SimpleMES
SimpleMES is an open-source Manufacturing Execution System for controlling and tracking shop-floor activity.
What SimpleMES is
SimpleMES is an open-source Manufacturing Execution System for controlling and tracking shop-floor activity. Its core covers products, routings, work centers, orders, and lot or serial numbers. Production records can capture what and who built a product, when and where it was made, components, defects, and configurable data collected at key points. The Assembly module supports bills of material and component tracking, with manual or scanner-based assembly; its reports can help trace components in shipped products during recall investigations. The guide describes the system as useful on its own in many small to medium shops, for operators, supervisors, and managers. An ERP system is optional, and automation systems can be interfaced with if needed. Custom fields, flexible data collection, scripted logic, and optional modules support configuration. Deployment options include cloud, self-hosted cloud, and internal installation using a WAR file or Docker image. The project is licensed under GPL-3.0 and described as pre-release. It has no costing module, though production history can inform cost estimates.
Good
- Tracks products, routings, work centers, and orders
- Records production details, components, and defects
- Supports manual or scanner-based assembly
- Offers cloud, self-hosted cloud, and internal deployment
- Custom fields and scripted logic support customization
Watch out
- Described by its repository as pre-release
- No costing module is currently supported
Who it suits
SimpleMES suits shop-floor operators, supervisors, and managers seeking production tracking, work orders, and lot or serial traceability. It can be used with or without an ERP system.
Verdict
SimpleMES covers production tracking and assembly, with deployment and customization options for different shop environments. Buyers should account for its pre-release status and lack of a costing module.
The facts
Each one read from SimpleMES's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- API
- The documentation identifies some services as Stable APIs and says developers aim to retain backward compatibility while acknowledging breaking changes are possible.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Assembly
- The assembly module supports scanning components and defining the bill of materials needed to build a product.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Core capabilities
- The core module covers products, routings, work centers, customer orders, and lot or serial numbers.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Customization
- The documentation describes custom fields, flexible data collection fields, scripted logic, and optional modules for customization.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Demo
- The guide describes a demo server whose database is periodically purged.checked 10 Oct 2026
- ERP and automation
- An ERP system or shop floor automation system is not required, and the guide says SimpleMES may interface with automation systems if needed.checked 9 Oct 2026
- ERP use
- SimpleMES can be used with or without an ERP system, and the guide says ERP and non-ERP orders can be mixed.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Hosting
- The project describes cloud, self-hosted cloud, and internal deployment as hosting options.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Integration limits
- The guide says an ERP system and shop-floor automation system are not required, and describes automation systems as separate software that an MES may interface with if needed.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The guide describes operators, supervisors, and managers as the shop-floor users of an MES.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Known limitation
- The guide says SimpleMES does not currently support a costing module, though production history can provide data for cost estimates.checked 10 Oct 2026
- License
- The GitHub repository lists the project under the GPL-3.0 license.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Notable limitation
- The guide says SimpleMES does not currently support a costing module, though production logs can provide data for estimating costs.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Product
- SimpleMES is an open-source manufacturing execution system for controlling and tracking shop-floor work.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Production data
- SimpleMES can record what and who built a product, when and where it was built, components used, defects, and configurable data collected at key points.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Production tracking
- SimpleMES can record what was built, who built it, when and where it was built, components used, defects, and configurable production data.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Project maturity
- The repository describes the framework as being in a pre-release state.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Release status
- The GitHub repository describes the framework as being in a pre-release state.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Runtime
- The repository says its executable JAR can run in a Java 9+ environment and warns against using the development configuration in production.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Security
- MES Core uses framework-provided security roles, and its controllers enforce the appropriate role.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Setup and customization
- The project emphasizes minimal setup, easy configuration, and easy customization.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Traceability
- Assembly reports can identify components used in shipped products to help investigate product recalls.checked 9 Oct 2026
- What it does
- SimpleMES is an open source Manufacturing Execution System designed to control and track shop floor activity.checked 9 Oct 2026
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