Material consumption options

In a MES, material consumption options define how raw materials, components, or inventory are tracked and consumed during production. These options help ensure accurate inventory management, production efficiency, and traceability.

Different consumption methods support various manufacturing needs — from high-volume, low-value production to precise, traceable processes.

Here are some common methods:

• Backflushing: Automatically deducts materials when production is completed.
• Manual consumption: Requires operators to input material usage at each step.
• Issue on demand: Consumes materials only when specifically requested.
• Batch-based tracking: Tracks materials by batch or lot, ensuring traceability — useful for regulated industries.

Each approach balances accuracy, speed, and ease of use, depending on the production environment.