Introducing Tamaki MES
What is Tamaki MES?
Tamaki MES is a Manufacturing Execution System delivered as a module for Inductive Automation's Ignition platform. It gives manufacturers a shared model of their plant: locations, materials, people, orders, inventory: and the tools to monitor and control production against that model in real time.
Rather than replace the systems you already run, Tamaki MES sits next to them on the gateway you already have: it stores its data in your database, exposes its functions through Ignition's Jython scripting environment, and ships an inheritable Perspective project you build on top of.
Design principles
Four ideas shape every module in Tamaki MES:
-
Built on Ignition, not beside it. Tamaki MES uses Ignition's tag provider, datasource manager, security profiles, audit log, and module system. There is no second runtime to maintain, no separate auth, no shadow tag tree.
-
Script API first. The primary integration surface is
system.mes.*in Jython. Anything you can do in the UI, you can drive from a gateway script, a tag event, or a button. -
Inheritable UI. The shipped Perspective project is designed to be a parent. Your own project sets
TamakiMESas its parent and inherits every view, style, and resource. When Tamaki ships an update, you re-import: your customizations stay in your project, untouched. -
Your data, your database. Entities live in your SQL database with stable schemas: ULID primary keys, soft delete via
enabled, audit fields (createdBy,createdDate,modifiedBy,modifiedDate) on every record. MariaDB, MySQL, MSSQL, and PostgreSQL are all first-class.
Architecture at a glance
A Tamaki MES installation has four parts:
| Component | What it is | Where it lives |
|---|---|---|
| Ignition gateway | The runtime that hosts everything | Your server |
Tamaki MES .modl | Services, Script API, database migrations, tag provider | Installed on the gateway via Config → Modules |
| MES database | All entity tables (locations, materials, orders, inventory, OEE, …): schema-managed by the module on startup | An empty schema in MariaDB / MySQL / MSSQL / PostgreSQL that you connect via a gateway datasource |
| Tamaki MES Perspective project | The inheritable UI: views, styles, navigation, configuration screens | Imported in Designer; your child project sets it as parent |
The module and the Perspective project are versioned together. Download both from tamakisoftware.com/downloads and keep their versions in sync.
What you build with it
Tamaki MES is licensed as a Core Platform plus a set of optional product modules: Order Execution, Inventory Management, OEE & Performance, Quality Assurance. The Product Modules page describes what each one gives you. Pricing and availability are on the Tamaki Software pricing page.
Where to start
Work through this section in order:
- Tamaki MES and Ignition: How the module integrates with Ignition's tag provider, security, datasource, and Perspective.
- Product Modules: What Core, Order Execution, Inventory, OEE, and Quality each contain.
- System Requirements: Ignition version, required IA modules, supported databases, hardware notes.
- Installation: Install the module, license it, point it at a database, configure settings.
- Perspective Project Setup: Install the UI project and use it as a parent for your own.
- Best Practices: Patterns to follow before you scale up.
Other resources
- Ignition User Manual: The underlying platform's documentation.
- User Guides: Feature-specific, task-oriented guides.
- Appendix: Data model reference and full Script API documentation.