5.1 MES Rollout Method (Pilot -> Line -> Factory) + Cutover Checklist

Deploying a new MES or ERP module acts as a transplant of the manufacturing facility's nervous system. A "Big Bang" deployment (switching everything at once) is a suicide pact. If the system fails, the factory stops, and revenue drops to zero.

Adopt a Phased Rollout Architecture to isolate risk and validate the solution before scaling.

The Three-Phase Strategy

Do not deploy to the whole floor until the system survives the "Golden Line."

Phase 1: The Pilot (Offline / Low Volume)

• Scope: A single NPI (New Product Introduction) line or a dedicated testing cell.
• Duration: 2–4 Weeks.
• Objective: Validate the Core Model (Integration, Label Printing, Interlocking).
• Risk: Low. No impact on mass production revenue.

Phase 2: The Golden Line (Production Beta)

• Scope: One high-volume production line running real customer orders.
• Duration: 2 Weeks.
• Objective: Stress test logic under Cycle Time Pressure and Shift Variance.
• Risk: Medium. Requires a "Rollback Plan" (ability to revert to legacy system/paper within 1 hour).

Phase 3: The Factory Rollout (Scale)

• Scope: Remaining lines in waves (e.g., 2 lines per week).
• Duration: Variable.
• Objective: Replication and Stabilization.
• Risk: High impact, but Low probability (if Phase 2 was honest).

Entry & Exit Criteria (The Gates)

Do not proceed to the next phase based on dates. Proceed only based on Metrics.

Phase	Entry Criteria	Exit Criteria
Pilot	UAT (User Acceptance Test) Sign-off. 100% Master Data loaded.	100 consecutive units produced with 0 critical errors.
Golden Line	Pilot Exit Met. Training 100% complete for Line A crews.	24 Hours continuous uptime. OEE matches or exceeds baseline.
Factory	Golden Line stable for 5 days. Hypercare team assembled.	All lines migrated. Old system Decommissioned.

The Cutover Checklist (Go-Live Weekend)

The transition from "Old" to "New" requires a surgical cutover.

The "Drain" Strategy (WIP Handling)

Migrating live WIP data is complex and prone to corruption. Avoid it if possible.

• Action: Stop loading new units into the line 24 hours prior.
• Action: Flush all existing units out to Finished Goods (FGI).
• State: Line is empty. Physical WIP = 0. System WIP = 0.

The Paper Purge

• Action: Physically remove all old paper travelers, log sheets, and cheat sheets from the floor.
• Logic: If paper exists → Then Operators will use it. Burn the boats.

Account Validation

• Action: Verify every operator on the roster has a valid Login ID and Badge Scan access.
• Test: Have the Shift Lead log in at every terminal 2 hours before start.

Connectivity Check

• Action: Ping test all PLCs, Printers, and Scanners from the VLAN.
• Action: Print one dummy label at every station.

Training & Certification

PowerPoint slides do not teach muscle memory. Training must be "Driver's Ed" style.

• Role-Based Modules:
  • Operators: "How to Start," "How to Handle Errors," "How to Reprint."
  • Line Leads: "How to Reassign Users," "How to override Interlocks."
  • Maintenance: "How to swap an Edge PC," "How to check PLC comms."
• The Certification Gate:
  • Rule: No User ID is activated in the Production Environment until the user passes a practical exam (Simulator).
  • Threshold: 100% Pass rate required.

Hypercare (The ICU)

The first 2 weeks of live production are critical. Do not treat this as "Business as Usual."

Visual Identification

• Action: IT / MES Engineers must wear distinct high-visibility vests (e.g., Orange "MES Support" Vests).
• Placement: 1 Support Engineer stationed on the line (not in the office) for every 2 active lines.

The War Room

• Cadence: Daily Standups at 08:00 (Start of Shift) and 16:00 (End of Shift).
• Agenda: Review Incident Log, Prioritize Bug Fixes, Go/No-Go for next wave.

Bug Triage SLA

During Hypercare, standard SLAs are suspended. Speed is paramount.

• Showstopper (Line Down): Response < 5 mins. Fix < 1 Hour.
• Major (Workaround available): Fix < 24 Hours.
• Minor (Cosmetic): Backlog.

Final Checklist

Category	Metric / Control	Threshold / Rule
Testing	SIT / UAT	100% of Critical Test Cases passed before Pilot.
WIP	Sanitation	Line drained to 0 units before Go-Live (Clean Start).
Access	User Validation	100% of Shift Roster tested for login access 2 hours prior.
Support	Coverage	Support Engineers physically present on-floor for first 3 shifts.
Fallback	Rollback Plan	Decision point defined (e.g., "If Line Down > 2 hours, revert to Paper").
Training	Compliance	0% of Operators allowed to login without Exam Pass.
Hardware	Spares	10% spare Scanners/Printers staged in the War Room.