What does it take to digitalize assembly, an area where people must participate? Quite a lot, especially with complex configured products. Over time, MTEK Industry AB has consistently focused on developing software to support complex discrete assembly operations. They keep adding functionality in MOM and beyond to the MBrain digital production system. Integrating to equipment, informing people, and improving are core. They recently added a no-code IT integration platform, Mint, for enterprise data flow. They are delivering value in weeks.
Assembly Focus
For several years, MTEK has focused on creating no-code software that supports manufacturers with complex discrete manufacturing operations typically characterized by configured products, takted or untakted assembly flows, and a high reliance on manual operations. This market has largely been underserved, partly because it’s very complex and changes frequently, often for every configured product (“batch-size one”). Most of these companies have some equipment and automation, but many operations also rely on people since variation is generally the enemy of automation. MTEK started in 2002 as a manufacturing excellence consulting company, so its roots are deep in these industries.
Broad Functionality
Not constrained by what is traditionally included in MES, they have built many functions. MTEK calls it a Digital Production System. MBrain has core functions focused on delivering visibility, a large variety of “make” functions, and a suite of “improve” functions to make lean best practices digital. These functions support specific assembly challenges such as planning, andon, configuration QA, line tolerance, and user competences.
Traditionally, this scope might require four or five specialized systems besides MES. Because it’s no-code, once a customer gets proficient, they can – and typically do – expand it further to meet their specific needs.
Start Where You Are
Anyone who has worked in an assembly operation, particularly a takted one, knows how critical the processes are to keeping products flowing through the plant. MBrain includes a Process, or Method Builder, which is the core tool for constructing a digital replica of the logic of your production and the heart of why MBrain sets out to be a Digital Production System.
They encourage customers to start by mapping their current methods and keep working as they have. Given the no-code design, manufacturers can use the system to identify areas for improvement and then implement them. With more rigid system architectures, clients typically need to identify the “to-be” state before implementation. MTEK challenges that logic and way of working with a more flexible tool.
They can use or later add elements such as getting product data from PLM, reporting materials consumption to ERP, pushing a recipe to a machine, or printing a label. The great news is that customers can view the method or workflow in production, maintenance, quality, etc., at any level of granularity. This supports both skilled and less skilled workers at just the level they need.
Mid-Size Operations Typically
While manufacturers are all different, the MTEK team realized these complex assembly operations have a typical profile. Whether the plant is part of a larger group or the company’s entire operations, the facilities are typically 100-250 people, with around $100M in output (+/- 50%). They are often in smaller towns, which limits how large operations can be. Typically, even larger companies are also built by acquiring many smaller operations – meaning there are geographical and historical reasons for the size of a typical plant in discrete manufacturing and assembly. Focusing on this scope of operation, they knew a traditional multi-million dollar, multi-year MES implementation was not the best approach. MTEK’s no-code approach enables MBrain to be both affordable and configurable to the specific operating needs of each customer.
Microsoft Azure IoT Operations Partner
In November 2024, Microsoft’s Azure IoT Operations included MTEK as a launch partner. This is a prestigious position in the Microsoft Adaptive Cloud approach for cloud-to-edge connectivity in manufacturing. Using the Mint and MTalk elements of MTEK’s digital production system, data from equipment, sensors, IoT devices, and adjacent IT systems can feed not only MBrain but also cloud-based analytics. MTEK is strong on its own, but the Microsoft partnership illustrates the advanced nature of their software architecture to enable scaling.
No-Code Mint for IT Integration
The new addition to the MTEK product family is a no-code integration platform, Mint. This innovation from MTEK was originally designed to remove the barrier to growth created by the monetary cost and delay caused by traditional integration work.
As the platform has been deployed with clients, however, MTEK has noticed that the bulk of the value comes from creating a much more integrated systems architecture and event-driven IT/OT stack. Gaining data flows among IT systems can be a powerful and transformative step for manufacturers. The goal is not just to integrate IT systems but to integrate and automate business processes seamlessly. This patent-pending approach to integration can serve MBrain customers and others.
Customer Success
Much of the breadth of functionality has come from customer needs. Since 2020, MTEK has had success with complex discrete assembly customers, including many larger companies whose names you recognize. In one larger company, Accenture was the service partner and saw the value of MBrain. With this no-code approach, many customers report seeing results in a couple of weeks after starting to deploy MBrain. This is not possible with traditional full-code manufacturing software. With the improved IT integration of Mint, the value of these deployments could continue to grow even beyond the MBrain functional footprint.
Solid Combination
No-code, but with built-out functionality out of the box as a starting point, is a strong starting point. Adding so much functionality beyond traditional MES allows MTEK to lay claim to a larger footprint and deliver more value. Integrating the lean tools natively gives continuous improvement a leg up. Integration to automation with MTalk supports automated aspects of the operation. Adding the Mint integration platform addresses one of the most troubling issues in manufacturing digital transformation, helping data flow among systems across the company.
Assembling for the Future
We are convinced that assembly-based manufacturers should explore the MTEK Digital Production System. It seems to have both industry-specific functions that are ready to use and extreme configurability with the no-code approach. Thank you, Tord Johnson and Oscar Wallner, for updating me.