MES is a production management system that monitors how planned work is actually carried out on the production floor. While ERP manages the whole order, stock, purchasing, production plan, cost and finance, MES; It focuses on field details such as which machine the work order starts on, how much is produced, where it stops, how much wastage occurs and what the quality control result is.
ERP or MES? Determine which problem you will solve first
ERP
It establishes the common plan and record order of the business, from order to purchasing, from stock to cost and finance.
MES
It monitors the operation, machine, downtime, quality, wastage and realization data in the production field in detail.
Use together
ERP plans what will be produced, when and with what source; MES feeds the field result back to ERP.
What Does MES System Do?
MES, English Manufacturing Execution System It is an abbreviation for the phrase. In Turkish, it is used as production execution system or production tracking system. Its main task is to make visible the difference between the production plan and the actual work in the field. Therefore, it is not just a screen that receives data from the machine; It should be considered as a system that establishes a record link between operator, work order, material, quality and production result.
Work order progress
Starting, waiting, completed quantity and remaining work are recorded from the field.
Stoppages and times
It is monitored for preparation, adjustment, malfunction, maintenance and waiting times.
Machine status
On suitable machines, operating, stopping, cycle and counter information can be obtained automatically.
quality control
The control result, faulty quantity, error cause and rework record are associated with production.
Waste and consumption
Solid production, waste, scrap and used materials are monitored on the same work order.
Actual performance
The planned time and amount are compared with actual results in the field.
What are the differences between ERP and MES?
Purpose
It manages the company's resources, orders and financial records in a common plan.
Manages and records how the production plan is realized in the field.
Data detail
Order, product, need, stock, purchasing, cost and accounting records.
Operation, machine, operator, cycle, downtime, quality and actual consumption.
time range
Business results with daily, weekly and periodic planning.
Field tracking by shift, hour, minute or event.
Main user
Planning, purchasing, sales, warehouse, cost, finance and management teams.
Production manager, shift supervisor, operator, maintenance and quality teams.
Retrieving data from the machine alone does not mean setting up MES
Collecting a machine's running and stopping signal is useful; however, this data has limited meaning without knowing which work order, product, operation, and operator record it belongs to. The MES approach combines machine data with the production context. In some businesses, this need can be met by the ERP's production module and simple field data collection screens. How barcode, sensor, and machine connections are converted into production records In the barcode and data collection guide in production and review it.
Which Option is More Suitable for Your Factory?
Basic production tracking
- If work orders are opened and closed regularly
- If the production amount can be entered at the end of the shift or day
- If per-second data is not required on a per-machine basis
- If waste, consumption and cost can be monitored in ERP
ERP and field data collection
- If operators need to report the start and end of work
- If record of realization via barcode or terminal is sufficient
- If counter and stop information will be received from certain machines
- If you want to establish data discipline first
Detailed and instant field management
- If many machines and operations are managed simultaneously
- If downtime reasons and cycle times will be monitored instantly
- If quality, batch or lot traceability is mandatory in the field
- If production losses cannot be seen without automatic data
How Does ERP and MES Integration Work?
Order and work order
Product, quantity, bill of materials, route, deadline and material requirement are prepared.
Field occurrence
Operation, machine, duration, quantity, quality, downtime and wastage are recorded.
Stock and cost
Actual consumption, product input, wastage and labor are reflected in the cost.
Example: How Does a Production Order Proceed in Two Systems?
An order of 1,000 units is planned
Inventory is checked, a need arises for missing material, a production order is opened, the operation route and target delivery date are set.
The actual result on the field is recorded
It is recorded that the work started at 08.12, stopped for 18 minutes due to adjustment, and produced 982 good products and 18 defective products.
When this realization returns to ERP, stock, material consumption, production result and cost approach real data. If the connection is not established, ERP keeps the planned amount and the field keeps the actual amount separately; management faces two different truths.
6 Questions to Ask Before an MES Investment
01Which production decision cannot we make with current data?
02Are work orders and bills of materials kept organized in ERP?
03What data should be collected from machines and operators and at what frequency?
04Can data be retrieved automatically from old machines?
05Who will manage incorrect or incomplete recording from the field?
06Which stock and cost records will be updated in ERP as a result of MES?
To see which records ERP keeps on the manufacturing side The scope of the production tracking program examine; Consider MES and machine connectivity needs separately.
First determine the production process, then the required software layer
Choosing an MES product without determining which records were broken in production, which data arrived late and which decision was delayed may result in unnecessary scope and cost. your current flow in the production management guide you can review; work order, MRP, capacity, scrap and cost scope KG Palaimon on production ERP page you can see.
ERP's role throughout the business From the What is ERP guide?; data and process preparation in the first month of implementation From the article "The first 30 days of the ERP project" and examine it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MES an ERP program?
No. While MES focuses on the execution of the production area, ERP focuses on the resource plan and common record layout of the enterprise. They can complement each other.
Should every factory use MES?
No. Basic work order, production quantity, wastage and cost tracking may be sufficient in ERP. The need for a separate MES becomes stronger as field detail and real-time data requirements increase.
Does MES automatically receive data from machines?
Data can be received from machines with appropriate connection facilities. On older or closed system machines, additional devices, integration or operator notification may be required.
Is ERP and MES integration mandatory?
If they will be used together, integration is required to prevent data duplication and different inventory/cost outcomes. Work orders should flow from ERP to the shop floor, and actuals from MES back to ERP.
Let's determine your ERP, field data collection or MES needs together
Determine the right starting point without creating unnecessary scope by examining your current production flow, machine structure and the data detail you need.