Tribal Knowledge + MES = Empowering Workforces to Turbocharge Additive Operations

Having a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) that connects data from engineering, operations, machines, materials and more can help connect the dots for a better understanding of the End-to-End AM process. Traditionally, Operations, Finance, Quality, and Leadership build operational decisions on this data. They also use it to enforce top-down rules, for example through standard workflows, in the name of repeatability.

That undervalues both the value of frontline workers as well as the data.

MES doesn’t have to work top down. Building those systems on frontline experience turbocharges efficiency and repeatability. This is possible by combining the powerful contextual data they capture with tribal knowledge through tried and tested approaches, such as if-this-then-that tools. These soon turn an MES from a tool required for compliance to a Kaizen machine on steroids, and pave the way for the smooth adoption of other forms of tribal knowledge, such as Standards and AI.

Learning Objectives:

• Know which stakeholders are involved and what motivates them
• Map out the biggest potential gains and pitfalls of the MES adoption process
• Define potential data sources and gains of using that data.
• Understand how to utilize it to capture and utilize tribal knowledge