Swope Consulting is led by Matthew Swope, Principal Digital Manufacturing Architect, with more than 30 years of manufacturing automation experience and over 20 years across MES/SCADA, IT/OT integration, and digital manufacturing.
Experience spans more than 30 manufacturing modernization and transformation projects, with involvement ranging from strategic planning, architecture, and roadmap development through implementation and production support. Selected examples below represent engagements through Swope Consulting and previous roles. They are intentionally anonymized and distinguish architectural recommendations from implemented capabilities.
30+Years manufacturing automation
20+Years MES/SCADA and IT/OT
30+Manufacturing modernization and transformation projectsEngagements ranged in scope from strategic planning, architecture, and roadmaps to implementation and production support.
Selected architecture engagements
Advisory work and implementation grounding.
STRATEGY / MULTI-SITE ARCHITECTUREMulti-Site Manufacturing Architecture & MES Modernization
The challenge
A multi-site industrial manufacturer was developing a digital manufacturing pilot with longer-term integration, data, governance, and expansion considerations.
The contribution
Provided architecture and advisory support across MES, ERP, operational systems, historians, and enterprise analytics. Evaluated responsibilities, integration boundaries, data ownership, and production-data strategy; identified architectural risks affecting scale and maintainability.
The value
Clarified consequential architectural decisions and developed risk assessments and recommendations for consideration before broader implementation commitments.
Digital Manufacturing Execution Architecture for a Global Manufacturer
The challenge
A technology partner was developing a manufacturing proof of concept involving operator interaction, serialized production, process-data capture, and local execution.
The contribution
Defined architectural boundaries for plant execution, visualization, enterprise integration, and data distribution. Developed considerations for event-driven integration, resilience, production context, configuration, and reusable deployment patterns.
The value
Provided design guidance and architectural recommendations for evolving demonstrated functionality toward supportable, resilient, and scalable manufacturing capabilities.
Greenfield Automotive MES & Track-and-Trace Architecture
The challenge
A new automotive assembly facility required serialized shop-floor execution, quality processes, tooling integration, and vehicle genealogy connected to enterprise production requirements.
The contribution
Served as MES Solution Architect and technical lead across requirements, architecture, and implementation. The integrated approach connected SAP, PLM, MES, and shop-floor systems around VIN-based execution, work instructions, and tooling results.
The value
Established an execution and traceability foundation linking enterprise systems with manufacturing operations and preserving production history for quality investigation and visibility.
Greenfield Battery Manufacturing MES & Genealogy
The challenge
A greenfield battery-cell operation required ERP-driven work orders connected to serialized production, equipment integration, quality controls, and multi-stage manufacturing genealogy.
The contribution
Provided architecture and delivery leadership for an MES environment integrating ERP work orders, distributed plant systems, and PLC-controlled equipment. The design incorporated mistake-proofing, quality gates, contextualized process data, and forward/reverse genealogy.
The value
Established an MES foundation for serialized production controls and traceability, with genealogy spanning material, process, and quality information.
Additional Architecture & Leadership Experience
- Reusable manufacturing architectures, integration patterns, and governance approaches supporting multi-site environments.
- Architecture and requirements leadership for MES initiatives exceeding $1 million.
- Leadership of more than 10 MES professionals across over 20 concurrent projects.
- Experience spanning requirements, development, integration, commissioning, and production support.
Representative manufacturing environmentsAutomotive & transportation · Battery and energy storage · Specialty materials · Industrial components and assembly · Building products
