Shopfloor Matters
Glossary

Shopfloor jargon, in plain English

228 terms you'll hear in smart factory, MES/MOM and shopfloor AI projects. Each one has a short definition, my take on what it means in practice, and the articles that go deeper.

0–9

21 CFR Part 11 The US FDA regulation for electronic records and electronic signatures. Covered in 1 article

Records must be secure, attributable, audit-trailed and validated. In Europe, EU GMP Annex 11 covers similar ground.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for 21 CFR Part 11 →
5S A workplace organisation method: sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain. Covered in 2 articles

5S is often where lean starts on the shopfloor, because a tidy, organised workplace makes problems visible. Digital checklists and audits help it stick after the first enthusiasm fades.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for 5S →

A

Agentic AI AI that plans and carries out tasks towards a goal, using other software, rather than only answering questions. Covered in 6 articles

The important word is acts. An agent might re-sequence a schedule or raise a maintenance request, which is powerful and also why it needs limits. On the shopfloor I'd start with agents that prepare information and recommend, with a person making the call.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Agentic AI →
AGVAutomated guided vehicle A driverless vehicle that moves material along defined routes. Covered in 2 articles

AGVs and their more flexible cousins, autonomous mobile robots, need to know what to move and where. That signal often comes from an operational system such as MES/MOM or WMS.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for AGV →
AIArtificial intelligence Systems that perform tasks normally needing human intelligence, such as recognising patterns or predicting outcomes. Covered in 34 articles

AI is the broad category, with machine learning and generative AI as two quite different subsets. In a factory, AI is only as good as the shopfloor data it learns from, which is why the data foundation and the AI are best built together.

Where it comes up on the site

And 26 more articles.

Full entry for AI →
Allergen management Controlling allergens through production so they don't contaminate products that shouldn't contain them. Covered in 3 articles

It shapes the schedule and the cleaning between runs. Sequencing allergen-free products first is a classic APS rule.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Allergen management →
Andon A signal, often a light or screen, that shows a problem on the line and calls for help. Covered in 1 article

A digital andon linked to MES/MOM records why help was called and how long the response took, so the data can be used to improve.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Andon →
APIApplication programming interface A defined way for one piece of software to request data or actions from another. Covered in 4 articles

APIs are how most modern integrations work. Agree which system owns the data before anyone starts writing code against one.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for API →
APSAdvanced planning and scheduling Software for detailed, finite-capacity production scheduling beyond what ERP provides. Covered in 12 articles

APS sequences work in days and hours, respecting changeovers, tooling, labour and material. Not every factory needs one. It's for more advanced scheduling with complex constraints, and for many manufacturers the scheduling in ERP, or an extra ERP module, is enough.

Where it comes up on the site

And 4 more articles.

Full entry for APS →
As-built record The record of exactly what went into a finished item, including lots, serials, operators, measurements and process conditions. Covered in 6 articles

The as-built is MES/MOM's job, because nobody else is there when it happens. It's the foundation of traceability, and for serialised products it's the genealogy you'll need years later when a field failure comes back.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for As-built record →
AS/RSAutomated storage and retrieval system Automated equipment that stores and retrieves goods, such as stacker cranes and shuttle systems. Covered in 2 articles

Controlling warehouse automation is one of the clearest reasons to have a dedicated WMS.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for AS/RS →
AS9100 The quality management standard for the aerospace and defence industry. Covered in 1 article

Aerospace customers expect serialised traceability and first article inspection, and AS9100 is the framework behind those expectations.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for AS9100 →
Asset hierarchy The structure of sites, areas, lines, machines and components that maintenance and production data roll up through. Covered in 2 articles

Agree it early and use it everywhere. Process maps and reports all hang off it.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Asset hierarchy →
Audit trail A secure, time-stamped record of who changed data, when, and why. Covered in 5 articles

Regulated manufacturers must keep one for electronic records. It's also invaluable for working out what really happened in any factory.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Audit trail →
Autonomous maintenance Routine asset care such as cleaning and lubrication, carried out by operators rather than the maintenance team. Covered in 11 articles

Operators notice problems first, so giving them day-to-day asset care is a good thing. It works best when their maintenance tasks sit in the same place they run production, not in a separate system with another login.

Where it comes up on the site

And 3 more articles.

Full entry for Autonomous maintenance →
Availability The OEE factor comparing the time a line actually ran with the time it was planned to run. Covered in 11 articles

In an 8-hour shift with 2 hours of stops, availability is 75%. Downtime is usually the biggest single loss in OEE, which is why accurate, automatic stop detection matters so much.

Where it comes up on the site

And 3 more articles.

Full entry for Availability →

B

Backflushing Recording material consumption automatically after production, calculated from the bill of materials rather than actual usage. Covered in 6 articles

Backflushing is better than nothing, but it records what should have been used rather than what was. MES/MOM posts actual consumption by order and lot, which improves ERP costing and gives you real traceability.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Backflushing →
Barcode A machine-readable label, one-dimensional or two-dimensional, used to identify items, lots and locations. Covered in 4 articles

Scanning instead of typing is the simplest error-proofing on any shopfloor.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Barcode →
Batch A defined quantity of material produced together and treated as one unit for quality and traceability. Covered in 33 articles

Batch manufacturing sits between discrete and process, and is common in food and pharma. In regulated industries the batch record is the heart of compliance.

Where it comes up on the site

And 25 more articles.

Full entry for Batch →
Batch release The formal decision that a batch meets its specification and can be used or shipped. Covered in 6 articles

In regulated industries it's often a QA decision based on lab results and the batch record. It can be recorded in ERP, LIMS, a QMS or MES/MOM, as long as everyone knows which.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Batch release →
BOMBill of materials The list of materials and components, with quantities, needed to make a product. Covered in 16 articles

The BOM changes shape as it moves from design to a finished product, from engineering BOM to manufacturing BOM to order BOM to the as-built record. Most integration arguments come from not agreeing who owns which stage.

Where it comes up on the site

And 8 more articles.

Full entry for BOM →
Bottleneck The machine or operation with the lowest throughput, which limits the output of the whole line. Covered in 18 articles

OEE should be measured on the bottleneck, and an hour lost there is an hour lost for the whole line. When you ask what a 1% OEE improvement is worth, work it out for your bottleneck.

Where it comes up on the site

And 10 more articles.

Full entry for Bottleneck →

C

CAPACorrective and preventive action A structured process for fixing quality problems and stopping them recurring. Covered in 7 articles

CAPA is captured in a QMS, or in a MOM platform that covers quality. ERP often handles the full CAPA process once the details have been passed across through an interface. The loop breaks when shopfloor defects never reach it with their context, so the CAPA team ends up asking for details nobody can remember.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for CAPA →
Capacity planning Working out whether you have enough machines and people to meet demand. Covered in 2 articles

Real OEE and TEEP figures make it far more accurate than nameplate speeds. Hidden capacity often sits in the hours you don't run.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Capacity planning →
Cavity One of the moulding positions in a multi-cavity tool, each producing a part per cycle. Covered in 4 articles

Tracking which cavity made each part often reveals the root cause of a quality problem in minutes.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Cavity →
Centre of excellence A central team that owns the enterprise standard and drives adoption across sites. Covered in 6 articles

It blends IT and OT. IT owns the application and integrations; OT owns processes, master data standards and KPIs.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Centre of excellence →
Change management The structured work of helping people adopt a new way of working. Covered in 3 articles

Every project meets resistance, because change is uncomfortable. Involve people in the design and explain why it makes their shift easier.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Change management →
Changeover Switching a line or machine from one product to the next, including setup and adjustment. Covered in 23 articles

In high-mix, low-volume manufacturing, changeovers are often the biggest constraint on throughput. Measuring them accurately is the first step to reducing them, and tracking tools and setters together turns them into planned activities.

Where it comes up on the site

And 15 more articles.

Full entry for Changeover →
CMMSComputerised maintenance management system Software for managing maintenance work orders and spare parts. Covered in 14 articles

A CMMS is the tool the maintenance team uses day to day to look after and manage assets from an operational point of view, where EAM covers the whole asset lifecycle and its financials. A good MOM platform covers the same ground, which replaces the need for a separate CMMS and keeps production and maintenance on the same downtime data. An MES focused on production can feed a CMMS instead.

Where it comes up on the site

And 6 more articles.

Full entry for CMMS →
CoACertificate of analysis A document confirming that a batch meets its specification, with the test results. Covered in 2 articles

Usually produced from LIMS. Linking it to the batch genealogy means the right certificate goes with the right shipment.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for CoA →
Composable ERP An approach where ERP focuses on core business functions and specialist applications handle the rest, connected through open integration. Covered in 3 articles

As ERP vendors pull back to core business functions, the shopfloor is increasingly left to applications built for it, such as MES/MOM. It's one of the forces driving demand in the MES market.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Composable ERP →
Condition-based maintenance Maintaining equipment when a measured condition, such as vibration or temperature, crosses a limit. Covered in 5 articles

It's the practical step before predictive, and works well on critical assets with a measurable sign of wear.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Condition-based maintenance →
Configurable BOM A "super BOM" containing every option for a product, with rules that select the right components for each configuration. Covered in 1 article

ERP usually resolves it into an order-specific BOM once a configuration is accepted in CPQ.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Configurable BOM →
Configuration Switching settings on and off to make software work your way, without writing code. Covered in 17 articles

Configuration survives upgrades. It still needs proper training and thought to set master data and settings up correctly.

Where it comes up on the site

And 9 more articles.

Full entry for Configuration →
Configure-to-order Making products from predefined options chosen by the customer. Covered in 1 article

Every option already exists, so the configuration can be turned into a BOM and routing by rules.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Configure-to-order →
Connected worker Digital tools that connect frontline workers to the information, instructions and tasks they need. Covered in 20 articles

Checklists, shift handover, skills, work instructions and safety sign-offs. It solves real frontline problems. It works best as part of the MOM platform rather than a standalone app, so operators have one screen that knows what's running.

Where it comes up on the site

And 12 more articles.

Full entry for Connected worker →
Contextualised data Shopfloor data enriched with the order, material, machine, shift, operator and reason behind each event. Covered in 19 articles

A signal that says a machine stopped tells you very little. Context is what turns it into decisions, and into something AI can learn from. On the shopfloor, most of that context comes from MES/MOM.

Where it comes up on the site

And 11 more articles.

Full entry for Contextualised data →
Continuous improvement The ongoing effort to improve processes in small, regular steps rather than occasional big projects. Covered in 7 articles

After go-live, it becomes the rhythm. The difference with good data is that each improvement can be measured and proved.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Continuous improvement →
Control chart A chart plotting measurements over time against the process average and control limits. Covered in 2 articles

Operators are alerted when a measurement falls outside the control limits, or when a pattern appears, such as a run of points on one side of the average. Start with a few rules, or the alarms get ignored, then add more over time.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Control chart →
Control limits Limits calculated from a process's own data, usually three standard deviations either side of the average. Covered in 2 articles

Control limits describe what the process normally does. They're different from specification limits, which come from the customer. A process can drift out of control while still in spec, and that's exactly what SPC exists to catch.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Control limits →
Control plan A document listing the checks, methods, frequencies and reactions needed to keep a process producing good product. Covered in 2 articles

Control plans are standard in automotive. MES/MOM turns them from a document into checks that are triggered and recorded at the line.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Control plan →
Copilot An AI assistant built into the software people already use, answering questions in plain English. Covered in 5 articles

On the shopfloor, a copilot is only as good as its context: the order, material, recent stops and approved procedures.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Copilot →
CpkProcess capability index A measure of how well a process stays within its specification limits. Covered in 4 articles

Cpk compares the short-term spread of a process, within subgroups, with the specification, and takes into account how well centred it is. Cp asks the same question as if the process were perfectly centred. Both show the process's potential; Ppk shows its actual performance over time. It's a common question for a knowledge assistant at the line, because few people remember the calculation.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Cpk →
CPQConfigure, price, quote Software that lets sales or customers configure a product from options and rules, and produces a valid, priced quote. Covered in 5 articles

An accepted configuration is a list of choices, not something the shopfloor can build. ERP usually resolves it into an order-specific BOM and routing before MES/MOM sees it as a normal order.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for CPQ →
CRMCustomer relationship management Software for managing customers and sales opportunities. Covered in 2 articles

CRM rarely touches the shopfloor directly. Its usual connection to manufacturing is through ERP, which turns customer orders into demand for production. Customer complaints, though, need to trace back through quality and production records, which is where the systems meet.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for CRM →
Customisation Changing a product's code to support specific business logic. Covered in 10 articles

The most expensive way to make software fit. Every customisation has to be retested at each upgrade, and in regulated industries revalidated too.

Where it comes up on the site

And 2 more articles.

Full entry for Customisation →
Cycle time The time it takes to produce one unit, compared with the target. Covered in 11 articles

Cycle time variation across shifts and operators is one of the clearest signs of an unstandardised process. The target cycle time also drives the OEE performance figure, so keep it honest.

Where it comes up on the site

And 3 more articles.

Full entry for Cycle time →

D

Data fabric An architecture that makes data discoverable and usable across many systems without copying it all into one place. Covered in 4 articles

Useful in large organisations with many systems and sites. The context that makes shopfloor data valuable still has to be created upstream.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Data fabric →
Data lake A large store of raw, often unstructured data from many sources. Covered in 4 articles

Often the raw material for analytics and machine learning. Without structure and context, a lake becomes a swamp.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Data lake →
Data matrix A compact two-dimensional code that can be printed or engraved on small parts. Covered in 1 article

It's common for marking individual parts with a serial number, because it survives harsh environments when engraved.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Data matrix →
Data warehouse A structured database organised for reporting and business intelligence. Covered in 2 articles

Best for aggregated data that answers known questions, such as output and scrap by site by month.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Data warehouse →
DCSDistributed control system A control system for continuous and batch processes, with control spread across the plant. Covered in 7 articles

Common in chemicals and other large process plants. It spans ISA-95 levels 1 and 2, below MES/MOM.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for DCS →
Defect A non-measurable flaw in a product, such as a scratch or dent, usually classed by severity. Covered in 13 articles

Recording defects by type and location, against the order and machine, is what turns a scrap count into something you can improve.

Where it comes up on the site

And 5 more articles.

Full entry for Defect →
Demand planning Forecasting what customers will order, so production and purchasing can be planned ahead. Covered in 2 articles

The forecast feeds planning and MRP in ERP. Production then turns the plan into orders, and MES/MOM records what was actually made.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Demand planning →
Deviation A departure from an approved process or procedure, recorded and assessed in regulated manufacturing. Covered in 5 articles

In an electronic batch record, deviations are flagged as they happen rather than found days later during review.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Deviation →
DHRDevice history record The record of how each medical device or batch of devices was built. Covered in 2 articles

It covers materials, operations, operators, inspections and labelling. An electronic DHR in MES/MOM is built as the device is made, not assembled afterwards.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for DHR →
Digital thread The connected flow of product data from design, through planning and production, to service and back again. Covered in 5 articles

It sounds great on a slide. In practice the thread has knots, especially at the handover between engineering and production. In most manufacturers it runs from PLM through ERP to MES/MOM.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Digital thread →
Digital transformation Changing how a business operates by using digital technology and data, not just adding software. Covered in 2 articles

Good technology is essential, but even the best system can be held back by poor processes or low adoption. Map the process first, and plan for adoption from the start.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Digital transformation →
Digital twin A virtual model of an asset, process or factory, kept in sync with the real thing through live data. Covered in 2 articles

A twin is only as good as the data feeding it. MES/MOM doesn't do the simulation, but it supplies much of the operational reality that keeps a twin honest.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Digital twin →
Digital work instructions Step-by-step instructions presented automatically for the job that's running, always the latest version. Covered in 9 articles

A PDF on a tablet is paper on a screen. Done properly, instructions capture confirmations and react to what's happening on the line.

Where it comes up on the site

And 1 more articles.

Full entry for Digital work instructions →
Discrete manufacturing Making individual, countable items that could in theory be taken apart. Covered in 2 articles

You count pieces and often track serial numbers. In high-mix environments, changeovers are the biggest constraint.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Discrete manufacturing →
Downtime reason codes The list of reasons an operator or system assigns to each stop, such as jam, material shortage or changeover. Covered in 2 articles

A list that's too long or too vague makes the data useless. Keep it short and grouped by category, and capture the reason while the stop is fresh.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Downtime reason codes →

E

EAMEnterprise asset management Software for managing the full lifecycle of physical assets, usually across many sites. Covered in 13 articles

EAM covers the asset register, maintenance plans, work orders and the financial side of assets. It makes sense for asset-heavy operations with advanced needs, connected to MES/MOM so downtime data is consistent.

Where it comes up on the site

And 5 more articles.

Full entry for EAM →
EBOMEngineering bill of materials The product as designed, structured by function, held in PLM. Covered in 3 articles

The EBOM usually leaves out packaging, labels, consumables and the jig you need to hold a part. Restructuring it into the manufacturing BOM is a step that needs one clear owner.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for EBOM →
EBRElectronic batch record A digital record of every step, material, measurement and signature in a batch, enforced by the system as it runs. Covered in 3 articles

In pharma a paper batch record can run to hundreds of pages. An EBR in MES/MOM enforces the sequence and flags deviations as they happen, with weights taken from connected instruments, so QA can review by exception.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for EBR →
Edge Computing done close to the machines rather than in a central data centre or the cloud. Covered in 10 articles

Machine connectivity usually runs at the edge, close to the equipment, while the main application runs centrally or in the cloud.

Where it comes up on the site

And 2 more articles.

Full entry for Edge →
EHSEnvironment, health and safety The processes and systems that manage workplace safety and environmental compliance. Covered in 2 articles

Safety checks and sign-offs at the point of work are a natural part of connected worker, built into the screens operators already use.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for EHS →
Electronic signature A digital sign-off that legally links a person to a record, as defined by regulations such as 21 CFR Part 11. Covered in 1 article

It has to be attributable and secure, and linked to the exact record and meaning of the signature.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Electronic signature →
Engineer-to-order Making products that need some design work for each order. Covered in 2 articles

Production often starts before engineering is finished, so MES/MOM has to handle orders whose later operations aren't defined yet.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Engineer-to-order →
Enterprise template A standard configuration of processes, master data, KPIs and screens rolled out to every site. Covered in 1 article

Later sites go live much faster. Some local variation is needed for flexibility and should be managed within the template, but variation that's really just habit should be removed or kept to a minimum.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Enterprise template →
ERPEnterprise resource planning The system that runs the business side of a manufacturer on one set of data, from finance and orders to planning and costing. Covered in 62 articles

A good ERP is the backbone of a manufacturing business, and it deserves more credit than it gets. It plans and accounts for production rather than running it minute by minute, which is where specialist applications complement it.

Where it comes up on the site

And 54 more articles.

Full entry for ERP →
Error-proofing Designing a process or system so mistakes are prevented or caught immediately. Covered in 5 articles

Examples include scanning to confirm the right material before it's consumed, or blocking an order start until checks pass.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Error-proofing →
ESGEnvironmental, social and governance The framework companies use to report on sustainability and responsible business. Covered in 3 articles

Much of the evidence starts on the shopfloor: energy per product, scrap, water use and yield. Treated as operational efficiency, it pays for itself.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for ESG →
EU GMP Annex 11 The European guidance for computerised systems used in GMP-regulated manufacturing. Covered in 1 article

It's the European counterpart to 21 CFR Part 11, and it shapes how pharmaceutical MES/MOM is validated and run.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for EU GMP Annex 11 →
Event-driven architecture An integration approach where systems publish events, such as "order started" or "lot on hold", and others react to them. Covered in 2 articles

It suits the shopfloor, where things happen at unpredictable times. Systems react as soon as something changes, rather than checking for updates on a timer.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Event-driven architecture →

F

FEFOFirst expired, first out Using or shipping the stock with the earliest expiry date first. Covered in 3 articles

Standard in food, beverage and pharma, where shelf life matters more than the date stock arrived. It depends on expiry dates being captured accurately at receipt and production, then enforced at the point of picking or consumption.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for FEFO →
FIFOFirst in, first out Using or shipping the oldest stock first. Covered in 5 articles

Simple in principle, and easy to break without location-level inventory tracking.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for FIFO →
Finite capacity scheduling Scheduling that respects the real limits of machines, labour, tools and material. Covered in 1 article

ERP's MRP mostly assumes infinite capacity. Where sequencing is complex, finite scheduling is the job of an APS; otherwise ERP, or an ERP module, is often enough. MES/MOM feeds back what actually happened.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Finite capacity scheduling →
First article inspection A full inspection of the first part from a new production run to prove the process can make it to specification. Covered in 1 article

Common in aerospace, often against AS9102. MES/MOM can stop the rest of the order until the first article passes.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for First article inspection →
FPYFirst-pass yield The percentage of output that passes every quality check first time, with no rework. Covered in 3 articles

A line can have a decent OEE quality rate and still be quietly reworking a lot of what it makes. First-pass yield exposes that, so agree the definition before you compare numbers across sites.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for FPY →
FSMField service management Software for managing service visits, technicians, parts used and faults found at customer sites. Covered in 1 article

When products fail in the field, FSM records the failure against the serial number, and the as-built record in MES/MOM shows what the failed units had in common.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for FSM →
FTTQFirst time through quality The percentage of units that complete a process right first time, without being scrapped, reworked, retested or repaired. Covered in 2 articles

It's often used interchangeably with first-pass yield. Some manufacturers, particularly in automotive, use FTTQ across a whole process and count any repair or retest as a failure, so agree the definition before comparing numbers across sites.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for FTTQ →

G

Gateway A device or software that translates between industrial protocols, or between the plant network and other systems. Covered in 3 articles

Gateways let older equipment take part in OPC UA or MQTT architectures without replacing the controller.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Gateway →
Gemba The place where the work actually happens, the shopfloor. Covered in 1 article

It's best known through gemba walks: leaders regularly walking the shopfloor to see problems, or potential problems, first hand and talk to the people doing the work. Real-time data helps you decide where to look, but it doesn't replace the walk.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Gemba →
GenAIGenerative AI AI that generates content such as text and code, including large language models. Covered in 13 articles

GenAI's sweet spot is helping people rather than controlling machines. Shift summaries and a knowledge assistant at the line both work today, as long as it has good, contextualised data.

Where it comes up on the site

And 5 more articles.

Full entry for GenAI →
Genealogy The full parent and child history of material, tracing what went into each product and where each input ended up. Covered in 23 articles

Genealogy is the core of traceability, in both directions. The difference between adequate and excellent traceability is everything captured alongside it, from tooling to process parameters.

Where it comes up on the site

And 15 more articles.

Full entry for Genealogy →
Give-away Product given away free by overfilling packs above their declared weight or volume. Covered in 2 articles

In food, small overfills across millions of packs add up to real money. Checkweigher data linked to the order makes it visible.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Give-away →
GMPGood manufacturing practice Regulations and guidelines that make sure products such as medicines and food are consistently made to quality standards. Covered in 2 articles

GMP shapes how processes are documented and how systems such as MES/MOM are validated.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for GMP →
Goods receipt Recording the arrival of purchased material, often with a quality check before it's released for use. Covered in 2 articles

It's where lot traceability starts. Capture the supplier lot at receipt, or you can't trace it later.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Goods receipt →

H

High-mix low-volume Manufacturing many different products in small quantities. Covered in 2 articles

Changeovers become the biggest constraint on throughput, and work instructions have to change with every order.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for High-mix low-volume →
Historian A database designed to store high-frequency time-series data from machines and sensors. Covered in 10 articles

Engineers use historians for troubleshooting and long-term trends. MES/MOM also reads time-series values from tags and adds context, and for most manufacturers that removes the need for a separate historian. Only in rare cases, usually in process industries with very high-frequency data, do you need both.

Where it comes up on the site

And 2 more articles.

Full entry for Historian →
HMIHuman-machine interface The screen or panel an operator uses to monitor and control a machine. Covered in 2 articles

The HMI controls the machine, and MES/MOM manages the operation around it. Ideally MES/MOM drives the operator's screen too, so operators don't have to work across both.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for HMI →
Homegrown MES A manufacturing execution system built in-house rather than bought. Covered in 5 articles

They can be quick to start, but they're difficult to implement well, particularly for user experience, performance, scalability and security. Over time they tend to depend on a few people, and every upgrade and new capability is yours to build. Eventually they need replacing, which is mostly a people challenge.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Homegrown MES →
Hybrid deployment Running critical shopfloor functions locally at the edge and the rest of the application in the cloud. Covered in 1 article

Some manufacturers choose it to keep machine-level functions close to the line while the main application runs in the cloud.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Hybrid deployment →
Hypercare The period of extra support straight after go-live. Covered in 2 articles

Problems always surface in the first weeks. Fix them fast enough that people keep trusting the system.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Hypercare →

I

IATF 16949 The international quality management standard for the automotive industry. Covered in 2 articles

It builds on ISO 9001 with automotive requirements such as traceability and control plans, and customers audit against it.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for IATF 16949 →
IEC 62443 The main international standard for industrial automation and OT cybersecurity. Covered in 1 article

Its core idea is grouping assets into zones with similar security needs and controlling the conduits between them. MES/MOM usually sits in the site operations zone, between the enterprise network and the control zones.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for IEC 62443 →
IIoTIndustrial Internet of Things Connecting machines, sensors and devices so their data can be collected and used. Covered in 16 articles

IIoT is a concept, and it lives in the connectivity layer. It feeds MES/MOM rather than replacing it, because collecting machine data is a small part of running a factory. MES/MOM often acts as the IIoT layer itself, connecting directly to machines, so a separate IIoT platform isn't always needed.

Where it comes up on the site

And 8 more articles.

Full entry for IIoT →
Industry 3.0 The third industrial revolution: electronics and automation on the factory floor, from the late 1960s onwards. Covered in 1 article

The PLC, first used by General Motors in 1969, is its symbol. It's also when manufacturing systems first appeared, each running one department, before MES brought them together.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Industry 3.0 →
Industry 4.0 The fourth industrial revolution: connected machines and data brought together across the factory and the supply chain. Covered in 4 articles

It's a useful label for the shift to connected, data-driven manufacturing, which started gaining traction in the 2010s. I'd still rather describe what something does than give it a version number. A smart factory is defined by outcomes, not by which revolution it belongs to.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Industry 4.0 →
Industry 5.0 A European Commission concept that builds on Industry 4.0 by putting people and sustainability at the centre of manufacturing. Covered in 4 articles

The idea is sound: technology should support people on the shopfloor rather than replace them. That's what connected worker is about. Whether it needed a new number is another question.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Industry 5.0 →
Industry 6.0 A label with no agreed definition, mostly used in marketing and on LinkedIn to sound a step ahead. Covered in 2 articles

I've seen it used to mean everything from AI-run factories to quantum computing. When a term means whatever the speaker wants it to, it doesn't help anyone make a decision. Ask what the technology actually does on the shopfloor, and what it needs underneath it.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Industry 6.0 →
Inspection plan The defined set of checks for a product, with when to perform them and the limits to check against. Covered in 13 articles

In MES/MOM, inspections are triggered by what's actually running, so the operator doesn't have to remember which checks apply.

Where it comes up on the site

And 5 more articles.

Full entry for Inspection plan →
Inventory turns How many times inventory is used and replaced over a period, usually a year. Covered in 1 article

Higher turns mean less working capital tied up in stock. Trustworthy, real-time inventory data is one of the simplest ways to improve them.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Inventory turns →
iPaaSIntegration platform as a service A cloud-based integration platform for connecting applications, with monitoring and retries in one place. Covered in 2 articles

It's the cloud-hosted equivalent of middleware: a vendor-run platform with prebuilt connectors, data mapping and monitoring for moving information between applications.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for iPaaS →
ISA-88Batch control standard, also known as S88 The international standard for batch control, defining how recipes and equipment are modelled. Covered in 4 articles

Its big idea is separating the recipe from the equipment, so the same recipe can run on different units. It lives mainly in the control system and fits alongside ISA-95, which covers the layer above.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for ISA-88 →
ISA-95 The international standard for integrating enterprise and control systems, also published as IEC 62264. Covered in 16 articles

ISA-95 splits a factory into levels from the physical process up to ERP, with MES/MOM at level 3. Its real value is the discipline it brings to integration, starting with which system owns each piece of data.

Where it comes up on the site

And 8 more articles.

Full entry for ISA-95 →
ISO 13485 The international quality management standard for medical devices. Covered in 1 article

Since 2 February 2026, the FDA's Quality Management System Regulation incorporates it by reference, so US device makers now follow the same standard as most of the world.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for ISO 13485 →
ISO 22400 The international standard defining manufacturing KPIs, including OEE. Covered in 7 articles

You don't need to memorise it, but it's worth knowing it exists, especially if you're comparing figures across sites or systems that might calculate them differently.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for ISO 22400 →
ISO 9001 The international standard for quality management systems. Covered in 2 articles

Most manufacturers are certified to it. Industry standards such as IATF 16949 and AS9100 build on top of it.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for ISO 9001 →
IT/OT convergence Bringing information technology and operational technology together under a shared architecture and governance. Covered in 1 article

It doesn't mean one side taking over the other. It means agreed architecture and people who understand both sets of constraints.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for IT/OT convergence →

J

Just-in-sequence Delivering parts to the line in the exact order they'll be used, as well as at the right time. Covered in 2 articles

Common in automotive, where each vehicle on the line can be different. Suppliers and line-side logistics need the build sequence from MES/MOM, and any change to it has to reach them in time.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Just-in-sequence →
Just-in-time Producing and delivering only what's needed, at the moment it's needed. Covered in 3 articles

JIT relies on accurate, real-time inventory and consumption data. Without it, buffers creep back in to cover for uncertainty.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Just-in-time →

K

Kaizen Continuous improvement, made in small steps by everyone, at the place where the work happens. Covered in 3 articles

Kaizen is a core idea in the Toyota Production System. MES/MOM supports it with standardised processes and accurate data, so improvement rests on facts and you can prove each change worked.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Kaizen →
Kanban A pull signal, physical or digital, that triggers replenishment when material is used. Covered in 3 articles

Digital kanban in MES/MOM raises replenishment from real consumption rather than from a plan made days earlier.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Kanban →
Kitting Picking all the components for an order or operation together and delivering them as a set. Covered in 3 articles

Kitting suits assembly. Pushed too far in advance, kits tie up stock and go out of date when the schedule changes.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Kitting →
KPIKey performance indicator A measure that shows whether a process or business is meeting its goals. Covered in 20 articles

On the shopfloor, OEE gets the attention, but first-pass yield, OTIF, MTBF and changeover time matter too. Calculate them the same way everywhere.

Where it comes up on the site

And 12 more articles.

Full entry for KPI →

L

Labour tracking Recording which people worked on which orders and operations, and for how long. Covered in 2 articles

It turns labour from a site-wide cost into a cost per order and per product. MES/MOM captures it as people log on to operations, rather than from timesheets afterwards.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Labour tracking →
Lead time The time between starting a process and finishing it, such as from order to delivery or from material arrival to use. Covered in 6 articles

Planning relies on lead times being right. In continuous processes, the actual lead time through the line is also how time-based traceability works out which input went into which output.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Lead time →
Lean A way of running operations focused on customer value and removing waste, drawn from the Toyota Production System. Covered in 2 articles

Lean and MES/MOM fit together well. Standardised processes and accurate data make improvement measurable.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Lean →
LIFOLast in, first out Using the most recently received stock first. Covered in 1 article

Less common for physical stock movement, but practical where material is stored so the newest is easiest to reach, such as bulk material in a heap. LIFO is also an inventory valuation method in some accounting rules, which is a separate question from how material physically moves.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for LIFO →
LIMSLaboratory information management system Software for managing lab samples, tests, results and certificates of analysis. Covered in 11 articles

In process industries, LIMS runs the lab while MES/MOM runs the batch. The two meet at the sample, which should be born with its batch context rather than a handwritten label. Depending on what the MOM platform covers, a separate LIMS isn't always needed.

Where it comes up on the site

And 3 more articles.

Full entry for LIMS →
Line-side replenishment Moving material from the warehouse or a supermarket to the line as it's needed. Covered in 3 articles

Ideally MES/MOM raises the request, because it knows what's running, what's next and what's left at the line.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Line-side replenishment →
Lot A quantity of material with a unique identifier, used for tracking and traceability. Covered in 59 articles

Lot numbers often change by day or by production order. Knowing exactly how much of each lot went into each output is what separates full traceability from order-level estimates.

Where it comes up on the site

And 51 more articles.

Full entry for Lot →
Low-code Tools that let people build screens and logic by dragging and configuring rather than writing code. Covered in 3 articles

Low-code covers more complex needs without touching the product's code, so it stays upgradeable.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Low-code →

M

Maintenance work order An instruction to carry out maintenance on an asset, with tasks, parts, labour and sign-off. Covered in 8 articles

Linking each work order to the stops it fixed is how you find out whether the repair worked.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Maintenance work order →
Master data The core reference data systems share, such as materials, BOMs, routings, equipment and customers. Covered in 21 articles

MES/MOM needs more detailed master data than most ERP set-ups were built with. Getting the master data right in ERP is critical, and where needed, extra detail can then be added in the specialised applications.

Where it comes up on the site

And 13 more articles.

Full entry for Master data →
MBOMManufacturing bill of materials The product as it will be built, restructured around the process and usually held in ERP. Covered in 3 articles

The MBOM adds what the EBOM leaves out, such as consumables, packaging, labels and phantom kits, and groups sub-assemblies by where they're built. ERP needs it to plan, purchase and cost.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for MBOM →
MCPModel Context Protocol An open standard that lets AI agents connect to other software systems and use their data and functions. Covered in 5 articles

MCP gives agents a common way to talk to applications without a custom integration for every pairing, while the system stays in control of what's exposed. That's useful in a factory, where agents may need to work across dozens of systems.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for MCP →
MDMMaster data management The processes and tools that keep master data accurate and consistent across systems. Covered in 2 articles

The rule that matters most is one owner per object. Everyone else holds a copy.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for MDM →
MESManufacturing execution system The production pillar of manufacturing operations, running orders on the shopfloor and recording output and downtime. Covered in 96 articles

MES is the original term and still the one most people search for. It's one part of MOM rather than another name for it, and the difference matters most when you decide what to buy.

Where it comes up on the site

And 88 more articles.

Full entry for MES →
MESA-11 The 1997 model from MESA International setting out eleven core functions of an MES. Covered in 1 article

The list was already far broader than production execution, covering quality, maintenance, labour, documents and genealogy. That breadth is what we now call MOM. MESA ceased operation in June 2026 and ISA took on its work.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for MESA-11 →
Metrology The science of measurement, and on the shopfloor the gauges and instruments used for quality checks. Covered in 2 articles

Connecting metrology equipment to MES/MOM removes typing errors and captures measurements against the right order and sample automatically.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Metrology →
Micro-stop A short stop, often seconds long, that operators rarely record but that adds up to a large loss. Covered in 7 articles

Most people are genuinely surprised when they first see their micro-stops. They only become visible when stops are detected automatically from the equipment.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Micro-stop →
Middleware Software that sits between systems to move and translate data, so each system connects once rather than to every other. Covered in 1 article

Each system connects once to the integration layer, which handles mapping, routing, retries and monitoring in one place. It adds another layer to run and maintain.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Middleware →
Mixed-mode manufacturing A process that combines process and discrete steps, such as mixing a batch then filling and packing it into cases. Covered in 1 article

It's far more common than software brochures suggest, so check a system handles both before you buy.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Mixed-mode manufacturing →
MLMachine learning A type of AI where algorithms are trained on historical data to predict outcomes. Covered in 9 articles

Machine learning has been in factories for longer than most people realise, through SPC-style thinking and predictive maintenance. It needs a clear question and good data, then a model you train and refine before you trust it.

Where it comes up on the site

And 1 more articles.

Full entry for ML →
MOMManufacturing operations management The whole operation, covering production, quality, inventory and maintenance. Covered in 94 articles

The term exists because the scope grew. MOM lines up with the four areas of manufacturing operations defined in ISA-95, and the broadest platforms go further into tooling, energy, skills and connected worker.

Where it comes up on the site

And 86 more articles.

Full entry for MOM →
MQTT A lightweight publish-and-subscribe messaging protocol widely used for IIoT. Covered in 13 articles

Devices publish messages to a broker and interested systems subscribe. MQTT doesn't define what the data means on its own; extensions such as Sparkplug add structure. It often works alongside OPC UA.

Where it comes up on the site

And 5 more articles.

Full entry for MQTT →
MRPMaterial requirements planning The ERP process that works out what to make and buy, and when, from demand, stock and lead times. Covered in 6 articles

MRP mostly assumes infinite capacity, or uses rough-cut checks. When sequencing needs to respect real constraints, that's the job of APS or the sequencing in MES/MOM.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for MRP →
MTBFMean time between failures The average time equipment runs between breakdowns. Covered in 8 articles

MTBF tells you how often equipment fails. It depends on accurate downtime data, which is why production and maintenance need to record the same stops.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for MTBF →
MTTFMean time to failure The average time a non-repairable item, such as a bearing or a sensor, lasts before it fails and is replaced. Covered in 1 article

MTTF is for parts you replace rather than repair. It helps you set replacement intervals and decide how many spares to hold.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for MTTF →
MTTRMean time to repair The average time it takes to fix equipment after a breakdown. Covered in 6 articles

Together with MTBF, MTTR shows whether reliability is improving and where maintenance effort is best spent.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for MTTR →

N

Non-conformance A product or process that doesn't meet its specification. Covered in 11 articles

Record it at the source with full context, including the order, lot, machine and a photo. Rules then decide whether it stays a local scrap or escalates to a non-conformance and CAPA process, usually in ERP.

Where it comes up on the site

And 3 more articles.

Full entry for Non-conformance →

O

OEEOverall equipment effectiveness Availability multiplied by performance multiplied by quality. Covered in 36 articles

OEE compares the good product you made with what the line could have made in the time it was planned to run. Measure it on the bottleneck, from automatic data, and use it to find losses rather than to compare people.

Where it comes up on the site

And 28 more articles.

Full entry for OEE →
OOEOverall operations effectiveness OEE measured against the hours the factory is open, planned stops included. Covered in 3 articles

OOE exposes losses that OEE's baseline hides, such as long breaks, overrunning meetings and generous changeover allowances.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for OOE →
OPC UAOpen Platform Communications Unified Architecture The industry standard for secure, structured machine-to-system communication. Covered in 16 articles

OPC UA carries structure and meaning as well as values, and it has security built in. If there's one connectivity standard to know, it's this one.

Where it comes up on the site

And 8 more articles.

Full entry for OPC UA →
Order BOM The copy of the manufacturing BOM taken for one production order, at the revision and quantity for that order. Covered in 3 articles

This is what goes to MES/MOM, not the master BOM. It can change after release when a planner substitutes a component.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Order BOM →
OTOperational technology The hardware and software that monitors and controls physical equipment, as opposed to IT. Covered in 9 articles

In OT the priority is availability and safety rather than confidentiality. You can't patch a PLC on a Tuesday afternoon because a bulletin came out, and security has to respect that.

Where it comes up on the site

And 1 more articles.

Full entry for OT →
OTIFOn time in full The percentage of orders delivered complete and on the promised date. Covered in 2 articles

OTIF connects shopfloor performance to the customer. You can have great OEE and still miss deliveries if the wrong things were made at the wrong time.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for OTIF →

P

Paperless manufacturing Replacing paper travellers and check sheets with digital data capture on the shopfloor. Covered in 1 article

A great first step. Choose a platform that can grow into full MES/MOM so you don't swap paper silos for digital ones.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Paperless manufacturing →
PDCAPlan, do, check, act The improvement cycle of planning a change, trying it, checking the result and standardising it or trying again. Covered in 2 articles

After go-live, continuous improvement becomes the rhythm. The difference is that each cycle is now based on data rather than gut feel.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for PDCA →
Performance The OEE factor comparing actual output with what the target cycle time says you could have made in the running time. Covered in 20 articles

A figure above 100% means the target cycle time in your master data is wrong. Update it rather than enjoying the inflated number.

Where it comes up on the site

And 12 more articles.

Full entry for Performance →
Phantom BOM A bill of materials for a set of parts that are picked or built together but never stocked as an item. Covered in 1 article

Phantom kits are one of the ways the manufacturing BOM differs from the engineering BOM.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Phantom BOM →
Picking Taking material from storage to fulfil a production order or shipment. Covered in 7 articles

Pick accuracy drives whether the line gets the right material. Scanning at pick and at the line closes the loop.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Picking →
Planned production time The time a line is scheduled to produce, after planned stops such as breaks and planned maintenance are taken out. Covered in 2 articles

It's the baseline OEE availability is measured against. Agree what counts as planned and unplanned before you compare lines or sites.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Planned production time →
PLCProgrammable logic controller An industrial computer that controls machines and processes. Covered in 17 articles

PLCs sit at levels 1 and 2 of ISA-95. MES/MOM reads from them, and sometimes sends setpoints down, but ERP should never be wired to them directly.

Where it comes up on the site

And 9 more articles.

Full entry for PLC →
PLMProduct lifecycle management The system holding product designs, specifications, engineering BOMs and engineering changes. Covered in 16 articles

PLM is the source of truth for what a product is, not for how or where you build it. Product data usually reaches the shopfloor through ERP, with a direct link for rich content where it helps.

Where it comes up on the site

And 8 more articles.

Full entry for PLM →
Point solution A tool that solves one narrow problem, such as an OEE dashboard or a checklist app. Covered in 10 articles

It fixes today's gap quickly, often with real depth. As requirements grow, each extra tool adds an interface to own, and context can get lost between them.

Where it comes up on the site

And 2 more articles.

Full entry for Point solution →
Point-to-point integration Connecting systems directly to each other, one link per pair. Covered in 1 article

Direct links are often the safest option, because the sending system gets a response from the receiving system and knows whether each message arrived and was accepted. As the number of systems grows, each link needs to be maintained when either side changes.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Point-to-point integration →
PPAPProduction part approval process The automotive process for proving a supplier's production process can consistently make a part to specification before supply starts. Covered in 1 article

PPAP comes with control plans that define every check. MES/MOM is where those checks are enforced day to day.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for PPAP →
PpkProcess performance index A measure of how well a process has actually performed against its specification limits over time. Covered in 1 article

Ppk compares the overall spread of all the data, including shifts between subgroups such as a new material lot or a different shift, with the specification, and takes into account how well centred the process is. Pp asks the same question as if the process were perfectly centred. Cpk uses only the short-term spread within subgroups, so it shows potential, while Ppk shows what the customer actually received. If Cpk is much higher than Ppk, the process is moving between subgroups. Ppk is often required in initial studies of a new process, such as automotive PPAP.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Ppk →
Predictive maintenance Using condition data and failure history to forecast a failure before it happens. Covered in 9 articles

It's the last step after reactive, preventive and condition-based maintenance, and it starts with recording downtime and other sensor data accurately. Models also need operating context, which usually lives in MES/MOM.

Where it comes up on the site

And 1 more articles.

Full entry for Predictive maintenance →
Preventive maintenance Maintaining equipment on a schedule, by calendar time or by usage. Covered in 4 articles

Better than reactive but blunt: sometimes too early, sometimes too late. Usage counters from MES/MOM make it more accurate.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Preventive maintenance →
Process capability How well a process can produce output within its specification limits, usually expressed as Cp, Cpk, Pp or Ppk. Covered in 2 articles

Stability and capability are different questions. A stable process varies by the same amount around the same average, and SPC tells you whether that's true. Capability compares that variation with the specification limits. If the natural spread is wider than the tolerance, or sits too close to one limit, a perfectly stable process will still produce out-of-spec parts, predictably.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Process capability →
Process manufacturing Transforming materials by mixing, blending, heating or reacting, so the result can't be turned back into its ingredients. Covered in 4 articles

You measure in litres and kilograms and work from recipes. Yields vary with natural raw materials.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Process manufacturing →
Process mapping Documenting how work actually happens, step by step, before designing how it should happen. Covered in 3 articles

I like a swimlane grid with departments across the top and processes down the side. Digitise a broken process and you get a faster broken process.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Process mapping →
Procurement Buying the materials, components and services a manufacturer needs, from choosing suppliers to paying them. Covered in 4 articles

Procurement lives in ERP. Accurate consumption data from the shopfloor, covering production materials and the spare parts maintenance uses, means purchasing works from real usage instead of estimates.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Procurement →
Production order An instruction to make a quantity of a product, with its BOM, routing and due date. Covered in 24 articles

ERP creates and costs it; MES/MOM executes it. In a good MES, everything that happens on the shopfloor is tied back to the order.

Where it comes up on the site

And 16 more articles.

Full entry for Production order →
Purdue model A reference model that layers industrial networks from the physical process up to enterprise systems. Covered in 1 article

It splits a plant into levels: the physical process at level 0, sensors and controllers at levels 1 and 2, site operations such as MES/MOM at level 3, and business systems such as ERP at levels 4 and 5. It's mostly used in OT security, to decide which systems can talk to which, and the levels line up closely with ISA-95.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Purdue model →
Putaway Moving material into its storage location when it first arrives in the warehouse. Covered in 4 articles

It covers raw materials arriving from suppliers and finished goods coming off the line. Putaway can be directed by ERP, WMS or MOM, depending on how complex the warehouse is.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Putaway →

Q

QMSQuality management system Software for enterprise quality processes such as CAPA, complaints, audits and document control. Covered in 16 articles

A QMS runs quality over weeks and months across sites and suppliers. A good MOM platform covers that scope as well as quality at the point of production, which replaces the need for a separate QMS. An MES focused on production can feed a QMS instead, so non-conformances arrive with full context.

Where it comes up on the site

And 8 more articles.

Full entry for QMS →
Quality hold A block that stops a lot or batch being used or shipped until it's released. Covered in 5 articles

Holds work best when they're automatic and visible everywhere the material might move, with MES/MOM enforcing them at the line.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Quality hold →
Quality rate The OEE factor comparing good output with total output. Covered in 2 articles

Scrap lowers the quality rate. Rework doesn't, but it still costs time, which is why first-pass yield is worth measuring alongside OEE.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Quality rate →

R

Reactive maintenance Fixing equipment only when it breaks. Covered in 1 article

Viable for cheap, non-critical assets where downtime doesn't significantly affect production. Expensive everywhere else, and usually not the best option.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Reactive maintenance →
Recall Withdrawing products from customers or the market because of a safety or quality problem. Covered in 11 articles

Traceability decides how big a recall has to be. Exact genealogy lets you identify the affected units rather than quarantining a week of production.

Where it comes up on the site

And 3 more articles.

Full entry for Recall →
Recipe The formulation and process steps for a batch in process manufacturing, with parameters for each step. Covered in 14 articles

Recipes include substitutions when an ingredient isn't available. In MES/MOM the recipe enforces the sequence so steps can't be skipped.

Where it comes up on the site

And 6 more articles.

Full entry for Recipe →
Review by exception Reviewing only the parts of a batch record that went outside the normal path, instead of every page. Covered in 2 articles

It's possible when an electronic batch record enforces the sequence and flags deviations as they happen.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Review by exception →
Rework Extra work to bring a non-conforming product back to specification. Covered in 17 articles

Rework hides in many quality figures. A line can look fine on quality rate while quietly reworking a lot of what it makes.

Where it comes up on the site

And 9 more articles.

Full entry for Rework →
RFIDRadio-frequency identification Tags that can be read by radio without line of sight, used to identify and track items. Covered in 2 articles

Useful for tracking inventory and returnable assets such as containers. As tagged items pass readers, their location is updated automatically, and readers in more than one place can tell which way they're moving, such as into or out of a warehouse. The data still needs context in MES/MOM to mean anything.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for RFID →
Root cause analysis Finding the underlying cause of a problem rather than treating its symptoms. Covered in 4 articles

Good traceability makes it far quicker: you can see that every failed part came from the same cavity, during the same two hours, when the temperature drifted.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Root cause analysis →
Routing The sequence of operations needed to make a product, with the equipment and cycle times for each. Covered in 24 articles

ERP routings are often set to what costing needed and nothing more. MES/MOM needs to know which machines each operation runs on, with realistic cycle and setup times.

Where it comes up on the site

And 16 more articles.

Full entry for Routing →
RTYRolled throughput yield The probability that a unit passes every step of a process right first time, found by multiplying the first-pass yield of each step. Covered in 2 articles

Four steps at 95% each give an RTY of about 81%, even when final yield looks far better. That gap is the hidden factory of rework and re-inspection.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for RTY →
Run to failure A deliberate choice to fix an asset only when it breaks. Covered in 1 article

It's viable for cheap, non-critical assets where downtime doesn't significantly affect production. It becomes expensive when it's the default by accident.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Run to failure →

S

SaaSSoftware as a service Software delivered from the cloud on a subscription, with the vendor running the infrastructure and updates. Covered in 1 article

Most MES/MOM is already hosted centrally so it can serve several factories, whichever way it's deployed. SaaS moves that hosting to the vendor, who usually manages it for uptime more effectively than servers run by each manufacturer.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for SaaS →
Safety stock Extra inventory held to protect against variation in demand or supply. Covered in 2 articles

Some safety stock is sensible. A lot of it is there because nobody trusts the inventory data, and real-time tracking lets you reduce it.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Safety stock →
SCADASupervisory control and data acquisition Systems that monitor and control equipment in real time. Covered in 11 articles

If SCADA is mainly used for visibility, MES/MOM can often cover it. In heavier process industries with real control loops, keep both and agree a clear boundary.

Where it comes up on the site

And 3 more articles.

Full entry for SCADA →
SCMSupply chain management Planning and coordinating the flow of materials and information across suppliers, plants, warehouses and customers. Covered in 3 articles

SCM software usually sits alongside ERP at the business level. It depends on accurate stock and production data from the plants, which is where MES/MOM and WMS come in.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for SCM →
Scrap rate The percentage of output that's waste. Covered in 4 articles

Scrap throws away the machine time and labour that went into the part as well as the material. In food and process industries, yield is often the biggest single profit lever.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Scrap rate →
Sensor A device that measures a physical property, such as temperature or vibration, and turns it into a signal. Covered in 19 articles

Sensors produce data; context makes it useful. Start with the sensors that tell you about your bottleneck.

Where it comes up on the site

And 11 more articles.

Full entry for Sensor →
Serialisation Giving each individual item a unique identifier so it can be tracked on its own. Covered in 3 articles

Serial items are common in discrete manufacturing and essential for products you'll service later. When something fails in the field, the serial number is the key that links the service record to the as-built record.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Serialisation →
Shelf life How long a product can be stored before it's no longer fit to sell or use. Covered in 2 articles

Shelf-life rules differ by product and drive how stock is picked. MES/MOM tracks expiry by lot so expired material can't be consumed.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Shelf life →
Shift handover The transfer of status, issues and open actions from one shift to the next. Covered in 8 articles

Most handovers are a quick chat at the door. Build them from MES/MOM data on what actually happened, then let the supervisor add what only a person knows.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Shift handover →
Shopfloor The production area of a factory, where products are made and the operation actually runs. Covered in 68 articles

It's where the data that matters is created, and where most smart factory programmes succeed or fail.

Where it comes up on the site

And 60 more articles.

Full entry for Shopfloor →
Simulation Modelling a process or factory on a computer to test changes before making them for real. Covered in 1 article

Discrete event simulation is the common type for factory flow. A digital twin adds a live link to the real factory.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Simulation →
Six Sigma A data-driven method for reducing variation and defects, aiming for no more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. Covered in 4 articles

Six Sigma lives or dies on data quality. Measurements captured automatically at the line, with context, make projects faster and their conclusions more trustworthy.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Six Sigma →
Skills matrix A record of who is trained and qualified for which operations and equipment. Covered in 1 article

Most live in a spreadsheet nobody checks at the point of work. The real value comes when skills are checked as each task starts, so only someone qualified for that operation or machine can do it.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Skills matrix →
Smart factory A manufacturing environment where people, processes and technology work together, supported by data, to maximise efficiency, flexibility and quality. Covered in 15 articles

It comes down to defined processes, planning connected to execution, real-time data at the point of work, one source of truth and people backed to make the call.

Where it comes up on the site

And 7 more articles.

Full entry for Smart factory →
Smart manufacturing Using connected systems and data to make manufacturing more efficient and flexible. Covered in 9 articles

It's the practice; the smart factory is the place. Both rest on defined processes and trustworthy shopfloor data.

Where it comes up on the site

And 1 more articles.

Full entry for Smart manufacturing →
Spare parts Components kept in stock to repair equipment quickly. Covered in 6 articles

Spares usually live in maintenance stores managed in ERP or in the maintenance capability of MOM. Too few and repairs wait; too many and cash sits on shelves.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Spare parts →
Sparkplug B A specification on top of MQTT that defines the payload format and tracks whether each device is online. Covered in 2 articles

Plain MQTT doesn't say what a message means. Sparkplug B gives different systems a shared way to understand the same messages.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Sparkplug B →
SPCStatistical process control Using statistics to monitor a process and detect drift before it produces defects. Covered in 24 articles

Inspection tells you a part is bad; SPC tells you it's about to be. It belongs at the line, in front of operators, not in a spreadsheet updated at the end of the week.

Where it comes up on the site

And 16 more articles.

Full entry for SPC →
Specification limits The acceptable range for a measurement, set by the customer or engineering. Covered in 3 articles

Inside the limits is good; outside is scrap or rework. They're different from control limits, which are calculated from the process's own data to show its natural variation, so you can spot a change in the process while every part is still in spec.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Specification limits →
Speed loss Running slower than the target rate, and the main driver of OEE performance losses. Covered in 3 articles

Speed losses are easy to miss because the line looks busy. Only counts against target cycle time reveal them.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Speed loss →
Standard work The agreed, documented best way to do a task, used as the baseline for training and improvement. Covered in 2 articles

Without a standard, there can be no kaizen. Digital work instructions are how standard work reaches the operator at the moment it's needed.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Standard work →
Super user A member of the operations team trained in depth on a new system, who supports colleagues on the floor. Covered in 6 articles

Free up their time to help, especially during hypercare. Developers of a replaced homegrown system often make excellent super users.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Super user →
Supermarket A small, controlled store close to the line, holding the material production needs next. Covered in 4 articles

Supermarkets sit between the warehouse and the line, and are restocked by replenishment signals.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Supermarket →
Supplier quality Making sure purchased materials and components meet specification, through supplier approvals and incoming inspection. Covered in 7 articles

Supplier quality sits in a QMS, or in a MOM platform that covers the quality system. Lot-level traceability on the shopfloor is what lets you trace a problem back to a specific supplier lot.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Supplier quality →
Supply chain Everything involved in getting a product from raw materials to the customer, including suppliers, production, warehousing and transport. Covered in 6 articles

The factory is one link in it. Accurate shopfloor data makes the rest of the chain more reliable, because promises to customers rest on what production can actually deliver.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Supply chain →

T

Takt time The pace of production needed to meet customer demand, calculated as available time divided by demand. Covered in 3 articles

Takt is set by the customer; cycle time is what the process actually achieves. On a paced line, such as a moving automotive assembly line, the line is set to advance at takt, so each unit spends that fixed time at every station, and line balancing spreads the work so each station's tasks fit within it. If cycle time is longer than takt on the bottleneck, you can't meet demand.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Takt time →
TEEPTotal effective equipment performance OEE measured against all calendar time, every hour of every day. Covered in 3 articles

A decent OEE with a low TEEP usually means capacity is hiding in the hours you don't run. Check it before anyone asks for a new line.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for TEEP →
Throughput The rate at which a line or plant produces good output, such as units per hour. Covered in 6 articles

Throughput is set by the bottleneck. Improving anything else first rarely increases it.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Throughput →
Time and attendance Recording when people clock on and off, for pay, compliance and labour planning. Covered in 1 article

Basic time and attendance, such as who clocked in and out and who was working on each line, can be managed in MES/MOM where it's available. Rules for pay, overtime, breaks and working time differ from country to country, and once those rules get complex, a WFM, HR or ERP system makes more sense. Either way, linking it to MES/MOM shows who was actually available on each line, which helps explain output and cost.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Time and attendance →
Time-based traceability Linking inputs to outputs by time, matching the materials consumed in a time window with the materials produced in the same window. Covered in 4 articles

MES/MOM records when each input lot was being fed into the line and when each output was produced. To trace an output, you look up which inputs were being consumed while it was made. The window is usually shifted by the time material takes to travel through the line, so the output is matched with what went in at the start rather than at the same moment. It's the practical answer where material doesn't arrive in neat lots, as in extrusion and many continuous food lines.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Time-based traceability →
Time-series data Values recorded against time at a regular interval, such as an oven temperature read at a consistent frequency. Covered in 4 articles

The interval depends on how quickly the value changes and what it's used for, from fractions of a second to every few minutes. Historians are built for it at very high frequency. MES/MOM records events with context and can capture the process values most operations need. Where both are used, they link by time and equipment.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Time-series data →
TMSTransport management system Software for planning, executing and tracking the movement of goods, such as carrier selection and delivery scheduling. Covered in 1 article

TMS sits at the end of the chain, after the warehouse. It's a business-level system, usually connected through ERP rather than to the shopfloor.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for TMS →
Tool life How much use a tool such as a mould or die has left, counted in shots, strokes, cycles or hours. Covered in 6 articles

Counted automatically from production, it triggers maintenance by usage and helps explain quality problems.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Tool life →
Traceability The ability to trace material forwards and backwards through production. Covered in 33 articles

Order-level traceability in ERP is better than nothing. Full traceability adds serials, exact lot quantities, tooling, quality results and process parameters, and it's what turns a recall from a weekend into minutes.

Where it comes up on the site

And 25 more articles.

Full entry for Traceability →
Traveller A paper document that moves with an order through production, collecting signatures and notes. Covered in 7 articles

Finding out where an order is means walking the floor to find its traveller. It's often one of the first pieces of paper worth removing.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Traveller →

U

UNSUnified namespace A real-time view of operational data that connected applications have published to a central broker, organised by the plant hierarchy. Covered in 10 articles

A UNS shows what's happening now. It gives the sender no confirmation that data arrived or was processed, keeps no history on its own and needs strict governance, so it's a poor fit for transactions such as orders and quality status. For those, interfaces that confirm each message are usually the safer option.

Where it comes up on the site

And 2 more articles.

Full entry for UNS →
Utilisation The share of available time a resource is actually used. Covered in 1 article

High utilisation isn't always good: a busy non-bottleneck machine can just be building WIP. TEEP is the more useful measure for capacity decisions.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Utilisation →

V

Validation Documented evidence that a computerised system does what it's meant to, consistently, in a regulated environment. Covered in 7 articles

Validation is a big overhead in pharma and devices, and every customisation adds to it. That's one more reason to configure rather than customise.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Validation →
Vision inspection Cameras and trained models that spot defects automatically, often running at the edge. Covered in 2 articles

On high-volume lines, such as can ends, the system photographs every item and rejects defects automatically, because no operator could review them at that speed. Where a defect is harder to judge, or volumes are lower, it can flag likely defects for a person to confirm instead.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Vision inspection →

W

WFMWorkforce management Software for planning and managing people: shift patterns, rosters, time and attendance, absence and labour costs. Covered in 2 articles

It's typically used by HR and operations to make sure the right number of people, with the right skills, are scheduled for each shift, while keeping to working time rules and controlling labour cost.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for WFM →
WIPWork in progress Material that has started production but isn't finished. Covered in 7 articles

WIP covers two different things. It can be a semi-finished material with its own material number in ERP, tracked and costed like any other stock. Or it can be material part-way through its routing, with some operations complete, that hasn't yet become a semi-finished or finished material. The second kind is usually only visible in MES/MOM. When you can trust real-time WIP data, you stop holding buffers to cover for not trusting it, which frees working capital.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for WIP →
WMSWarehouse management system Software for warehouse operations such as receiving, putaway, picking and storage. Covered in 13 articles

There are several options for warehousing. For the most complex requirements, particularly distribution centres, a WMS is the most advanced option and adds the most value. For simpler warehousing, ERP combined with the inventory and logistics capability of a MOM platform can be enough.

Where it comes up on the site

And 5 more articles.

Full entry for WMS →
Work centre A machine, line or group of resources where an operation is performed, used for planning and costing. Covered in 3 articles

ERP routings often define work centres broadly. MES/MOM usually needs to know the specific machines within them.

Where it comes up on the site Full entry for Work centre →

Y

Yield The proportion of input material that ends up as good product. Covered in 14 articles

In food and process industries, yield is often the single biggest profit lever. Natural variation in raw materials means it has to be measured batch by batch.

Where it comes up on the site

And 6 more articles.

Full entry for Yield →
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