Is anybody exclusively using the Lite Kinetic MES on their shop floor? We are in the middle of our implementation, and I’m trying to determine the cleanest and simplest way to record job transactions. I’m nervous about the added complexity and transactions that seem inherent to E10.
What have others done to simplify? Currently, every member of our production team has a dedicated iPads, which we want to continue to use. However, I have found very little info about utilizing the Lite Kinetic framework on mobile devices.
For reference, we manufacture semi-custom industrial equipment on a made to order basis, although we stock and pick items for spare parts orders. We have about 15 people building systems or filling orders.
Every member here has an iPad as well. We found MES to be clunky and not work well on iPad’s or any mobile device for that matter. We ended up going with Bezlio. It’s a native iOS app so the performance is really good. We are very happy with Bezlio and our users really like it.
In addition to everyone having an iPad with Bezlio we do have several Thin Client workstations setup. They connect to a RDP server where users can access MES and the full E10 client if needed. Most users only use MES to clock in/out. The feedback we get is it’s too many click and takes to long to complete operations in MES. It’s much faster from their iPad. They also can complete operations from their work areas with their iPad. No need to go to a workstation and wait for Thin Client access.
@chaddb, would you be willing to share more about your Bezlio launch? Talking to the Bezlio folks, they were pretty impressed with your implementation, and it sounds like it mirrors some of my own challenges with Epicor MES.
Sure, I’d be happy to! Bezlio was honestly one of the key factors in our successful implementation of Epicor. Without it I’m not sure it would have went as well as it did. Our users also really like using it.
Feel free to drop me an email (chaddb@idplate.com) and we can setup a time to chat.
We use the inventory transfer bezl and the receiving bezl. Bezlio has worked with us to customize those to fit our needs. We are going to start testing some of the other functions they offer like time and expense entry.
Hi Alex - my company sounds very familiar to yours and we are in the midst of implementing. Can you tell me if you ended up using Bezlio? If not, did you go with the MES Kinetic (lite)? We frequently get errors that seem to be related to the loading of data - fingers are faster than the load, causing the error. Just wondering what the experience has been like for you
@nanvdand, we are using Bezlio exclusively on the shop floor. We are 4 months post launch, and seamlessly operating with no issues.
Bezlio is a very powerful platform, but be prepared to spend some development money to get it tailored to your needs. We had similar problems with double production, etc., but have added “guard rails” to limit the issues.
Our production team have adapted very well to Bezlio, and it brought us a big step closer to a paperless shop. I would never go back!
@aboelkins - thanks for the feedback. We are implementing Epicor as vanilla as possible. Regarding Bezlio - do you think we’d need tailoring if all we are doing it starting and ending production? We aren’t tracking actual labor at all but instead relying on standard (ie Labor Entry = Quantity Only). Glad to hear it is working well for you - we have not been happy with the MES Kinetic.