What is a manufacturing execution system (MES)?
A manufacturing execution system, or MES, tracks and controls what happens on the factory floor in real time. It connects the high level production plan to the actual machines, materials, and people making the product, and reports back what really happened.
An MES tracks and controls what happens on the floor and reports back what really happened.
Which order is on which line, how fast, with what yield, and where it is stuck.
ERP plans and manages the business; MES runs and monitors the actual production.
Planning software says what should be built. An MES knows what is being built right now: which order is on which line, how fast, with what yield, and where it is stuck. That live picture is what lets a plant react instead of guessing.
- Which order is on which line
- How fast
- With what yield
- Where it is stuck
It is the layer that turns a factory from a black box into something you can measure and improve hour by hour.
Figure 1. Where an MES sits between the plan and the floor
Drawn from this article: planning software says what should be built, and an MES connects the high level production plan to the actual machines, materials, and people making the product, and reports back what really happened. Structure only; no measured values.
Sthenos built an MES for a manufacturing firm, giving the floor real time visibility and control. A proof of concept on one production line is a common first step.
What is the difference between MES and ERP?
ERP plans and manages the business. MES runs and monitors the actual production on the floor.
ERP
The business- Plans and manages the business
MES
The factory floor- Runs and monitors the actual production
- Knows what is being built right now
- Reports back what really happened
Related services: IoT development.
Related reading
Related terms:
Services: Manufacturing
