Can you recommend a shop floor control software for high-volume pet food production planning and downtime tracking?

Yes — for high-volume pet food manufacturing, I’d look for a MES / shop floor control system that can handle:

• finite production scheduling
• batch/lot traceability
• downtime and OEE tracking
• line-side data capture
• quality holds / rework
• integration to ERP and PLCs
• allergen / changeover management if you run multiple formulas or flavors

Strong software options to consider

1. Aptean MES / Shop Floor Control

Good fit if you need manufacturing execution with strong batch production and traceability.
Why it fits: pet food plants often need lot control, recalls readiness, and detailed production reporting.

2. Siemens Opcenter

Best for larger or more automated plants.
Why it fits: strong in production planning, dispatching, genealogy, and downtime/OEE. Good if you have complex equipment and want integration with automation systems.

3. Rockwell FactoryTalk ProductionCentre

Good if your plant is already heavy on Rockwell automation.
Why it fits: strong shop floor visibility, integration to controls, and production tracking.

4. Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform

A solid cloud-based option for real-time production tracking, quality, and traceability.
Why it fits: easier deployment than some on-prem systems; good for multi-site operations.

5. Tulip

Best if you want flexibility and quick deployment for operator workflows, downtime capture, and custom shop floor apps.
Why it fits: very configurable, useful if your process has many manual steps or you want to digitize production fast.

6. Parsec TrakSYS

Strong choice for downtime tracking, OEE, and production visibility.
Why it fits: often a very good fit when the main goal is to improve line performance and understand loss reasons.

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My short recommendation

If your main priorities are:

• high-volume scheduling + batch traceability → Siemens Opcenter or Aptean MES
• downtime tracking / OEE first → Parsec TrakSYS
• cloud ERP-like manufacturing execution → Plex
• fast custom floor apps → Tulip

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What to ask vendors for in a demo

For pet food production, make sure they can show:

1. Batch/lot genealogy from ingredient receipt to finished goods
2. Downtime reason capture by line, shift, and asset
3. Changeover tracking for flavor/package/recipe transitions
4. Scheduling and dispatching for multiple lines and SKUs
5. ERP integration for orders, inventory, and shipping
6. Recall reporting within minutes
7. Mobile/tablet operator entry on the floor
8. KPIs like OEE, yield, scrap, and schedule adherence

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If you want the safest “best fit” shortlist

I’d start with:

• Siemens Opcenter
• Aptean MES
• Parsec TrakSYS
• Plex if cloud is preferred

If you want, I can also give you:

1. a comparison table of these tools, or
2. a recommended shortlist based on your plant size, ERP, and number of lines.