Two team members gone in two months This week, my team went through another change — my MES engineer decided to leave and join another company, even after I tried my best to counter offer. I fully respect her choice, but of course, it’s not easy for me. This means in just two months, I’ve […]
Losing Support Staff Right Before a Critical Phase Read More »
After months of preparation, evaluations, and internal discussions, we’ve officially reached a key milestone in our MES journey — selecting the vendor we believe is the right fit for our factory. This process wasn’t just about comparing systems. It was about identifying a solution that balances structure with flexibility, and a team that could support
We’ve Selected Our MES Vendor – A Milestone Step Forward Read More »
We’ve reached the end of our MES demo phase — a major milestone after months of vendor screening, requirement clarifications, and live demonstrations. But instead of wrapping things up neatly, the final phase opened up a new layer of complexity. We originally shortlisted two strong candidates: One: a top-tier global MES vendor with a strong
Final Demos Are Done. But the Decision Just Got More Complex. Read More »
This week marked a significant milestone in our MES project—the selected vendor came onsite for a line walk to better understand our operations and expectations. Watching them observe our production lines with fresh eyes gave me a chance to reflect—not just on how far we’ve come, but also on what we’ve overlooked. Initial Observations from
What the Line Walk Revealed: Reflections After Our MES Vendor Visit Read More »
When I joined this company, the MES project had already started. I wasn’t new to MES — in fact, I’ve led several MES implementation projects before. So I came in with experience, clarity, and the intention to support what was already in motion. But I also came in with an assumption:That the vendor would operate
Too New, Too Nice: What I Learned from a Tough MES Vendor Experience Read More »
Why I Tried This In our SMT line, we faced a simple but critical problem: some PCBs are only laser-marked on the bottom side.Our MES, however, requires laser markings on both sides for full traceability across stations. We explored a proper fix — installing bottom-side scanners — but the investment was steep (RM4,800 per line)
Mirror Aid: A Traceability Experiment That Didn’t Go Perfectly — But Still Mattered Read More »
“Every time the MES didn’t meet our needs, someone would say: ‘Why don’t we just build our own?’But is that really the better path?” The Temptation to Build If you’ve ever worked with a legacy MES, or struggled to adapt an off-the-shelf solution, you’ve probably heard it: “We can just build it. We know our
Buy or Build Your MES? Here’s How I Thought Through It Read More »
在我负责 MES 项目期间，我们评估了几家不同国家的 MES 供应商。
中国 MES 的确在价格上有很大优势，而且功能清单看起来也很齐全。
中国MES真的便宜吗？你没看到的盲点！ Read More »
“It looked affordable on paper.But when we started using it, we saw a different kind of cost — one that didn’t show up on the quotation.” The Initial Appeal: Competitive Pricing & Feature List When we first looked at MES solutions from China, the pricing was significantly lower than Western or global providers.The proposal included:
Is China MES Really Cheap? Here’s What You’re Overlooking Read More »
