MESA and Tech-Clarity Open Survey on The Business Value and Evolution of MES and AI
Knowledge Sharing Opportunity: Complete a survey to get the results and learn from other manufacturers
Phoenix, AZ, and Media, PA, USA, June 23, 2026 – The Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association International (MESA) and Tech-Clarity, Inc. are inviting responses to a new survey on managing manufacturing operations. Responses are confidential, and participants will get a copy of the resulting research report.
Our readers may respond here: https://www.research.net/r/BVEMAIOpenPR
Research topics include:
- Why are companies investing in MES/MOM manufacturing operations software (MOS) now?
- What is the business value of these level 3 applications? Are implementations delivering the expected benefits? How long does it take to achieve the benefits?
- How is MES/MOM evolving? What functions such as quality, maintenance, scheduling, and analytics are separate, from one solution provider, or share a common data model? Are these systems hosted on-premise, SaaS, or a hybrid?
- What is the impact of AI at the manufacturing operations level? What are companies doing now and planning? What are they expecting? What benefits are they gaining?
- What are the best practices to maximize value from manufacturing operations software investments? What can we learn from each other? Are AI and MOS applications better together?
Most predictions are for double-digit growth in the MES market this year and beyond. Thus, these questions are pressing for both manufacturers and the solution providers who serve them. The program has five sponsors, each a leading player in this software arena: Critical Manufacturing, Infor, ISE, Parsec Automation LLC, and SAS.
Manufacturing Operations Software (MOS): Tech-Clarity defines MOS as commercial plantwide software (as defined in level 3 of the Purdue model) needed to run a manufacturing facility. MOS includes MES, MOM, and industry-specific capabilities such as eBR and eDHR. It may also encompass associated functions in quality, maintenance, scheduling, inventory, environmental, health, safety, and connected worker. MOS also refers to new approaches, such as factory operating systems, composable manufacturing software, industrial data intelligence/AI, and platforms with applications.
Tech-Clarity’s Julie Fraser and Rick Franzosa will lead the research program, supported by MESA’s Knowledge Committee, headed by Chris Monchinski, and the rich community of five sponsors.
“The desire to leverage AI in manufacturing operations is adding to the allure of having trustworthy manufacturing operations data in context. We see growing interest in ensuring that production IT and OT data, as well as quality, scheduling, maintenance, and worker support data, all flow smoothly. We’re looking to understand the details of how companies want to do that,” says Fraser, Vice President of Research for Operations at Tech-Clarity and MESA’s leader of the Smart Manufacturing Community.
MESA’s International Knowledge Committee Chair Chris Monchinski of InflexionPoint remarked, “Getting MES or MOM systems ready for AI may have many dimensions. While they are the best foundation for this work at level 3 of the Purdue model, many implementations are not quite ready for the rigors of AI’s data needs.”
“MES has been delivering solid benefits for many years. The question is where manufacturers are focusing their investments and projects, and how AI both forces the need and accelerates progress for these systems,” says Tech-Clarity’s Vice President of Research for Manufacturing, Rick Franzosa.
The online survey is now open for responses. https://www.research.net/r/BVEMAIOpenPR
####
About Tech-Clarity, Inc.: Tech-Clarity is an independent research firm dedicated to making the business value of technology clear. We analyze how companies improve innovation, product development, design, engineering, manufacturing, and service performance through digital transformation, best practices, software technology, industrial automation, and IT services.
Our mission is to help manufacturers learn how to improve business results through the use of PLM, portfolio management, CAD, simulation, MES / MOM, IoT, quality, service, supply chain, AI, analytics, and other solutions.
About MESA International: Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association (MESA) International has been helping the global manufacturing community use information technology to achieve business results through premier educational and research programs, best practice sharing, and networking since 1992. MESA is a 501(c)6 not-for-profit trade association. The Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association (MESA International™) is a global community of industry thought leaders actively driving business improvement through the effective application of technology and best practices.
We are a 30+ year-old nonprofit organization focused on Smart Manufacturing and the business value of converging Information Technology, Operations Technology, and emerging technology to improve industrial operations.
We accomplish this through:
- Facilitating collaboration and innovation through global communities who effectively use the MESA Smart Manufacturing Model.
- Generating best-practice guidance which drives greater productivity and profitability in industrial enterprises.
- Educating on these topics through the MESA Global Education Program.
