Inductive Automation
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Trimax Systems, Inc. recently became the first systems integrator to achieve lgnition Manufacturing Execution Systems Certification (MES). Trimax Systems is a worldwide systems integrator based in Brea, California, that specializes in all areas of industrial automation with a high level of expertise in system design, software development, start-up and training. The company is also Ignition Premier Certified for SCADA.

Inductive Automation’s established certification program provides recognizable credentials in the MES automation industry for integrators and automation professionals. While the certification program makes no guarantee of service, it provides a benchmark for customers looking for ways to identify vendor qualifications.

The five-day MES training course includes an overview of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), total effective equipment performance (TEEP), downtime, statistical process control (SPC), installation, production model configuration, analysis, screen modification, interfacing with instruments, and building recipe-management projects. David Reed, Trimax’s representative, had previous experience interfacing between plant floor equipment and enterprise resource planning (ERP) and MES systems, but used the class to better understand the tools and standards Inductive Automation offers to its MES customers, saying, "I took the MES class so that when I'm talking with clients about the work, I have a good understanding of not only what they're looking for, but of how Inductive Automation best meets their needs."

As a part of the certification, the three-part MES Certification test evaluates an applicant’s understanding of troubleshooting, development and implementation. "I thought the test was comprehensive, requiring a good mix of native MES engineering theory and specific Ignition programming knowledge," Reed says.

According to Reed and Director of Operations Chris McLaughlin, Trimax Systems sees the MES certification as a qualification to provide to customers and prospects who show a growing level of interest in MES and OEE, and who want automated real-time interactions between factory floor equipment and their MES and ERP systems. "We've seen technology progress to the next level where companies are getting involved in much more complicated types of practices in order to increase efficiency, conserve resources and raw material, and preserve safety and consistency measures," says McLaughlin.

"Becoming MES-certified provides reassurance to our customers that we can provide well thought-out MES solutions on the already well-established Ignition platform," says Reed.

Trimax Systems prefers the superior flexibility and cost savings of the Ignition platform over other SCADA and MES software products on the market. "The same reasons why we love Ignition as SCADA software are also why we choose it on the MES side. When you look at what we're trying to do for most plants, the level of complexity and the setup that they need, and the budgets they're working within, this is an incredibly powerful tool with a great licensing structure that easily integrates with what they're doing on the SCADA side," says McLaughlin.

They encourage other integrators to get MES-certified. "More people being Ignition MES-certified means greater standardization and innovation for the industry, and that's good for everyone," says McLaughlin.

For information about upcoming Ignition training courses, click here. To learn more about Trimax Systems, visit www.trimaxsystems.com.