Manufacturing execution system (MES) software is used by manufacturers to monitor the production process. Manufacturing companies benefit from MES by tracking real-time production data, which they can use to optimize the production output. Manufacturing execution systems is used mostly by production managers, shop floor supervisors, and the employees involved in the production process. Managers and supervisors utilize MES software to implement production plans and monitor efficiency, as well as to detect potential issues and implement corrective actions. Shop floor employees use this type of software to follow their work schedules, allocate resources to the right workstation for each production stage, and alert supervisors and managers when something goes wrong.
MES software requires data from supervisory control and data acquisition systems (SCADA), which are utilized to manage and control the equipment used in production. It is also critical for manufacturers to integrate this type of software with their ERP solutions to transfer information on production performance, materials consumption, and so on. For large and complex manufacturing processes, it is important to integrate MES with solutions such as product lifecycle management (PLM), supply chain management, and enterprise asset management (EAM).
To qualify for inclusion in the Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) category, a product must:
- Implement production plans and schedules and adjust them when required
- Allocate resources (human and material) to each production stage and activity
- Provide shop floor employees with detailed plans on which tasks to perform during the production cycle
- Deliver visual representations of the shop floor as well as physical locations of workstations and equipment
- Allow managers to monitor movements of materials and personnel on the shop floor in real time
- Capture data from SCADA systems and analyze it to track equipment performance
- Help managers identify potential production issues and take action when needed
- Include reports, dashboards, and analytics capabilities to track production output, resource utilization, or equipment performance
