its model of collaborative manufacturing execution systems by defining connectors to strategic initiatives. MESA defines some of these initiatives as Lean Manufacturing, quality and regulatory compliance, and product lifecycle management, among others.
Metrics survey
The association once again partnered with analyst firm Industry Directions Inc., Cummaquid, Mass., for a survey on metrics and their use. In an overview of the study, Industry Directions Principal Julie Fraser reported that most manufacturers are actively pursuing Lean (73 percent) and Total Quality (64 percent) initiatives. In addition 47 percent are working on a Real-time Enterprise initiative.
Only three specific practices are widely used by more than half of the manufacturers claiming to pursue those initiatives. These are 5S workplace organization and standardized work or methods sheets from Lean, corrective and preventative action from Total Quality, and Kaizen from both Lean and Total Quality.
The study discovered that most manufacturers use homegrown electronic solutions built with such applications as Microsoft Excel. For more information on the study, check with a MESA member.
Industry Directions
www.industrydirections.com
MESA International
www.mesa.org
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