Schedule a Meeting →  

    Home  ›  Blog  ›  PLC, MES, ERP Integration  

   

PLC, MES, ERP Integration: A Practical Guide for Industrial AI

   

Published by AeroAI.Dynamics — Engineering Intelligence. For Industry.

   

An AI vision system that can't communicate with your factory is just an expensive camera. The real value of industrial computer vision comes from seamless integration with the systems that run your production: PLCs, MES, and ERP.

   

At AeroAI, we've designed our platform to plug into existing industrial infrastructure without requiring a factory overhaul. Here's how it works.

   

The Three Layers of Factory Integration

   

Layer 1: PLC — Real-Time Control

   

The Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is the brain of your production line. It controls motors, conveyors, and actuators. When our AI detects a defect, the PLC needs to know immediately.

   

We connect via:

   

     
• OPC UA — the industry standard for secure, real-time machine-to-machine communication
     
• MQTT — lightweight, fast, ideal for high-frequency inspection data
     
• Digital I/O — direct hardware trigger for instant stop/reject signals
   

   

Layer 2: MES — Production Analytics

   

The Manufacturing Execution System (MES) tracks every product, every batch, every operator action. Our platform feeds inspection data directly into MES, giving you real-time dashboards on quality metrics.

   

Integration via REST API and MQTT Sparkplug ensures your MES always has the latest defect counts, pass rates, and trend analysis.

   

Layer 3: ERP — Business Intelligence

   

The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system needs quality data for supplier scoring, cost analysis, and compliance reporting. Our platform exports structured JSON and CSV reports that plug directly into SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, and other ERP systems.

   

Why Integration Matters: A Real-World Example

   

A customer in automotive manufacturing had a manual inspection station checking 40 parts per minute. Defects were recorded on paper, entered into MES at the end of the shift, and analysed in ERP once a month.

   

After integrating AeroAI:

   

     
• PLC received defect signal in 6.8 ms — automatic reject activated
     
• MES dashboard updated in real time — shift manager saw quality drop within minutes
     
• ERP received daily quality reports automatically — no manual data entry
   

   

Result: 70% reduction in scrap and zero paperwork for quality control.

   

Getting Started with Integration

   

Every factory is different. We start with a technical audit of your existing PLC, MES, and ERP systems, then design an integration plan that works with your infrastructure — not against it.

   

Ready to connect your AI inspection to the rest of your factory?

    Schedule a Meeting →