The MES Accelerator
Stop guessing what's happening on your shop floor. Build real-time production visibility—with architecture that doesn't break when things change.
I work as your external architect while your team builds MES capabilities. You get proven patterns from 30+ metals companies. Your team keeps the knowledge.
Start the conversationYou're managing yesterday, not today
Friday morning. Customer calls about their order.
You check the ERP—it says "in production." But what does that mean? Is it at the laser? Waiting for bending? Stuck in welding because someone's missing a drawing?
So you walk to the shop floor. Again.
This is the gap most metal fabricators live in. Your ERP knows what should happen. Your shop floor knows what is happening. Nothing connects them except people walking around asking questions.
Planning is guesswork
You rebuild the schedule every morning because yesterday didn't go as expected. Rush orders blow everything up. You can't answer "when will it ship?" without making calls.
Assembly stalls
Complex orders wait because nobody knew three parts were still at coating. Someone finds out when they go looking for them.
Operators administrate instead of produce
Paper travelers. Logging times by hand. Hunting for drawings. Half the day isn't producing—it's paperwork.
Problems surface too late
Scrap gets discovered after shipping. Bottlenecks get discovered after the deadline passed.
You've tried to fix this before. An integration that cost €30k and worked until the next software update. Vendor demos that looked great but never fit your actual process.
So nothing changes. And every week, money leaks through problems you can't see.
Production visibility that actually works
Imagine opening one screen and seeing every order—where it is, what's blocking it, whether it'll ship on time.
Planning works from reality, not hope. When a machine goes down or a rush order lands, you see the impact immediately.
Assembly knows exactly when their parts arrive. The system tracks every operation and relationship—no more walking the floor to hunt down components.
Operators scan a job, see their work instructions and attachments, log completion. Done. Feedback flows back automatically—times, quantities, quality checks—without paperwork.
And when things change—a new machine, a different ERP, another production cell—the system grows with you. No rewiring. No six-month integration project.
This is what MES capabilities give you. Not a software package. A production nervous system you actually control.
How the Accelerator works
The MES Accelerator is an advisory program where I work as your external architect. You assign an internal champion—someone who understands your production. Together we design and build MES capabilities that fit your operation.
Build the architecture
I design a Unified Namespace—a central hub where your systems and machines publish and subscribe to data. No point-to-point integrations that break on every update. Your ERP, machines, and MES connect to one place.
Define what data to publish
Work orders. Operations. Resources. Relationships between parts and assemblies. Attachments and drawings. I map exactly what your shop floor needs to see and capture.
Build your own business app
No off-the-shelf software you have to work around. An application I build together with your team, exactly for your processes—work orders, logistics, quality, issue tracking, performance. Modules you need, without what you don't. Runs on proven platforms, but it's completely yours.
Prepare the feedback loop
Production data flows back automatically—cycle times, quantities completed, quality checks. You see what's actually happening instead of what was planned.
The rhythm
- Weekly sessions where we work through architecture decisions and I demonstrate how to implement specific capabilities
- Bi-weekly demos to management showing working functionality—not slides
- Email support between sessions when questions come up
- Templates and patterns from 30+ metals implementations so you're not starting from scratch
Your team does the building—internal staff or implementation partners I can connect you with. You keep the knowledge. No dependency on me when the program ends.
Why this approach doesn't break
Most integration projects fail because they're built wrong. Machine A connects to System B connects to Database C. Point-to-point spaghetti—expensive to build, breaks on every update, doesn't scale.
The Accelerator uses a different approach: a Unified Namespace.
It's a central hub where everything connects. Your laser cutter publishes its status. Your ERP publishes work orders. Your MES listens to both and displays the result. Add a machine? It publishes to the same hub. Replace your ERP? Just reconnect—no rewiring.
What I structure
- Work orders and operations — what needs to happen, in what sequence
- Resources and relationships — which parts belong to which assemblies, what depends on what
- Attachments — drawings, 3D models, instructions available at the machine
- Feedback data — times, quantities, quality checks flowing back to planning
This is event-driven architecture. When something happens on the shop floor, every connected system knows immediately. No batch updates. No overnight syncs. Real-time.
The tools are open standards—MQTT, Sparkplug B, open-source options. No vendor lock-in. You own the architecture.
Results, not features
MES capabilities solve specific problems. Here's what clients typically build during the Accelerator—and why it matters.
Know if you're profitable before shipping
Real-time cycle times and labor tracking. Compare actual production against quoted hours while the order is still running—not after it shipped.
Stop firefighting delivery dates
Live order status across every operation. See what's blocked, what's waiting, what's on track. Answer customer questions without walking the floor.
Reduce administrative burden
Operators produce instead of filling out paper. Digital logging means data flows automatically. Less paperwork, more output.
Handle complex assemblies without chaos
Track relationships between parts, sub-assemblies, and operations. Assembly knows exactly what's ready and what's still coming.
Connect any machine without custom integration
The Unified Namespace approach handles mixed environments—TRUMPF next to Safan next to a 20-year-old press brake. New equipment plugs in without rewiring everything.
Build a foundation for AI and automation
Structured, contextualized data opens the door to AI agents, predictive analytics, and automation. You're not locked into today's capabilities.
Ready to build production visibility?
Let's talk about your situation and whether the Accelerator fits.
Get in TouchThis is a conversation, not a sales pitch. We'll discuss where you are, what's not working, and whether this approach makes sense for your operation.
Always included
- Weekly sessions (advisory, co-creation or demos)
- Architecture and technical guidance
- Templates and proven patterns
- Chat/email support
- 3-month program
Available separately
- Development (depends on chosen option)
- On-site visits (quoted separately)
- Team training (available separately)
What Clients Say
"I highly recommend Luke for his exceptional expertise in digitalization and process optimization. Thanks to his commitment and knowledge, we have made significant strides in improving our efficiency and internal collaboration."
Ing. Laurens Singeling
Singeling Constructie-Lastechniek B.V.
"The professional and goal-oriented approach, combined with extensive technical knowledge, resulted in a stable integration. A valuable consultant."
Yves Hesemans
P&G Metaalwerk
"Our investments in automation projects with Luke lead to shorter lead times and lower cost prices."
Ton Koridon
Koridon Industrieel Plaatbewerking B.V.
"Luke's knowledge of digitization helps us make decisions for our smart factory."
Willem Hoek
SAG Alutech B.V.
Questions you probably have
"We've worked with consultants before. They left a report and nothing changed."
The Accelerator delivers working demos every two weeks—not documentation. Your team builds real capabilities during the program. There's something functioning at the end, not just recommendations.
"We don't have internal developers or IT staff."
You need one champion who understands your production—not necessarily IT. For implementation, I can connect you with partners who know this architecture, or we can scope development work separately.
"Is this going to lock us into specific software?"
No. The architecture uses open standards (MQTT, Unified Namespace). Eryxon MES is one option—it's open-source—but the approach works with other platforms too. The point is building something you control.
"What if our machines are old or from mixed brands?"
This is normal. Most clients have TRUMPF next to Safan next to a 20-year-old press brake. The Unified Namespace approach handles mixed environments—that's exactly what it's designed for.
"Can you just build it for us?"
Implementation work is available separately, either from me or through partners I work with. The Accelerator itself is advisory—you get the architecture and guidance, your team gains the capability to own and extend it.
"What if we're not sure what we need yet?"
That's often where we start. The first sessions focus on understanding your current state and defining what capabilities will make the biggest impact. You don't need a finished plan—you need clarity on where to begin.
I know what breaks when the pressure's on
15 years on shop floors across Europe. Laser cutting, bending, welding, assembly. 30+ metal fabrication companies in 6 countries.
I've seen operators hate a system on day one. Integrations crash the moment they went live. Executives who just want to know if they're on schedule.
I know the difference between a demo that looks good and a system that works when a rush order lands Friday afternoon.
I'm independent. No vendor affiliations. No software commissions. My advice is based on what works for your situation—not what earns me a kickback.
Stop managing yesterday
Real-time visibility. Architecture that scales. Knowledge your team keeps.
Start the conversationI work with a limited number of Accelerator clients at a time to ensure proper attention. If timing doesn't align right now, we can discuss future availability or a different starting point.