Manufacturing Execution System and MES Systems
A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is a system that companies can use to measure and control production activities with the aim of increasing productivity and improving quality. The ISA defines standards regarding the structuring of MES and its integration in a larger company-wide IT architecture. ISA-95 "Enterprise-Control System Integration" defines a layer model looking at the integration aspects between ERP, MES and the production control level. It is supported by several vendors in the MES area. ISA-S88 "General and Site Recipe Models and Representation" defines a process state model for the batch industry. The execution system is that the part of the production planning and control system (ERP, MRP etc) that puts the plans into action i.e. that 'executes' the plan and as such is concerned primarilly with activity and progress at the shop floor level.
