MES Case Studies &
Customer Success Stories
If you’re wondering whether Proficy MES can actually move the needle in your plant, these real‑world stories will show you what’s possible—higher OEE, less downtime, and the confidence to make big capital decisions with data, not guesses. When you’re ready for similar results, Rain Engineering is here to guide your team through the same practical, step‑by‑step process.
Flexible Packaging Converter Modernizes with Phased Proficy MES Rollout
Admiral Packaging: From Siloed Data to a Fully Connected, BRC‑Ready Plant
Summary & Outcomes
- Admiral Packaging, a fourth‑generation flexible packaging converter, was facing tighter margins, demanding brand owners, and rising BRC traceability requirements with data scattered across PLCs, logbooks, and spreadsheets.
- Leadership wanted a fully integrated MES on Proficy Plant Applications that could grow with the business, not just another bolt‑on dashboard.
- Rain Engineering designed a three‑phase rollout—plant model and connectivity, then real‑time OEE and downtime tracking, then quality and traceability—so the team saw value at each step without overwhelming operations.
- Today, Admiral uses real‑time MES data to troubleshoot faster, impress customers with transparent performance, and prepare confidently for future regulations like BRC.
Outcomes:
- Real‑time OEE and downtime visibility across critical converting lines.
- Quality and lot traceability integrated for BRC‑readiness.
- Culture shift from “gut feel” to decisions grounded in trusted MES data.
Snack Food Manufacturer Uses Proficy OEE to Justify a $2M Line Investment
Regional Chip Producer: +14 OEE Points and Board‑Ready Data in 90 Days
Summary & Outcomes
- A regional snack food producer running three lines thought they were “near capacity” but lacked trustworthy OEE data; downtime lived in spreadsheets and every supervisor had a different definition of a “good run.”
- The operations director refused to ask the board for a $2M fourth line based on a hunch and turned to Proficy OEE with Rain Engineering to get clean, real‑time data.
- After connecting mixed Allen‑Bradley and Siemens equipment and aligning definitions, Proficy identified Line 2 as the true constraint, with availability losses concentrated around a single seasoning applicator.
- Targeted fixes lifted Line 2 OEE from 54% to 68% in 90 days and gave leadership the evidence to confidently approve a fourth line.
Outcomes:
- +14 OEE points on the constrained line in 90 days (54% → 68%).
- 61% of unplanned downtime traced to one component, visible only after Proficy data.
- Board‑ready OEE trend report in 6 weeks to support a $2M capital decision.
100% Part Traceability for Powertrain Manufacturing
Transmission Component Supplier Gets Eyes on 47 Machines
Summary & Outcomes
- A Midwest Tier 1 supplier producing transmission shafts and gear blanks had no real-time visibility into machine utilization across two lines. Downtime reasons were logged manually hours after the fact. IATF audits surfaced traceability gaps quarterly.
- We connected 47 machines — including legacy CNC turning centers and newer Fanuc robotics cells — to Proficy Plant Applications in six weeks. Custom downtime reason trees were built with operators, not imposed on them. Proficy Historian now captures 1,400 production tags at 1-second resolution.
Outcomes:
- 41% reduction in unplanned downtime events
- 6 week implementation to go-live
- 100% part traceability on audited lines
- $280K estimated annual scrap cost avoidance