MRP & MES Software
Material Requirements Planning (MRP) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) software form the planning-to-execution layer of the electrification ecosystem. MRP ensures that the right materials are available at the right time for production, while MES controls and monitors operations on the factory floor. Together, they enable battery gigafactories, EV assembly plants, and EVSE production facilities to scale with efficiency, traceability, and quality.
Key Functions of MRP Software
| Function / Feature | Description | EV-Specific Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Material Planning | Forecasting and scheduling raw material and component needs | Lithium, cobalt, and separator film demand planning for gigafactories |
| Production Scheduling | Coordinating manufacturing schedules with demand forecasts | Aligning battery cell production with EV assembly output |
| Inventory Optimization | Balancing just-in-time supply with resilience buffers | Managing lithium carbonate inventory to prevent line stoppages |
| Cost & Resource Planning | Tracking material, labor, and overhead costs | Calculating TCO for battery production across suppliers |
| Compliance Management | Ensuring material sourcing and production plans align with regulations | IRA domestic content compliance, EU Battery Regulation reporting |
Key Functions of MES Software
| Function / Feature | Description | EV-Specific Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Production Monitoring & Control | Real-time tracking of manufacturing operations | Monitoring EV battery cell coating, drying, and assembly lines |
| Quality Management & SPC | Ensuring products meet standards via in-process checks and SPC | Inline defect detection in battery electrode manufacturing |
| Traceability & Genealogy | Tracking every part and process step for compliance | Battery passport data capture, cell-level traceability |
| Maintenance & Equipment Management | Monitoring equipment status and scheduling maintenance | Predictive maintenance for EVSE assembly robots, calibration checks |
| Safety Management | Protecting worker safety and ensuring compliance with safety protocols | OSHA compliance in battery plants, PPE tracking, hazard incident reporting |
| Workforce & Task Management | Assigning tasks, training, and verifying operator compliance | OSHA compliance for battery production staff, automated job tracking |
| Integration with PLM & ERP | Bridging design (PLM) and business systems (ERP) with factory execution | Feeding BOM data from PLM into MES for cell line execution |
Role in Electrification
MRP and MES software ensure that EV, battery, and charging hardware production scales efficiently and reliably. MRP prevents shortages and costly overstock, while MES provides the real-time visibility and traceability demanded by regulators, investors, and consumers. Together, they form the nervous system of gigafactories.
Market Outlook & Adoption
| Rank | Adoption Segment | Drivers | Constraints |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Battery Gigafactories | Need for cell-level traceability, production scaling, IRA/EU compliance | Integration complexity, high data volumes, rapid tech cycles |
| 2 | Automaker EV Assembly Plants | High-volume production, quality assurance, workforce tracking | Legacy system integration, high cost of MES deployment |
| 3 | EVSE & Power Electronics Manufacturing | Interoperability, safety certification, SPC in electronics production | Fragmented standards, supplier diversity, calibration challenges |
| 4 | Semiconductor Fabrication for EV/SiC/GaN | Process precision, defect reduction, genealogy requirements | Extreme complexity, export controls, fab equipment integration |
Strategic Importance
- Provides material-to-production alignment for EV and energy supply chains
- Enables cell-to-pack traceability critical for battery passports and ESG reporting
- Improves factory uptime and reduces costs through predictive maintenance
- Bridges ERP planning with OT execution systems on the factory floor
- Supports compliance with ISO, IATF, and EU Battery Regulation requirements
Safety management: The software should have tools and features that help users manage and ensure safety during semiconductor manufacturing, including tools for creating and managing safety records, tracking and reporting on safety performance and automating safety-related tasks.
Compliance management: The software should have tools and features that help users manage compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards related to semiconductor manufacturing, including tools for tracking and reporting on compliance status and automating compliance-related tasks.
