The three-layer problem
Manufacturing IT typically runs in three layers: SCADA at the machine level, MES at the production level, and ERP at the business level. In most factories, these are three separate systems from three different vendors, connected by custom middleware that is fragile, expensive, and always behind.
The data gap between these layers means a production manager cannot answer simple questions in real time: How many good parts did Line 3 produce today? What is the current WIP value on the floor? Why did the morning shift underperform? The data exists somewhere, but it is not accessible where decisions are made.
The integrated approach
When MES and ERP share one database, and MES connects directly to SCADA/PLC via native protocols, the three-layer gap disappears. Machine data flows into production records, production records flow into financial reports, and everything is visible in real time.
- Native OPC-UA — read machine data directly from PLCs without middleware
- Modbus TCP/RTU — connect legacy equipment and sensors
- MQTT broker — event-driven data from IoT devices and edge gateways
- Unified data model — machine events, production counts, and business transactions in one schema
- Real-time dashboards — shop floor metrics and business KPIs on the same screen
Every middleware layer between your machines and your business decisions is a layer of delay, cost, and risk. Eliminate them.