BLM GROUP Presents MES Software Prometheus for Production Management

ProTube Enterprise has changed its name to becomes Prometheus. While keeping the functionality and advantages unchanged, the system is being extended to embrace sheet metal processing as well as forming on a single platform for all the Group's production lines. Paolo Benatti, technical director of BLM GROUP's Software Division, talks about recent developments.

"ProTube Enterprise is the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) developed by our Software Division for production management of BLM GROUP's tube processing, cutting and bending machines, with an awareness of the ever-increasing importance of software in the development of advanced manufacturing solutions," Benatti explains. "Now this system is being extended to embrace sheet metal processing as well, thus creating a single platform for all the Group's production lines. ProTube Enterprise therefore changes its name and becomes Prometheus, keeping the fundamental aspects unchanged: a single communication interface with the customer's ERP, a single order and job management system, a single planning system and a single monitoring dashboard."

"The extension of production management to sheet metal laser cutting represents a major step forward in offering integrated solutions. A single management system gives the customer a complete and unified view of all production processes, regardless of the technology used. This allows for greater flexibility and ease in the planning and execution of jobs. Through the communication interface, enriched for unified tube and sheet metal management, the customer can interact directly with orders, monitor production progress, manage any rejects by preparing corresponding completion orders if necessary, and receive notifications in real-time. Thanks to Prometheus, the customer can constantly monitor the status of the machines, control production in real-time, and intervene promptly in case of any problems such as redirecting production from a machine stopped for maintenance to another available one."

Prometheus features

Integration between different technologies

Thanks to Prometheus, the user does not perceive the technological differences of the various connected machines, but rather the same management mode for all plants, which facilitates the operator. By dialoguing with a possible ERP system via web services, as well as with traditional file exchange modes, Prometheus enables deeper and more complete integration with customer information systems, thus enabling automation of the production cycle.

Ease of use

Prometheus is user-friendly and intuitive in the management of all technologies thanks to the same interface and "look and feel" already known to the customer, so there is no need to learn anything new. Thus, an additional technology, sheet metal working, is integrated, but the software remains the same both aesthetically and operationally. In this way, for example, if a customer were to purchase a combination machine, he could easily use the MES he already uses and knows to easily manage both tube and sheet metal cutting processes.

Fast and direct interface

In addition to the applications used on the office (client) workstations, Prometheus has an interactive cockpit, built with web technology and designed to provide a fast and direct monitoring interface on the shop floor to show the status of machines, materials and batches being processed, and production progress.

Scalable solution with always synchronized information

Even when there are multiple workstations in the office and multiple machines on the shop floor, uniqueness and consistency in information is always guaranteed because all data exchanged in the system is collected in a common repository. In addition, the system is scalable making the addition of new BLM GROUP machines completed easily and naturally. The synergy between the office and the workshop offers the possibility of obtaining real-time information from the machine through a control panel complete with all useful information.

Synergy between software and machines

By taking advantage of the inherent dialogue between equipment and software, it is possible to effectively launch productions by having all the necessary information: evidence on board the machine of the decisions made in the office, changeability of the order of planned workings to meet the needs of the workshop, ability to launch urgent productions without losing the traceability of the process, and constant monitoring of machine performance. For example, the operator can see the list of jobs to be prepared in order of priority, based on the schedule decided in the office, to meet delivery dates. This information is always updated in real-time.

Efficiency analysis

When a new job order is created Prometheus can provide estimates based on real statistical data, as it has the historical memory of how the machine has worked in the past, ensuring high accuracy of time and cost estimates for production. Prometheus processes the information gathered through useful overviews to analyze efficiency and productivity so that any areas for improvement can be identified and necessary strategies undertaken, based on hard data.