A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) combines a wide range of functions that make production processes transparent, controllable, and traceable.
To help companies navigate this functional scope, the VDI 5600 guideline structures the most important MES tasks into defined functional areas.
This page provides an overview of MES functions according to VDI 5600 and explains how they interact.
It complements the general MES article but focuses exclusively on functional areas and links to dedicated subpages for each topic.
In many factories, manufacturing IT has evolved organically over the years.
BDE and MDE systems, standalone quality stations, Excel reports, and local planning tools often coexist.
The result: data silos and inconsistent KPIs.
The VDI 5600 creates a common reference framework.
It classifies MES tasks into clearly defined functional areas such as:
Planning and control of production orders
Data acquisition from machines and operations
Quality assurance and traceability
Material and personnel management
Information and reporting across all levels
In practice, this enables companies to decide which MES functions to implement first, which are already covered by other systems, and where real gaps exist.
The VDI 5600 defines seven key functional areas that together form the core of a Manufacturing Execution System.
This hub page briefly outlines each area; the linked articles explore them in more depth.
Detailed scheduling translates high-level production plans from ERP or APS into realistic shopfloor sequences.
It considers actual constraints such as available machines, setup times, shift models, and material availability.
Dispatching ensures these plans are executed in daily operations—or dynamically adjusted when disruptions occur.
Typical tasks include:
Sequencing of orders on lines and machines
Considering bottlenecks and setup families
Comparing actual vs. target cycle times
Rescheduling in case of breakdowns or urgent orders
The MES quality management function ensures that process and product quality are not only verified but also fully documented.
Key activities include:
Test planning and inspection orders
Real-time capture of quality characteristics
Statistical Process Control (SPC)
Handling of rework, scrap, and complaints
Traceability via serial numbers, batches, or components
By linking quality data with orders, materials, and machines, companies gain a reliable basis for decision-making.
Without accurate data, no MES can function effectively.
This area covers:
Machine Data Collection (MDE): machine states, downtimes, cycle times, process values
Operational Data Collection (BDE): order start, good and reject quantities, setup times, labor hours
Event recording: alarms, stoppages, state changes
Modern systems combine PLC and sensor signals with operator input.
This forms the foundation for KPIs such as OEE, availability, performance, and quality.
MES material management ensures that materials, parts, and consumables are available at the right time and place.
Typical tasks include:
Managing WIP and buffer stocks
Assigning material batches to orders and machines
Supporting replenishment processes such as Kanban or Milkrun
Traceability of assembled components
Integrated material management reduces WIP inventory, prevents shortages, and strengthens overall traceability.
Manufacturing is never just about machines.
The MES personnel management function links production orders with operator availability and qualification.
Typical features include:
Shift and labor scheduling at workstation level
Recording attendance, activities, and working times in production context
Qualification management (e.g. operator certifications for specific machines or tests)
Transparency over headcount per line or order
This supports not HR administration, but real-time operational workforce management on the shopfloor.
All previously described functions converge in information management.
The focus lies on delivering the right information to the right role at the right time.
Examples:
Real-time dashboards for lines, machines, and plants
KPI reports on OEE, productivity, scrap, and downtime
Shopfloor boards for daily meetings
Deviation and trend analysis reports
From operator to management, every user gains visibility into production performance.
This function covers machines, tools, fixtures, and other production assets.
Typical tasks include:
Managing tool and equipment master data
Assigning tools to orders, lines, or machines
Monitoring service life and maintenance intervals
Supporting maintenance activities with MDE event data
Often, MES systems integrate tightly with existing CMMS or maintenance systems.
Equipment management ensures technical resources remain available and compliant.
In practice, MES functions are not used in isolation.
A typical process chain looks like this:
Detailed scheduling generates the optimal production sequence.
Material management ensures line supply.
Data collection captures real-time conditions and KPIs.
Quality management evaluates results and initiates actions.
Personnel management assigns the right team.
Information management visualizes performance data.
Equipment management maintains machine availability.
A robust MES maps these processes end-to-end and connects all data objects in one consistent information model.
Using standards such as ISA-95 enables seamless integration with ERP and other enterprise systems.
MES implementations rarely start with all functions at once.
Common steps include:
Starting with data collection and information management to gain transparency on OEE and downtimes
Adding detailed scheduling to optimize sequencing and utilization
Expanding with quality management and traceability for compliance or OEM requirements
Integrating material and personnel management to eliminate bottlenecks
Connecting equipment management to reduce unplanned downtime
The VDI 5600 serves as a blueprint for defining scope, roadmap, and responsibilities.
Modern MES solutions—especially cloud-native platforms—map these functions as modular apps.
This allows companies to:
Activate function packages step by step
Standardize rollouts across multiple plants
Integrate via standardized APIs
Vendors like SYMESTIC use VDI 5600 and ISA-95 as frameworks to provide planning, data acquisition, quality, material, personnel, information, and equipment management within a unified platform.
This page remains vendor-neutral; the linked articles explain how these functions are realized in practice.
The VDI 5600 functional areas are more than a theoretical framework.
They form the practical foundation for selecting, implementing, and evolving MES solutions.
Understanding how planning, quality, data, material, personnel, information, and equipment management interconnect enables targeted investment and measurable project success.
The general MES article covers the overall system definition, benefits, and context.
This functional overview serves as the starting point for exploring each area in more depth and evaluating your own MES requirements.