9.1
Editor’s Rating:
Best Overall
FactoryTalk: Tags
FactoryTalk
  • Includes Internet of Things (IoT) support
  • Offers global, multi-site customer deployment
  • On-premise and cloud-based scalability
8.4
Editor’s Rating:
Best for Labor Management
ShopVue MES: ShopVue MES Component Swap
ShopVue MES
  • Platform is adaptable to wide range of business types
  • Implementation takes 8-12 weeks on average
  • Offers role-based access
9.1
Editor’s Rating:
Best for Machine Monitoring
ShiftWorx MES: Machine Call-Outs
ShiftWorx MES
  • Real-time machine monitoring
  • Predictive modeling through AI integration
  • Competitive pricing with a "pay as you go" model

Here’s a rundown of the 8 best manufacturing execution systems based on pricing, customization options, and key features like production scheduling and workflow modeling.

FactoryTalk - Best Overall

FactoryTalk MES software is built to support advanced industrial applications such as IoT. Offered both on-premise and on the cloud, this software provides global visibility of operations across your entire enterprise. The four main solution suites cover design, operation, maintenance, and innovation.

Best Overall:
FactoryTalk

FactoryTalk: Tags
FactoryTalk: View Machines
What We Like
Includes Internet of Things (IoT) support
Offers global, multi-site customer deployment
On-premise and cloud-based scalability
What We Don’t Like
Pricing requires consultation call
Steep learning curve
May require advanced coding knowledge
Overview
Client OS: Windows, Web
Deployment: Cloud Hosted

ShopVue - Best for Labor Management

ShopVue lets you focus on both machine performance and labor metrics with its labor tracking tool. Via a streamlined, intuitive console, your supervisors can monitor KPIs like order progress, performance against standards, and labor efficiency.

An operator starts a job or begins a shift by scanning a barcode, which automatically logs them into ShopVue and ties their work to a specific order. As they log time, ShopVue performs up-to-the-minute checks. For instance, the system prevents reporting quantities that exceed the order’s expected output, eliminating errors in production tracking. At the end of the job, the operator simply taps “Finish Run,” where they’ll be prompted to enter the number of goods and scrap quantities.

The labor tracking tool includes a number of sub-capabilities:

  • Automated Time Tracking: Records attendance and links labor hours to specific orders, eliminating timesheets and simplifying labor cost calculations for accurate job costing.
  • Performance Tracking: Displays performance tracking metrics like overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), production yield and scrap, machine efficiency, and utilization on user-friendly dashboards.
  • WIP Tracking: Provides real-time visibility into all work orders, including in progress, completed, or delayed statuses, to better allocate labor.
  • Error-Proofing via Validations: Leverages built-in validation rules to prevent operators from entering incorrect or illogical data; the system won’t accept scrap quantities disproportionate to the expected output, for example.

Finally, ShopVue’s labor tracking tool integrates with payroll systems like Paychex Flex, utilizing labor data to calculate costs and prepare payroll accurately. Overall, it simplifies job costing and makes labor allocation easier while enhancing your understanding of job profitability. ShopVue starts at $45,000 a year, best for medium to large-sized discrete manufacturers.

Best for Labor Management:
ShopVue MES

ShopVue MES: ShopVue MES Component Swap
ShopVue MES: ShopVue MES Inspection Alerts
ShopVue MES: ShopVue MES Assembly
ShopVue MES: ShopVue MES Calendar
ShopVue MES: ShopVue MES Part Activity
ShopVue MES: ShopVue MES Operator Console
ShopVue MES: ShopVue MES Order Locator
ShopVue MES: ShopVue MES Machine Status
What We Like
Platform is adaptable to wide range of business types
Implementation takes 8-12 weeks on average
Offers role-based access
What We Don’t Like
Limited customization options on the user-end
Exact pricing details not provided by the developer
Overview
Price Range: $$$
Starting Price: $45,000/year
Client OS: Windows, Web
Deployment: On-Premises

ShiftWorx - Best for Machine Monitoring

ShiftWorx by FreePoint Technologies, stands out in the realm of machine monitoring and predictive modeling, offering real-time insights and data visualization.

This modular, scalable system is particularly effective for small to medium-sized manufacturers seeking enhanced productivity and waste reduction. Priced competitively at $100 per machine per month, ShiftWorx is a cost-effective solution for firms aiming to optimize their manufacturing processes.

Best for Machine Monitoring:
ShiftWorx MES
★★★★★
★★★★★
(18)

ShiftWorx MES: Machine Call-Outs
ShiftWorx MES: Status Codes by Machine (Tablet View)
ShiftWorx MES: Key Performance Indicators
What We Like
Real-time machine monitoring
Predictive modeling through AI integration
Competitive pricing with a “pay as you go” model
What We Don’t Like
No full supply chain management
No native integrations with major ERP platforms
Overview
Price Range: $$
Starting Price: $125/machine/month
Client OS: Web
Deployment: Cloud Hosted

HYDRA - Best for ISO and FDA Compliance

HYDRA by MPDV USA is a fully integrated Manufacturing Execution System that collects and analyzes critical data related to production, HR, and quality management. Manufacturers can gather real-time data directly from the shop floor, along with personnel, machines, and other processes.

MPDV gives is both ISO certified and FDA validated, so it can be used in automotive, plastics, metals, and electronics manufacturing industries, as well as in the medical and food and beverage industries.

Best for ISO and FDA Compliance:
Hydra X
★★★★★
★★★★★
(3)

Hydra X: Quality Chart
Hydra X: Planning Start End
Hydra X: OEE KPI
Hydra X: Manufacturing Software
Hydra X: Terminal Line Status
Hydra X: AIP SWA
What We Like
Popular with enterprise-level corporations
Gathers real-time shop floor data
Ideal for electronics, medical, and food and beverage
What We Don’t Like
High initial cost
Limited one-piece flow support
Confusing UI for some users
Overview
Price Range: $$$$$
Client OS: Windows
Deployment: Cloud or On-Premises

Eyelit MES - Best Platform-Independent System

Eyelit MES is a next-generation, platform-independent MES. This software includes functionalities for coordinating, controlling, and optimizing production processes. From the initial order receipt to finished goods, Eyelit MES manages the flow of critical information across the enterprise while reducing or completely eliminating paper to improve efficiency with real-time manufacturing and quality controls.

Best Platform-Independent System:
Eyelit
★★★★★
★★★★★
(5)

Eyelit: Factory Dashboard
Eyelit: Tool Analysis
Eyelit: Work Actions and Instructions
Eyelit: Site Level WIP Chart
Eyelit: Mobile Tools
Eyelit: Diffusion Checklist
Eyelit: MES Structuring
What We Like
Platform-independent software
Offers continual improvements
Flexible subscription licensing models
What We Don’t Like
Developer does not provide price details online
Users have mentioned system reliability issues
Overview
Deployment: Cloud or On-Premises

MasterControl - Best for Rapid Deployment and Scalability

MasterControl offers quick deployment and scalable solutions. Traditional MES systems can be cumbersome and time-consuming to implement; MasterControl counters this by offering a cloud-based solution that takes as little as 6 weeks for implementation and 2 weeks for user training. The system is highly configurable, allowing businesses to digitize existing processes and scale across multiple lines and sites efficiently.

Its ability to achieve ROI in just 4–8 months is a testament to its effectiveness. This fast-paced, cost-effective deployment and operation make it an ideal choice for businesses eager to transition to a more modern MES system without the traditional setbacks. With flexible pricing plans, it suits companies of all sizes and stages, ensuring they can adapt and grow without the usual constraints.

Best for Rapid Deployment and Scalability:
MasterControl Manufacturing Excellence
★★★★★
★★★★★
(3)

MasterControl Manufacturing Excellence: Master Templates, Variants, and Deviations
MasterControl Manufacturing Excellence: Production Records - Clear the Line
MasterControl Manufacturing Excellence: Production Records - Review by Exception
What We Like
Designed specifically for the Life Sciences industry
Comprehensive set of features and tools for quality process management
Ensures compliance with regulatory requirements
What We Don’t Like
System upgrades sometimes bring unexpected issues
Lack of a complete training compliance report
Exact pricing details not provided by the developer
Overview
Price Range: $$$
Client OS: Web
Deployment: Cloud Hosted

Epicor Advanced MES - Best for Global Operations

Epicor Advanced MES is designed with global operations in mind. It has comprehensive language options and language switching, allowing users to easily shift to their preference without a system restart or logging out. Along with language translation, Epicor Advanced MES ensures that date, time, currency, and other locale-specific formats are accurately represented according to the chosen language or regional setting.

The platform also supports multiple plants, providing a centralized data repository while providing flexibility for site-specific configurations. One of the significant advantages of its multi-plant support is the ability to generate consolidated reports that span multiple sites. This is invaluable for top management and decision-makers who need a holistic view of the company’s manufacturing operations.

Best for Global Operations:
Epicor Advanced MES

Epicor Advanced MES: Part Maintenance
Epicor Advanced MES: Job Entry
Epicor Advanced MES: Engineering Workbench
What We Like
Automatic part qualification and rejection
Flexible deployment options
Over 1,000 out-of-the-box analysis choices
What We Don’t Like
Limited mobile usability
Integration process can be complex
Pricing details not provided by the developer
Overview
Client OS: Windows
Deployment: Cloud or On-Premises

Infor MES - Comprehensive Product Ecosystem

Infor MES offers a holistic ecosystem of products and solutions. These platforms offer a unified user experience and a seamless flow of information. For example, Infor MES integrates with Infor CloudSuite, a suite of industry-specific ERP solutions. They’re designed to cater to the unique requirements of specific sectors, such as automotive, aerospace and defense, and healthcare. Connecting Infor’s MES and ERP systems syncs live production data, inventory levels, order statuses, and financial metrics.

Another common integration involves Infor Birst, a business intelligence and analytics tool. By integrating Infor MES with Birst, manufacturers can generate advanced reports on production performance, conduct root cause analyses, and derive insights from historical data.

Comprehensive Product Ecosystem:
Infor MES
★★★★★
★★★★★
(1)

Infor MES: History Page
Infor MES: Workforce Management Page
Infor MES: Analytics
Infor MES: Structures
What We Like
Extensive implementation support
Easy to adapt workflows to meet existing processes
What We Don’t Like
Can be costly when implementing
Limitations to the standard templates
Overview
Price Range: $$$$
Starting Price: $50,000 (perpetual license)
Client OS: Windows, Web
Deployment: Cloud or On-Premises

DELMIAWorks - Combined ERP and MES Solution

DELMIAWorks combines ERP and MES functionalities within one unified system to manage business operations and production. This approach streamlines processes, reduces data discrepancies, and enhances decision-making. For example, its ERP feature set includes financial management, HR, payroll, supply chain management, CRM, and inventory tracking. Its MES capabilities involve quality management, shop floor control, labor and production reporting, and maintenance management. Overall, DELMIAWorks streamlines operations and enhances traceability. Manufacturers can track products from raw materials to finished goods, aiding in recall management. DELMIAWorks stands as a central data source, reducing discrepancies, IT infrastructure costs, and integration challenges.

Combined ERP and MES Solution:
DELMIAWorks
★★★★★
★★★★★
(1)

DELMIAWorks: Overall Equipment Efficiency Dashboard
DELMIAWorks: Real-time Plant Floor Dashboard
DELMIAWorks: VIN Generator
DELMIAWorks: Manufacturing Scheduling and Production Planning
DELMIAWorks: Customizable BI Dashboard
DELMIAWorks: Open Order Report
What We Like
Streamlines manufacturing operations
Real-time visibility into the manufacturing process
Integration with other systems for improved efficiency and productivity
What We Don’t Like
Not all modules are accessible via mobile app
Pricing details are unavailable from the developer
No web interface
Overview
Client OS: Windows
Deployment: Cloud or On-Premises

What is a Manufacturing Execution System (MES)?

Manufacturing execution systems (MES) enable complete shop-floor control and scheduling capabilities while also supplying monitoring and corrective action guidance for quality and performance continuous improvement. With a broad range of functionality, the main goal of an MES platform is to streamline and automate the processes necessary to turn raw materials into finished products.

Sometimes known broadly as manufacturing operations management (MOM), capable MES software supports key manufacturing initiatives:

  • Maximization of throughput and resource utilization,
  • Decreased manufacturing cycle times,
  • Reduction of scrap and rework,
  • Increased ability to reliably achieve quality targets,
  • Minimized inventory holding costs based on just-in-time inventory
  • Improved ability to meet regulatory compliance standards.

Read more: What is MES? Understanding Manufacturing Execution Systems to better understand what really goes into an MES platform.

Implementation Goals for MES

Objective 1: Enhance Quality Management

Introduce real-time machine and process monitoring, adopt digital guidance for tasks, and perform instantaneous quality assessments. This will boost process consistency and product standards while ensuring deviations are documented promptly.

Objective 2: Transition to Digital Manufacturing Operations

Transition from traditional paper-based methods by utilizing digital task guidance, electronic order deployments, and digital record-keeping. This not only reduces environmental impact but also minimizes human errors and consolidates data sources.

Objective 3: Streamline Manufacturing Workflows

Integrate and oversee activities on the shop floor across multiple departments and facilities. By establishing these connections, manufacturing efficiency can be maximized. Utilize live feedback to identify potential problems and swiftly rectify them, further enhancing process effectiveness.

Objective 4: Enhance Equipment Utilization and Maintenance

Monitor equipment performance in real-time, track wear and tear, and schedule predictive maintenance. By doing so, unplanned downtimes can be minimized, the lifespan of equipment can be extended, and overall operational efficiency can be enhanced.

Objective 5: Ensure Compliance and Traceability

With heightened regulatory scrutiny in many industries, MES software can help ensure products are manufactured under prescribed conditions. Capture and store all relevant data, facilitating traceability and ensuring compliance with industry-specific regulations.

Objective 6: Improve Inventory Management and Reduction of Waste

MES can reduce overproduction and excess inventory costs through real-time visibility into inventory levels and production requirements. Additionally, it can aid in identifying and minimizing waste, be it in materials, time, or processes.

Key Features

The best MES software for your business should offer a combination of these top features.

Feature Functionality
Change management Coordinate order changes including alterations to material, equipment, processes, or supply chain routing
Customer complaint management Convert customer complaints into actionable inspections designed to discover the root causes of production quality issues
Document management Go paperless with multi-format data storage, search, and retrieval for operational documents such as SOPs, CAD drawings, production specifications, and quality procedures
Downtime management Schedule and track machine downtime based on connections with programmable logic controllers (PLCs) or via manual input
Electronic traceability Barcode or RFID-enabled part, batch, or lot tracking to pinpoint order/material position in production flow without manual data input
Inspection management Specify workflow controls for coordination and execution of product and process quality inspections
Job tracking Real-time visibility into order status as a job progresses through the factory
Labor tracking Track for labor time and attendance against job assignment and dispatching data
Master production scheduling Planning of production orders based on assessed capacity, resource availability, and deadlines
OEE analysis Measure overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) analytics based on collected performance, loading, and availability data
Production workflow modeling Design production steps for optimal execution of manufacturing processes
Quality management Coordinate quality control processes including data collection, defect tracking, and corrective actions
Rule-based routing Route the production process based on conditional business logic inputs
SPC Statistical process control (SPC) analytics measure process variation, analysis of process capability, and reduction of process variation
Supplier quality performance Record, investigate, and manage supplier product quality non-conformances
Work-in-process (WIP) tracking Identification of inventory position at all stages within the production process
Workload projections Incorporate order forecast data for production scheduling and requirements analysis

Benefits

MES offer an indispensable competitive advantage by automating shop-floor decision-making capabilities. This is true whether you are a made-to-stock, made-to-order, or process manufacturer. The chief benefits of MES software are production planning, resource optimization, production workflow management, and quality management.

Graphic with MES Benefits
MES software benefits businesses in production planning, quality control systems, and resource optimization.

Pricing

The cost of MES software varies based on the size and needs of your manufacturing operation. Prices typically range from $5,000 to $150,000 per year. For smaller operations, you can expect to pay between $5,000 and $15,000 annually. Mid-sized businesses usually fall in the $15,000 to $25,000 range, while larger operations may spend $30,000 to $50,000. Enterprise-level systems can cost anywhere from $50,000 to $150,000 per year.

IQMS MES Plant Floor RealTime Dashboard
A real-time plant floor dashboard in IQMS MES.

Integrations

Manufacturing execution systems depend on inputs from various other business management systems to function properly. MES systems can be integrated with other management technologies via software APIs or provisioned as part of a larger software system, such as an ERP platform. Just a few of the top manufacturing integrations include:

Benefits of MES
Integration Functionality and Benefits
Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) Information from PLCs passed to MES software includes equipment status, output, count, and availability information.
Sales order management Data from sales order management systems on customer requirements facilitates better production scheduling. MES software passes order fulfillment status information back into sales systems to enable sales personnel to keep customers apprised of expected lead times, order status, and delivery dates.
Product lifecycle management (PLM) Data from PLM and bill of materials modules is passed into manufacturing execution systems to coordinate the steps required to produce a particular product. Diagnostic quality information captured by MES systems can be communicated back to PLM/BoM systems to improve how products should be manufactured.
Computerized maintenance management software A CMMS application helps MES software take into account scheduled downtime for equipment maintenance. Sensor data about equipment health collected in MES software is passed into CMMS modules to coordinate required maintenance events.
Warehouse management software WMS and inventory modules provides information on stock availability to coordinate material availability and production scheduling. MES software provides information back to WMS applications detailing WIP inventory tracking.
Material resource planning (MRP) Coordinate forecasting, materials management, production, and other business processes for manufacturing operations. MES systems can provide data about shop floor conditions to optimize the timing of material procurement activities to support just-in-time initiatives that lower inventory carrying costs.
Workforce management Use labor scheduling and tracking functionality to guarantee employee availability when shift scheduling. Employee performance information captured by manufacturing execution systems can be passed to workforce management software to improve future workforce scheduling.
Business intelligence software Allow for the aggregation of business data from multiple sources while providing report generation and visual data analysis tools to support more effective business decision-making. MES data such as OEE analytics, throughput, quality metrics, and more can go to BI systems for additional reporting capabilities, including visual display in executive decision-making dashboards.
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