To deliver these benefits, MES software is structured around several key modules or functional blocks. These features are defined by the ISA-95 standard and interact with the different levels of the automation pyramid. This pyramid details the various levels of information transmission.

• Medium-term planning by ERP
• Production supervision by MES
• Supervision of industrial automation by SCADA
• Control of a factory section by the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)
• Actions and capture of field information by sensors and actuators

1. Production Control and Real-Time Monitoring

This module is the operational core of the MES, designed to ensure optimal and consistent production efficiency.

• Production Supervision: Provides a real-time view of operations, allowing for the immediate identification of anomalies and the optimization of performance.
• OEE/OPE (TRS/TRG) Analysis: Collects data to calculate Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and Overall Plant Effectiveness (OPE), identifying areas for improvement to maximize resource utilization.
• Planning / Scheduling: Simplifies planning by providing an overview of machines  occupancy, operators availability, and orders priorities, thereby minimizing downtime and delays.

2. Management and Tracking of Production Orders

This module is crucial for defining and controlling manufacturing processes. It includes:

• The creation of production orders.
• The generation of detailed schedules.
• The tracking of production progress.
• The real-time management of resources and equipment.
• The continuous collection of production data.

The goal is to ensure coordination between planning and execution, guarantee smooth and efficient production, and improve the productivity and quality of manufacturing operations.

3. Production Equipment Connectivity

MES software retrieves production data from control and supervision systems.This connection is essential for the optimal management of manufacturing operations.

• Integration with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs): The MES uses OPC servers (OPC UA, OPC DA) or the Modbus protocol to exchange data with PLCs and other control systems.
• SCADA Systems: The MES retrieves data from SCADA systems for real-time visualization and performance analysis.
• Sensors and Actuators: Sensors transmit real-time data (temperature, humidity, position, etc.) to the MES, which uses it to anticipate maintenance needs and breakdowns, as well as to monitor and control manufacturing processes.
• Specific Industrial Connectors: These connectors simplify integration by providing pre-configured interfaces and communication protocols.
• IoT Gateway and Cloud Connectivity: Equipment data is collected via IoT sensors and transmitted to a cloud platform, where the MES uses it for operations management.

The advantages of this connectivity include real-time monitoring, operational optimization, improved quality, and data-driven analysis and decision-making.

4. IT  Environment Connectivity

Integrating an MES with other software is crucial for creating a cohesive and optimized production ecosystem.

Key System Integrations

• ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning): The MES ensures the synchronization of production orders, inventory, and costs. It integrates work orders, bills of materials, production schedules, and inventory, while also synchronizing stock levels in real-time.
• PLM (Product Lifecycle Management): The MES manages changes and traceability by synchronizing data on design modifications and manufacturing processes. It ensures full product traceability and centralized data management.
• CAD (Computer-Aided Design): The MES retrieves design data and manufacturing instructions. It synchronizes updates to product models, ensuring that production follows the latest design specifications, which reduces errors and enables rapid design changes.
• CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System): The MES transmits information on machine downtime, allowing the CMMS to analyze the timing and frequency of interventions. Additionally, MES data on equipment status feeds into predictive maintenance, ensuring that repairs are scheduled proactively, thereby minimizing production disruptions. This integration is even easier with the GMAO developed by Bassetti, TEEXMA FOR MAINTENANCE.
• QMS (Quality Management System): MES software and the QMS work together to guarantee product quality. The MES provides real-time tracking of non-conformities, allowing for efficient problem management. It also handles metrology in direct relation to production controls and integrates SPC (Statistical Process Control) to prevent defects. This integration is even easier with the QMS developed by Bassetti, TEEXMA FOR QUALITY.
• WMS (Warehouse Management System): The integration of a WMS is complementary to the MES. While the MES controls production, the WMS optimizes warehouse logistics by managing the flow of raw materials to the production lines and organizing the storage of finished products, ensuring effective synchronization.

This integration leads to a more efficient, flexible, and better-controlled production process.

5. Operators Station Digitization

The MES provides specific interfaces for each user level to optimize operations and facilitate informed decision-making.

• Operators Interface: Using various access methods, such as tablets, smartphones, computers, and PDA’s, operators can control equipment, monitor production and quality processes in real-time, and access digital work instructions and standardized procedures. They can also record incidents, rejects, and non-conformities. This improves team productivity, quality, safety, and motivation.

6. Quality Assurance and Non-conformities

Quality is fundamental in an MES to ensure that manufactured products meet defined quality standards.

• Real-Time Monitoring:  allows for the rapid detection of deviations from quality standards so that actions can be taken immediately.
• Traceability and non-conformities Management: This ensures complete traceability of materials and finished products and manages non-conformities for the quick and effective resolution of quality issues.
• Automation of Quality Controls: An MES schedules regular equipment inspections, controls at specific points in the process, and finished product tests, which reduces the risk of human error.
• Reports and Analysis: It generates detailed quality reports ( reject rates, causes of non-conformity) for trend analysis and continuous improvement.
• Documentation: This feature allows operators to receive work instructions and standardized operating procedures, ensuring compliance and reducing variations in the production process.