L-mobile Digital Production

L-mobile production, the modular MES for transparent Industry 4.0 production

Everything from a single source—our modular MES and Industry 4.0 solutions get you ready for production of the future

Controlling, planning and working mobile—these are the current challenges facing manufacturing companies. For companies looking for an expert partner, L-mobile is at the ready and can implement everything from a single source in a homogenous system landscape. We have made it our mission to make your manufacturing processes faster and also give you the tools to identify the potential for improvement and support you in optimizing your production processes. To get you there, we offer a modular MES consisting of various solutions that can be flexibly networked with each other along the entire production process.

L-mobile has received multiple awards for its innovative work in recent years. Especially in the area of digitalization for SMEs, L-mobile is considered a technology pioneer. Accolades include recognition by the ife Institute 2020 for the digital assembly instruction system with digital work instruction from our modular MES. The Industry 4.0 solution together with our latest technologies, such as IoT, RFID, and Pick-by-Light, ensure an automated and networked assembly process.

Other honors include L-mobile’s Digital Factory paperless production concept being named a “100 Places for Industry 4.0”in a competition initiated and sponsored by the Baden Württemberg Ministry of Economics. The Network Alliance Industry 4.0 Baden-Württemberg awards this prize to outstanding ideas from industry and science that take full advantage of the potential of Industry 4.0.

L-mobile ALLIANZ 100 Orte Award Industry 4.0

L-mobile ife Institute innovation award lot size 1

L-mobile Innovation award Best of 2018 IT industry and logistics

L-mobile Auszeichnungen ife Award Finalist 2018

L-mobile Industry Award 2018 Best of IT & Software Solutions

L-mobile production events and dates

L-mobile video screen

An overview of the modular MES functions

Planning Material flow Asset tracking Data collection Analysis

Production planning

In the area of production planning, L-mobile production offers a module to simply and efficiently organize your manufacturing, specifically the APS, a tool from the modular MES for automating production planning. General and detail planning options allow you to evolve your manufacturing into transparent production. In addition to the automated entry of sales orders and manufacturing orders in real time, the integrated optimization algorithm displays an ideal planning overview. By simultaneously accounting for multiple resources, the APS generates fully executable production plans within production planning. In line with Industry 4.0 best practices, the efficient production planning with the help of the L-mobile APS also factors in the optimal calculation of production costs and calculates idle times and throughput times for optimal production capacity based on machine usage and other factors. In addition to manufacturing planning, the L-mobile modular MES also offers you various integrated evaluation options so that you can make your smart factory more transparent and uncover optimization potentials.

Material flow

Which Industry 4.0 solution supports a smooth material flow? That’s an important question! To maintain a constant overview of transport, manufacturing and warehousing requires a seamless and transparent material flow.
To make your production processes more transparent and easier to plan and achieve shorter throughput times, we recommend the following modules from our MES:

L-mobile Pick-by-Light
Pick-by-Light or Pick-to-Light reduce errors to a maximum and are the best option when the withdrawal of material is performed manually and a higher picking speed is required. The optical light signals on the storage bins and load carriers help provide a fast and error-free material flow. L-mobile’s modular MES offers the Pick-by-Light system in either a hard-wired or wireless version.

L-mobile E-Label
Our electronic labeling means you can completely skip using paper. The component can be used as an electronic order sheet and in combination with auto ID technologies anywhere in your manufacturing areas. L-mobile E-Label can also be used to identify storage bins or workpieces. Connecting e-label to your ERP system makes material movement and order progress immediately visible and always provides your employees with up-to-date information.

L-mobile E-Kanban
Are you looking for a solution that completely digitalizes and automates material flow within the smart factory? L-mobile E-Kanban does just that for you. The expandable module for the MES for paperless production issues a material requirement message including automatic posts in real time. Additionally, the RFID mailbox ensures a smooth follow-up delivery of c-parts with the help of RFID-supported Kanban cards.

Asset tracking und RTLS

Could you right now immediately say what the current information status is for your entire production processes? If not, then you should consider deploying our intelligent asset tracking solution. Thanks to L-mobile’s modular MES, technologies like RFID, UWB and GPS can be combined to track resources, automate material flow, and optimize processes. The automation of manual progress posts makes it possible to locate individual sales orders, movement of goods, workpieces, vehicles, or tools at any time and retrieve important information.

Data collection

Collecting data is often a must. Without data, how else can you draw meaningful conclusions about the efficiency of your own processes?
Production data collection, the software solution from our modular MES, provides your employees with an overview of all orders and supports them in registering each operation while also querying a machine’s status and reporting malfunction causes and setup information. When combined with L-mobile machine data collection, production data collection gives you a complete overview of all running manufacturing orders and finished piece quantities on your machines. The core function here is the active connection of a manufacturing order to a physical machine status of a manufacturing resource. By continually and accurately collecting your machine-generated data, this component from the modular MES optimizes your production processes and ensure an effective use of your machines.

Do you also want to get rid of paper in your assembly processes? The L-mobile digital assembly instruction system can help you with that, making it possible to flexibly complete various orders at one work station while also supporting your employees in completing assembly tasks with practically zero errors. RFID technology clearly identifies every order at the work station so that only order-specific information is displayed on the monitor, such as step-by-step assembly instructions, CAD drawings or QA-related data.

The modular MES can also link production data collection and machine data collection to employee time tracking or quality data collection.

L-mobile reporting

Increase efficiency, lower the use of resources and ensure transparent data visualization across the entire manufacturing chain—that is the primary goal of production. The digitalization of your production gives you a lot of data from the various production areas. How can you leverage this information for a continual improvement process? Our reporting tool gives you all the key figures from the modular MES in a clear display on a dashboard. Uncover weak points, bring continual optimization to your daily manufacturing processes and outshine your competition.

What is an MES?

L-mobile digital production—what is an MES?

MES stands for Manufacturing Execution System and is used for production control. MES is a directly connected to business processes and facilitates manufacturing control in real time. The data recorded by an MES from the various manufacturing processes can help optimize existing operations and detect errors in the process.

Usually, an ERP system accesses the MES to plan production processes and maximize the efficient use of deployed resources. The system plans, controls, and monitors production in real time and continually collects information in all areas of manufacturing.

The ERP hands over production planning to the MES, which then implements the defined company goals, supported by a direct link to its processes.

An MES is an important element of a digital transformation. The system factors in past, present, and future values so that the most up-to-date production data is always available on mobile devices and at every location. This provides a fast and simple view of the current situation on the shop floor, creating the transparency needed to achieve transparent production.

What does an MES do?

The requirements of Industry 4.0 are clearly defined: improved transparency, shorter setup times without idle time, less scrap, and high delivery reliability. These goals can be met with a Manufacturing Execution System. The MES uses data from the ERP for planning, control, and monitoring of the entire product cycle, including material entry, machine utilization, the collection of the produced number of pieces, materials used, and the time required.

How can an MES support the workday?

An MES solution maps the entire production supply chain, creating a transparent overview of all production events and processes as well as related operational aspects so that production processes can be continually improved in a targeted manner.

An MES also makes it possible to seamlessly trace the production history of product components and display production KPIs for evaluation with a push of a button. An MES essentially makes decision-making faster and based on data. Additionally, productivity increases, thanks to the optimal use of resources, such as machines, production lines, and staff. AN MES also comparatively reduces errors by providing production employees support during their work processes, such as receiving instructions on correct compositions or packaging.

L-mobile digital production—modular MES L-mobile

How L-mobile’s modular MES differs from the conventional MES

Machine data collection
Production data collection productivity cockpit
Quality data collection

The conventional MES is a very powerful tool. It has to be, given it plans, controls, monitors, and analyzes the entire production cycle in a manufacturing plant. Given such a scope, it is not uncommon for the roll out of an MES to take up to a year. This is often because processes within the company need to be changed or adapted, in addition to introducing the software itself in a company’s system. How much a company’s system needs to be changed is the main cost-determining factor. This varies depending on the effort needed to customize the system for an individual company, the connection to the current system environment, and the number of user licenses and user training workshops.

Organize your manufacturing processes with L-mobile to add value!

The modular MES functions as a mobile connection between your manufacturing and your ERP system, giving you a direct interface with your ERP so that you can make direct postings in real time. All relevant information is available in digital form exactly where it is needed. The continuous flow of information guarantees maximum transparency and efficient operation of your manufacturing processes. We offer our modular MES Solution as a Software as a Service (SaaS) with our L-mobile Cloud. Or, you can also choose to run the modular MES from your own data center.

Organize your manufacturing processes with L-mobile to add value and customize our Industry 4.0 solutions entirely to work with your production environment. You only pay for what you actually need. We are happy to advise you during implementation. Get in touch with us.

Networked manufacturing with L-mobile’s modular MES

A continuous IT-supported information and data flow enables manufacturing companies to shorten the response time for unplanned incidents and initiate countermeasures more quickly. The functional scope of an MES can have a major positive impact on a large company, the scale of which justifies the long introduction phase and the associated costs. However, such a project can be overwhelming for small and medium-sized companies.

Not every company has a large production environment and the capital to actually use all the capabilities of a large-scale MES. That is why L-mobile takes a modular approach to MES, which also allows smaller businesses to digitalize their manufacturing processes. Our standard modules can be integrated into your existing processes individually as well as operated as a complete solution of our modular MES. Whatever the extent to which you use the software solutions for paperless manufacturing, modular MES supports you on the path to the smart factory, and, thanks to the automation and digitalization of your manufacturing processes, enables you to maintain your competitive edge with software solutions based on Industry 4.0.

You decide which of your manufacturing processes you want to digitalize. All available Industry 4.0 solutions from the modular MES can be operated side-by-side and provide a transparent overview for all manufacturing processes without changes in media or loss of information. Of course, you can always expand modules already in use with other solutions from our modular MES.

Our showroom in Sulzbach lets you experience all our products in one place to show you how our modular software solutions in combination with the latest technology can be flexibly networked along an entire manufacturing chain.

Would you like to see a live demo of our modular MES? Then take a tour of our award-winning Digital Factory!

The key functions every Manufacturing Execution System (MES) should offer

Manufacturing flowchart for each product

Manufacturing planning system

Personnel deployment planning

Resource planning

Capacity planning

Contract production

Visualization of all processes

What production KPIs are important?

First off, anyone who opts for an MES, is choosing to analyze and optimize their current processes. This means identifying obsolete working methods and supporting them through IT measures. By evaluating the data compiled by an MES, weak points, such as long setup times, long idle times, and post-processing work are identified and, in the best case, directly avoided.

The guideline from the VDI (VDMA standard sheet 66412) defines the standard key figures in production. This includes OEE (overall equipment effectiveness), the scrap quota and the degree of setup. An MES can help you collect data to determine all the standard key figures and also define and evaluate your own key figures.

L-mobile digital production analysis reporting

The advantages of the modular MES from L-mobile

ERP-independent solution

Stationary and mobile real-time data

Digitalized manufacturing processes

Your ticket to Industry 4.0

Flexibly analyze your manufacturing/OEE key figures

Unlimited expandability

Individual configuration

Automatic postings without manual effort

Company-wide solutions

Ad-hoc display of your data in real time

Central order management

Seamless transparency

System-supported tracking

Group work and multi-machine operation

Uncover optimization potential

Connect auto ID technologies

Connect and expand L-mobile modules

Successfully navigate the path to becoming a smart factory through networked processes

L-mobile is your strong partner and Industry 4.0 expert on the road to digitalization

The focus of the digital transformation within production is on connecting the individual production processes with each other. First and foremost, this requires a seamless networking of all hardware and software solutions. This increases transparency as well as flexibility and the degree of automation in production. Since digitalization is a long-term, extensive, and continual process, it is only logical that the networking of production processes cannot happen overnight. Instead, our experience shows that the best chance for a successful transformation to digital production happens when processes are optimized in steps and systems are expanded in a modular way.

Our innovative product range of production solutions offers precisely this modularity. Individual solutions can be implemented step by step in your production processes to automate and digitalize them. The L-mobile “Road to digitalization” below shows how the path to digitalized production can look. In your company’s digital transformation, this is the exact road you take toward your goal: a paperless factory with automated production processes. We offer you a range of software solutions along this road including automated production planning software, the latest transport management systems, and various tracking technologies.

The decisive factor here is that you get everything from a single source. We are experts in planning, implementation, and support of digitalization projects. We are a skilled, experienced partner who can walk right with you down this road so that together we can successfully implement the individual steps of your digitalization project.

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Industry 4.0 together with L-mobile and Siemens

Rolling out Industry 4.0 in your company requires a strong partner, especially for medium-sized businesses. L-mobile offers wide-ranging solution expertise and relies on Siemens as a strong partner in hardware.

The L-mobile Industry 4.0 toolbox also offers you the option to network and digitalize your processes. Technologies such as L-mobile E-Label, the digital assembly instruction system, Pick-by-Light, E-Kanban, and much more make it easy for you to take the first step.

Learn more about how L-mobile and Siemens can make your Industry 4.0 projects a success.

Get started with L-mobile production for paperless manufacturing

Modular MES for transparent Industry 4.0 manufacturing

L-mobile’s modular MES helps you on your way to becoming a smart factory. The modular MES solutions make it easier for you to plan, coordinate and analyze your production processes. They also help you optimize processes for networked production—without the use of any paper!

The modular MES gives you and your employees all data for materials, operations, and tools, including delivery dates for your paperless production—at all times on mobile devices in real time. But even better is that our modular MES makes the smart factory a reality! Not only are we able to facilitate communication between our Industry 4.0 solutions, we can also network your existing systems. Our modular MES establishes a company-wide network that encompasses all processes in a supply chain, both internal and external, thus creating a uniform, continuous set of data.

Besides our modular MES solutions for planning, data collection, and production analysis, we also have the capacity to network and partially automate your entire process chain with the help of auto ID technologies.

Completely automate your production with auto ID technologies

Auto ID technologies makes it as if products and orders “control themselves” step by step in manufacturing and logistics processes. Not only is your production intelligently and completely automated without the use of any paper, this state-of-the-art technology eliminates sources of error and supports resource-saving production.

Would you like to know how you can get started with barcodes or RFID in paperless manufacturing? Would you like to be able to directly link your ERP system with orders, machines, employees, operations, and containers within seconds and with automated posting commands?

Then you will want to hear about how you can use our auto ID technologies. In addition to the familiar technologies, such as barcodes or RFID for material flow tracking, we also offer advances such as tracking with UWB or Bluetooth Low Energy and can show you how you can expand your current production processes with an augmented reality component.

Integrating the modular MES with your ERP system

Our modular MES is ERP-independent and can be easily connected to your existing ERP system. All Industry 4.0 solutions in use guarantee real time synchronization with your ERP system so that you can access all necessary information at any time. What is more, our MES solutions are capable of bi-directional integration with ERP systems. You can also run the modular MES as a Software as a Service (SaaS) or from your own data center (on VM-Ware).

We have successfully completed 1,700 projects with our customers, making us your expert partner when it comes to building individual interfaces.

Don’t see your ERP system listed? Contact us today and let’s talk about how we can implement digital production linked to your ERP system.

Digital production references

FoamPartner Germany GmbH - Recticel En

L-mobile case study: Digital warehouse management, warehouse ready for Infor COM, Mack Alu-Systeme GmbH

Fritz Stiefel Industrie-Vertretungen GmbH