Highlights from the First Metaal Connect LIVE of 2026
The first livestream of 2026 covered Manufacturing Execution Systems, the Core Four and four routes to MES. I closed with an announcement I had been keeping under wraps: ERYXON is going open source.
Hi,
The first livestream of the year hit the ground running: a deep-dive into Manufacturing Execution Systems, wrapped up with an announcement I had been keeping under wraps for a while.
The core message: MES is not a product
One essential insight every metalworker needs to understand is that a powerful MES is not a software package you simply buy.
It is a function in your factory, the live navigation of your production. Where your ERP is your route planner (what needs to be where, and when), MES is your real-time navigation telling you where you are right now and what your next turn should be.
Hierover schreef ik eerder:
Want to learn more about MES? Read the complete MES guide for metalworking →
The "Core Four", where you should start at minimum
During the stream I outlined four core functions every metal company should have:
1. Real-time order status
If there is one thing you should sort out today: a dashboard where you can see the status of every order in a single click. Which department it is at, how many orders are running simultaneously, which are on time and which are late. This is 2026, if you do not have this digitally yet, start here.
Hierover schreef ik eerder:
2. Daily fine scheduling
Not the MRP run in your ERP (that is too coarse), but day-to-day rescheduling. Operators know what has priority, and when something changes you can reschedule immediately.
3. OEE measurement
Overall Equipment Effectiveness remains the strongest indicator. Availability × performance × quality. From my experience: the vast majority of companies have no clear picture of this, while it is enormously valuable.
4. Downtime registration
Low barrier, immediate registration. Not filling it in after the fact, but at the moment itself. That is how you spot patterns and drive structural improvement.
Four routes to MES
During the webinar I walked through four approaches, each with its own trade-offs:
| Route | Advantage | Disadvantage |
|---|---|---|
| ERP extension (e.g. Ridder, MKG, Bemet) | Single vendor, direct integration | Limited real-time, little customization |
| Specialist apps (e.g. Propos, Azumuta, WeldEye) | Deep in one domain | Multiple vendors, integration work |
| Machine software (e.g. TRUMPF Oseon, BySoft) | Strong machine connectivity | Tied to one brand, not universal |
| Open technology + UNS | Maximum flexibility, scalability | Requires technical knowledge |
That last route, building on a Unified Namespace with open standards, is what I see as the strongest option in 2026 for companies that are serious about scaling with AI and agents.
The announcement: ERYXON is open source
This was the premiere of the stream: ERYXON, an MES system I developed myself using AI coding tools, is going open source. The source code will be available after the English stream next week.
What is included:
- Real-time order status per department
- Operator assignment to specific parts
- Issue tracking with photos
- Simplified capacity planning (dynamic rescheduling)
- PDF viewer and 3D viewer in the browser
- API connections for UNS integration
The idea: installing locally is free. The hosted version may become paid (only to cover server costs), but the code stays open.
Why this matters now
The tools to build this yourself matured in 2025. With AI coders like Claude Code, Lovable, and Cursor you can build working applications in a short time. ERYXON is proof of that, the first version was up and running within a week.
That does not mean you have to build everything yourself. But it does mean that dependence on expensive, inflexible systems is no longer necessary.
Watch and try it out:
- Watch the replay on YouTube →
- Try ERYXON → (test version, may still be unstable)
- Complete MES guide →
Next week: the same stream in English, and the source code goes live.
Questions about MES implementation in your situation? Get in touch for a no-obligation conversation.
Talk soon,
Luke
