Ujigami | Top Manufacturing Execution System MES 2025
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Ujigami
Transforming Manufacturing Execution

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Edward Dickson, Ujigami | Manufacturing Tech Insights | Top Manufacturing Execution System MESEdward Dickson, CEO
Ujigami is making significant strides in the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) space by offering a comprehensive and efficient solution that prioritizes real-time coordination and control, complete traceability and robust reporting. With over 25 years of experience, the company has successfully developed and widely deployed a dynamic active control approach to manufacturing.

In its early days, MES was seen as a tool to coordinate, control, and report on the manufacturing processes. However, according to Edward Dickson, CEO of Ujigami, the industry’s view of MES has devolved to simple data collection and monitoring.

“But we have retained our focus on coordination and active real-time control, ensuring that the Ujigami software is not just collecting data, but actively managing and improving the processes as they occur,” explains Dickson.

Ujigami’s unique approach is built on its ability to handle real-time data processing and rules based decision making with minimal latency. Unlike most other MES solutions that respond to data inputs in seconds, Ujigami’s system works in milliseconds, making it capable of controlling processes at a speed that drives tangible productivity gains. This real-time capability allows Ujigami to take on functionality typically programmed in PLCs. Ujigami’s MES solution can be configured (no programming required) to replace the logic embedded within PLCs, simplifying machine control and eliminating unnecessary complexities while improving machine speed, efficiency and uptime.

Ujigami’s active controls are easily configured by a technical employee with no knowledge of programming. Ujigami builds on the familiar tools of process flow diagrams, control plans and work instructions.

“If someone can create a work instruction, they can configure Ujigami. But instead of being a static document that few people reference, Ujigami takes active control of the manufacture of every part to ensure it is produced to specification” states Dickson. “Ujigami is like having your best supervisor continuously working directly with every machine and operator to ensure all tasks and processes are completed to specification. And if a problem arises, Ujigami automatically invokes containment and corrective actions.”

  • We have retained our focus on coordination and active real-time control, ensuring that the Ujigami software is not just collecting data, but actively managing and improving the processes as they occur.


In addition, Ujigami’s contextual graphical work instructions are displayed to operators and setup personnel at the correct time that the information is required. Because Ujigami can be easily connected to every device and operation, and has intimate control of the manufacturing process, Ujigami is able to provide detailed traceability and extensive reporting.

In addition to its real-time control and coordination features, Ujigami offers a robust suite of browser-based reporting tools. These include customizable scoreboards and dashboards, which display critical metrics like parts per hour and cycle time, giving employees immediate feedback on their performance. This helps drive Continuous Improvement by allowing users to see how they’re doing in real time. Furthermore, Ujigami’s reporting capabilities extend beyond basic metrics to include comprehensive OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) calculations and real-time metrics such as Mean Time between Failure and Mean Time To Repair. These insights help organizations identify performance opportunities and areas of excellence, allowing them to celebrate successes and focus on solving critical problems. And Ujigami’s direct connection to ERP systems enables those systems to perform more effectively as well.

In a market where speed, accuracy, and real-time insights are critical, Ujigami stands out as a game-changer in the MES space. Its system provides the tools needed to control and coordinate production and a deep reservoir of data that can be leveraged for continuous performance improvements. With its commitment to real-time control and insightful reporting, Ujigami is helping manufacturers stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive industry.

Deep Dive

Restoring Control in Manufacturing Execution Systems

Manufacturing execution systems have drifted from their original purpose. What began as a layer responsible for coordinating production, controlling processes and reporting outcomes has, in many environments, narrowed into a passive data collector. Reporting has migrated toward specialized business intelligence platforms, leaving many execution systems detached from the real-time decisions that determine throughput, quality and consistency on the plant floor. For executives evaluating modern manufacturing execution software, the central question is no longer how well a system captures data, but whether it can actively govern production as it unfolds. Effective systems distinguish themselves by their ability to coordinate machines, operators and process logic within a single, continuously responsive framework. Production environments operate at a level of variability that static scheduling or post-process reporting cannot address. Each unit may require different parameters, instructions or routing decisions depending on configuration, demand or upstream conditions. Systems that translate process plans into executable, unit-level instructions, then dynamically adjust equipment settings or routing decisions in real time, create a level of control that aligns output with specification without slowing throughput. Traceability remains a non-negotiable requirement, though its value depends on how it is generated. Static logs or batch-level records fall short when manufacturers need a complete, unit-level understanding of how a product was built. A more advanced approach captures every interaction between machine, operator and process condition, linking it to a single production instance. This produces a continuous record that reflects not only what was done, but whether each step met defined specifications before the product progressed. Such traceability strengthens compliance, reduces rework and supports faster root-cause analysis without introducing friction into the workflow. " Ujigami’s digital instruction framework ensures that operators receive precise, unit-specific guidance in their preferred language, improving clarity and consistency across the workforce. " Operator coordination has emerged as another defining factor. Labor constraints and multilingual workforces introduce complexity that traditional systems rarely address. Systems that deliver step-specific, context-aware instructions tailored to each unit, combined with automatic language adaptation based on operator profiles, reduce ambiguity and training dependency. This ensures that execution quality does not vary with experience levels or language proficiency, preserving consistency across shifts and locations. The role of integration has also shifted. Rather than acting as a reporting hub, modern execution systems must function as a control layer that interfaces directly with equipment, enterprise systems and external analytics platforms. Data collection supports this role, though its primary purpose is to enable immediate validation and adjustment rather than retrospective analysis. Organizations increasingly prefer to pair such systems with independent analytics platforms, allowing reporting flexibility without compromising execution discipline. Ujigami reflects this transition by repositioning the execution system as an active controller of manufacturing processes. It connects directly to equipment, sensors and operator workflows, enabling it to manage both machine behavior and human actions in real time. It constructs and continuously manages a detailed, step-by-step production path for each unit, determining routing, parameters and sequencing while production is in motion. Its digital instruction framework ensures that operators receive precise, unit-specific guidance in their preferred language, improving clarity and consistency across the workforce. Its approach to traceability extends beyond standard logging by generating a complete production record for every unit, capturing process data, validation outcomes and supporting evidence such as images. This allows manufacturers to verify compliance at each stage before progression or release. Its integration model supports enterprise systems and external analytics platforms while maintaining control at the execution level. For organizations prioritizing real-time coordination, consistent output and full traceability without sacrificing speed, it presents a strong alternative to traditional manufacturing execution systems. ...Read more
Top Manufacturing Execution System MES 2025

Company
Ujigami

Management
Edward Dickson, CEO

Description
Ujigami is making significant strides in the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) space by offering a comprehensive and efficient solution that prioritizes real-time coordination and control, complete traceability and robust reporting.