Modern manufacturing enterprises have to perform increasingly complex, interrelated tasks - efficiently. iTAC Software AG has responded to this growing need to optimize business processes in global production networks by placing its Manufacturing Execution System (MES) on a new technological footing. iTAC's MES is the first such solution to be based on the latest Java EE technology.
The iTAC.MES.Suite has been successfully migrated to Java EE 5, which means that it now satisfies all requirements for SaaS or cloud computing-based operation. iTAC introduced this new technology so that its customers can achieve their ambitious objectives despite today's increasingly short production cycles, growing system complexity, pressure to streamline production operations and growing quality requirements.
"Our main priority in the development of the iTAC.MES.Suite 7 was to respond to market signals and ensure that our software remains a sustainable solution," said Dieter Meuser, iTAC’s CTO. "There's been significant demand for the new release, even though it has only just been launched. Several customers will be in production before the end of this quarter."
Long-term investment security and focus on future models
All of the proven iTAC.MES.Suite functions will remain in place. The new release's downward compatibility with the previous version means that all of iTAC's existing customers can easily upgrade to the latest iTAC.MES.Suite technology and further optimize their TCO.
The main feature of the new release is an architecture based on the internationally recognized, manufacturer-independent Java EE 5 industry standard. All strategic Java application server platforms – the core element of professional business applications - support this standard.
Another integral component of version 7 is the new platform-independent, scalable and high-availability iTAC technology platform, "ARTES" . It enables the seamless integration of heterogeneous, production-related IT infrastructures, which are by nature highly complex.
iTAC is focusing on cloud computing, a future technology that enterprises are increasingly using to solve the problems associated with legacy systems. Software as a Service (SaaS) is also gaining in significance. "We aim to provide customers and operators with an efficient architecture, transparency and a high level of service quality at minimum cost. Many companies are today opting for optimization concepts such as cloud computing or SaaS. Our technology supports these," added Meuser.
An overview of the new technology and its advantages
The Java EE 5 industry standard is a reliable, efficient and scalable platform for enterprise applications. Java EE 5 enables the simple integration of the iTAC.MES.Suite in ERP, PLM and legacy systems with standardized enterprise connectors. It is then easy to use information services, perform transaction handling, resource management, database abstraction and other functions. Another feature is real-time process monitoring via a multi-channel architecture. Java EE 5 minimizes configuration requirements, which considerably simplifies the maintenance and administration of the iTAC.MES.Suite.
The Java EE 5 industrial standard is supported by leading Java Application Server platforms such as Oracle Fusion, IBM WebSphere, SAP NetWeaver, Red Hat JBoss and Sun Java System Application Server.
Machine integration is facilitated by the company's own ARTES platform and the iTAC.MES.Suite's unicode-capable IMS-API service. ARTES facilitates the monitoring of machine interfaces and client components via the application server's administration consoles and the efficient integration of heterogeneous machine parks.
An investment for the present and the future
Dieter Meuser summarized, "The iTAC.MES.Suite 7 on Java EE 5 is scalable, high-availability and downwardly compatible – offering a genuine USP compared with other MES solutions. High investment security and low operating costs with increasing productivity are just two of the results."
The iTAC.MES.Suite has been successfully migrated to Java EE 5, which means that it now satisfies all requirements for SaaS or cloud computing-based operation. iTAC introduced this new technology so that its customers can achieve their ambitious objectives despite today's increasingly short production cycles, growing system complexity, pressure to streamline production operations and growing quality requirements.
"Our main priority in the development of the iTAC.MES.Suite 7 was to respond to market signals and ensure that our software remains a sustainable solution," said Dieter Meuser, iTAC’s CTO. "There's been significant demand for the new release, even though it has only just been launched. Several customers will be in production before the end of this quarter."
Long-term investment security and focus on future models
All of the proven iTAC.MES.Suite functions will remain in place. The new release's downward compatibility with the previous version means that all of iTAC's existing customers can easily upgrade to the latest iTAC.MES.Suite technology and further optimize their TCO.
The main feature of the new release is an architecture based on the internationally recognized, manufacturer-independent Java EE 5 industry standard. All strategic Java application server platforms – the core element of professional business applications - support this standard.
Another integral component of version 7 is the new platform-independent, scalable and high-availability iTAC technology platform, "ARTES" . It enables the seamless integration of heterogeneous, production-related IT infrastructures, which are by nature highly complex.
iTAC is focusing on cloud computing, a future technology that enterprises are increasingly using to solve the problems associated with legacy systems. Software as a Service (SaaS) is also gaining in significance. "We aim to provide customers and operators with an efficient architecture, transparency and a high level of service quality at minimum cost. Many companies are today opting for optimization concepts such as cloud computing or SaaS. Our technology supports these," added Meuser.
An overview of the new technology and its advantages
The Java EE 5 industry standard is a reliable, efficient and scalable platform for enterprise applications. Java EE 5 enables the simple integration of the iTAC.MES.Suite in ERP, PLM and legacy systems with standardized enterprise connectors. It is then easy to use information services, perform transaction handling, resource management, database abstraction and other functions. Another feature is real-time process monitoring via a multi-channel architecture. Java EE 5 minimizes configuration requirements, which considerably simplifies the maintenance and administration of the iTAC.MES.Suite.
The Java EE 5 industrial standard is supported by leading Java Application Server platforms such as Oracle Fusion, IBM WebSphere, SAP NetWeaver, Red Hat JBoss and Sun Java System Application Server.
Machine integration is facilitated by the company's own ARTES platform and the iTAC.MES.Suite's unicode-capable IMS-API service. ARTES facilitates the monitoring of machine interfaces and client components via the application server's administration consoles and the efficient integration of heterogeneous machine parks.
An investment for the present and the future
Dieter Meuser summarized, "The iTAC.MES.Suite 7 on Java EE 5 is scalable, high-availability and downwardly compatible – offering a genuine USP compared with other MES solutions. High investment security and low operating costs with increasing productivity are just two of the results."
