Before you begin
- No earlier cookbook topic is required.
How it works
Forge is the digital control layer between a production plan and the real work performed in the factory. This is the full journey of one production run.
- 01Plan
Decide what to make
A production need becomes a Product, quantity, and due date. Nothing has started on the shop floor yet.
defines the demand that must be prepared - 02Configure
Prepare the factory and product
Forge needs Lines, Stations, Shifts, a Product, an active BOM, and a Routing so it knows where, when, and how the Product can be built.
makes the production plan executable - 03Release
Release a Work Order
The Work Order authorises a specific quantity. Forge checks the setup, capacity, materials, identifiers, and finished-unit serials before release.
creates one controlled unit record for every output - 04Execute
Build each unit
Every finished unit becomes a Production Task that moves through the Routing one Station at a time while work and material use are recorded.
creates the evidence used to verify the result - 05Verify
Inspect and trace
Quality results, exceptions, consumed materials, containers, and shipment records form a history that can be searched for each finished-unit serial.
Why this connection matters: Forge MES manages manufacturing execution; it does not replace the physical factory.
What to do
- Use Forge to turn a production plan into controlled work on real factory lines.
- Give every unit a route, a production task, and a history that can be traced later.
- Use checks, repair paths, packaging, and dashboards to keep production reliable.
Watch the task
Watch: Forge MES in Plain Language
GIF walkthrough placeholder for Forge MES in Plain Language.
Rules to remember
- Forge MES manages manufacturing execution; it does not replace the physical factory.
- Master data describes what can happen. Transaction data records what actually happened.
- The setup sequence matters because downstream records depend on upstream records.
Ready when
- I can explain the difference between setup data and production activity.
- I understand that a finished unit moves through a routing one station at a time.
- I know that Forge keeps a traceable record for every released unit.