Equipment management in MES covers machines, tools, fixtures, and other technical assets required for production.
It ensures complete management, allocation, and monitoring of these resources, contributing directly to equipment availability and product quality.
According to VDI 5600, equipment management is one of the core MES functions.
The goal is the safe, efficient, and quality-compliant use of all production equipment.
MES ensures that machines and tools are available, maintained, and properly assigned.
This minimizes downtime, reduces setup times, and enables proactive maintenance.
Managing master data for machines, tools, and production equipment
Monitoring lifetimes, cycles, and maintenance intervals
Assigning tools and fixtures to orders, lines, and machines
Automatically recording alarms, breakdowns, and maintenance needs
Supporting preventive and condition-based maintenance
Integrating with spare parts and maintenance planning systems
Higher equipment availability: through preventive maintenance and monitoring
Reduced downtime: via timely tool changes and planned maintenance
Improved quality: by using approved and calibrated tools
Greater transparency: on tool usage, wear, and life cycles
Lower costs: due to optimized maintenance processes
An automotive supplier integrates tool management into the MES.
Tool lifetimes and maintenance intervals are automatically tracked and monitored.
Result: 18 % fewer unplanned downtimes, stable quality, and fully predictable maintenance schedules.
Equipment management interacts closely with:
Data collection (BDE/MDE): provides machine condition and usage data
Scheduling and dispatching: considers tool availability and maintenance windows
Quality management: checks tool approval and calibration status
Information management: supplies maintenance and utilization KPIs
MES equipment management increases transparency and efficiency in handling machines and tools.
It forms the foundation for high equipment availability, stable processes, and sustainable product quality.