When a product needs to be manufactured, the process in Mantsu follows a clear hierarchy: a Production Order breaks down into Operations, and each Operation is recorded through one or more Operation Runs. Each run produces a Batch of material.

A Production Order is created in the ERP system as the instruction to create a product. This can be a finished product, a semi-finished product, or an intermediary material. This is depending on how the factory plans its production processes.

A Production Order contains at least 1 production step to create the product. But a single Production Order can also have multiple production steps, each of those steps is called an Operation.

An Operation is one step in the production process. It is tied to a specific piece of equipment (work cell) and describes the work that needs to happen on that workcenter (e.g., mixing, cutting, assembling, inspecting).

One Production Order contains one or more Operations, each representing a distinct activity in the manufacturing sequence.

An Operation Run is a recorded period of activity on an Operation. When an operator starts working on an Operation, Mantsu logs this as an Operation Run. When the operator stops, the run ends.

An Operation may not always be completed in a single continuous session. If the work is interrupted and resumed later, a new Operation Run is created each time. This means:

Operation Runs are essentially the activity log of the shop floor.

Each Operation Run is linked to one or more Batches. The Operation Run represents the activity (the work being done) while the Batch represents the resulting material produced by that run. The batch captures what came out: the quantity, quality, and traceability of the material created during that period of activity.

The relationship between an Operation Run and its Batches depends on the type of process:

Continuous or discrete processes typically produce a single Batch per Operation Run. The run starts, work is performed, and one batch of material is the result. Exceptions are possible, but the one-to-one relationship is the norm.

Batch workcenters (e.g., reactors, ovens, blenders) will often produce multiple Batches within a single Operation Run. The run covers the full duration of the operation, while each physical batch of material processed during that run is recorded separately.

Sub-batches can be used to capture further separation within a batch process. A sub-batch is a smaller lot that represents a distinct physical division of the material. For example: the overall batch might be a mixing step, but the subsequent baking step processes that mix in multiple oven loads. Each oven load is then recorded as a sub-batch; still traceable back to the parent batch and the original Operation Run.

ISA-95 (also known as IEC 62264) is the international standard for integrating enterprise and control systems in manufacturing. It defines a common vocabulary and object model for production operations, which Mantsu's structure directly maps onto.

ISA-95 Part 4 defines how work is represented and tracked at the MES level (Level 3 in the ISA-95 hierarchy, sitting between the ERP above and the control systems below). Mantsu's concepts align as follows:

The ISA-95 model makes a clear distinction between the plan (Work Order and its Segments) and the reality (Work Response and its Segments). Mantsu follows this same principle: Production Orders and Operations define what needs to happen, while Operation Runs and Batches record what did happen.

A Production Order groups Operations. Operations are executed through Operation Runs. Each run produces a Batch. The runs and batches together are what Mantsu tracks as the ground truth of production activity.