In glass processing, every minute counts. From cutting and tempering to polishing and assembly, productivity depends on skilled labor, precise coordination, and consistent workflows. Yet, many glass manufacturers still rely on manual timecards, spreadsheets, or outdated tracking systems to monitor labor and production performance. Without real-time visibility, it’s difficult to pinpoint where time is wasted or why jobs are delayed.
That’s where MES production tracking within an ERP system can make a real impact. By automating data collection and connecting people, machines, and production processes, ERP MES tools eliminate inefficiencies and keep your shop floor operating at peak performance.
The Cost of Inefficient Labor Management
When glass processing workflows depend on manual reporting or disconnected systems, small inefficiencies can quickly multiply. Common issues include:
- Unrecorded downtime or inaccurate job tracking
- Poor visibility into who’s working on which order
- Bottlenecks between cutting, edging, or assembly stations
- Overtime costs from unbalanced workloads or unclear priorities
Glass processors must balance speed and precision. Without accurate, real-time labor and production data, managers often rely on guesswork instead of actionable insight, leading to slower turnaround times and higher costs.
MES Production Tracking Brings Real-Time Insight
An MES integrated with ERP delivers real-time shop floor visibility. Operators can clock in and out of specific jobs directly from their workstations, while the system automatically records production times, job progress, and material usage.
Supervisors gain instant visibility into:
- Who is working on each job
- Current order status and completion percentage
- Labor hours and workstation productivity
- Equipment performance and downtime alerts
From machine operators to production, this real-time feedback keeps everyone aligned and informed, allowing for faster adjustments and better decision-making.
Automated Workflows Streamline Glass Processing
When MES data feeds directly into the ERP system, automated workflows replace manual handoffs and paperwork. Job changes, order updates, and production status reports all update automatically across departments.
For example:
- A job marked “complete” on the shop floor triggers automatic updates to scheduling, inventory, and shipping.
- New or rush orders can be prioritized instantly, ensuring resources are reassigned where they’re needed most.
- Quality checks can be built into the process, prompting operators to record results before moving to the next step.
These automated workflows reduce human error, improve coordination between stations, and keep production running smoothly from start to finish.
Tracking Labor Efficiency with ERP Dashboards
ERP tracking features provide a complete picture of labor and equipment performance. Managers can see:
- Output by employee, shift, or department
- Time spent on value-added versus non-value-added activities
- Trends in productivity or downtime across work centers
With this data, glass manufacturers can spot inefficiencies, rebalance workloads, and focus on continuous improvement. Over time, MES production tracking data also supports more accurate labor forecasting and capacity planning.
Reducing Bottlenecks and Idle Time
Bottlenecks are one of the most common productivity killers in glass processing. MES data helps managers identify areas for batch manufacturing and recognize potential problems.
If the edging line is waiting on cutting, operators can be reassigned temporarily to polishing or assembly. If finishing is running behind, labor can be shifted to meet delivery deadlines. This level of flexibility ensures that every worker and machine is utilized efficiently.
Frontier ERP MES Tools in Action
Frontier ERP includes MES tools designed to help glass manufacturers gain complete control over their shop floor. With Frontier, you can:
- Track labor, material, and machine performance in real time
- Implement automated workflows that eliminate manual entry
- Visualize key metrics through performance dashboards
- Integrate MES data with scheduling, inventory, and quality management
These capabilities help glass processors eliminate wasted time, reduce errors, and maintain consistent productivity, even during high-demand periods.
Conclusion
Glass processing requires precision, coordination, and speed, which is hard to achieve with manual systems. By using MES production tracking and automated workflows within an ERP system, manufacturers gain the real-time visibility needed to optimize labor, reduce downtime, and improve throughput.
Stop wasting time on productivity killers. With Frontier ERP, your glass processing operation becomes more connected, efficient, and ready to deliver high-quality results on schedule.
To learn more, click the button below. If you’ll be attending GlassBuild 2025, come see us at Booth #12041 and learn how you can take your glass processing to the next level.
