MES (Fertigungsausführungssysteme) is a plant-level (workshop-level) management information system that sits between the upper-layer enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and the lower-layer industrial process control (PCs) System. It focuses on manufacturing and aims to improve the overall production and operational efficiency of the enterprise.

According to MESA’s definition of MES, its 11 main functions include:

1. Production resource allocation and monitoring;

2. Job planning and scheduling;

3. Process specification and standard management;

4. Data collection (online connection of equipment to collect real-time data and various parameter information, control system interface, and generate production data records, quality data, performance information, and ledger accumulation);

5. Operational staff management;

6. Product quality management;

7. Process management (process control, APC, model-based analysis and simulation, and interface with external analytical systems);

8. Equipment maintenance;

9. Performance analysis;

10. Production unit scheduling;

11. Product tracking.