Service oriented architecture boosts MES software

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Feb 19, 2008

Ampla V3.2 provides new features to support service oriented architectures (SOA) and significantly reduce the time to develop operational reports.

Citect has released a new version of its Ampla manufacturing execution system (MES) software to drive the effective planning, operation and improvement of production operations.

Ampla V3.2 provides new features to support service oriented architectures (SOA) and significantly reduce the time to develop operational reports.

"Service oriented architecture or SOA is being rapidly adopted as a key to enterprise architectures by leading companies in mining and manufacturing", says Colette Munro, Global Director, Ampla.

"SOA allows multiple applications to provide and consume services using standards, which in turn provides our clients with faster integration and more flexible business processes".

"The move to SOA has also enabled us to deliver new services to our customers more rapidly".

Ampla V3.2 uses a new web service layer to support SOA and Ampla's web services have been designed up-front for platform independence and broad interoperability, including culture invariance, time zone independence, WS-I compliance testing and Java interoperability testing.

According to Bob Mick, Vice President, ARC Advisory Group: "SOA-based solutions allow companies to assemble application components, such as data models, business rules, user interfaces, and workflows, to meet their specific business requirements".

"The flexibility of these 'composite applications' allows companies to reconfigure their processes more quickly and effectively in response to changing business conditions or customer requirements".

As part of its focus on standards and connectivity, Ampla V3.2 now also connects more seamlessly to standard reporting tools such as Microsoft Reporting Services, Crystal Reports and others.

This allows IT departments and end-users to more easily leverage their existing reporting infrastructures.

"Using Ampla's new reporting features, we have been able to build sophisticated operational reports faster than ever before", says Shaun Smith, General Manager, Primatec.

"Ampla's data management is unique in its ability to prepare data for reports".

This release also features the inclusion of an online knowledge base.

"With a growing number of system integrators configuring Ampla, there is a need for access to technical articles and support", says Colette Munro.

In addition, new support for Spanish and Portuguese (Brazilian) languages has been delivered to bring Ampla's proven ROI in mining and manufacturing to the rapidly growing South American market.

"2008 will be another challenging year for the mining and manufacturing industries", says John Ross, CEO Citect: "Strong demands for growth will need to be balanced against efficiency".

"Ampla V3.2 will make it easier for operations management executives to understand and improve plant performance".