Definition
A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) manages and tracks production execution on the shop floor (dispatching work, tracking material and product genuinely moving through the process, and recording actual output) bridging order-level planning (ERP) with real-time equipment and process activity (SCADA, DCS, PLCs). It is production-focused, distinct from CMMS, which is maintenance-focused.
Key facts
- Focused specifically on production execution and tracking, not maintenance work management (the role of a CMMS).
- Bridges ERP-level planning (what should be produced) with shop-floor equipment activity (what is actually happening).
- Records actual production data (output, scrap, cycle time) often feeding OEE calculations directly.
- Typically integrates with, rather than replaces, both ERP above it and control systems (SCADA, PLCs) below it.
How does Manufacturing Execution System work in maintenance?
An MES manages the real-time execution of production (dispatching work to machines and operators, tracking material and product as they move through the process, and recording actual output, scrap, and cycle times) connecting high-level production plans to what is actually happening on the shop floor.
What does Manufacturing Execution System require?
A CMMS manages maintenance work; an MES manages production execution: the two are complementary but distinct systems, sometimes integrated so a machine's downtime events (tracked by MES) can trigger or inform maintenance work orders (managed by CMMS). MES-recorded output and cycle-time data commonly feeds the performance and quality components of OEE directly.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which production execution is controlled or documented by an MES?
A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) controls and documents shop-floor production execution (dispatching work, tracking material and output) bridging ERP-level planning with real-time equipment activity.
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