This study examines the operational performance of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES)-based smart factory and presents a case study to provide practical insights for the effective adoption of smart factories by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Korea. While Industry 4.0 and Korea’s Manufacturing Innovation 3.0 policy have accelerated the digital transformation of manufacturing sites, the emerging paradigm of Industry 5.0 places greater emphasis on human-centricity, sustainability, and resilience. The case company, S Corporation, is a mid-sized automotive parts manufacturer that implemented an MES-based integrated platform encompassing production management, materials management through a Warehouse Management System (WMS), quality management via a Quality Management System (QMS), and equipment management. This integration enabled real-time monitoring and control of shop-floor operations, thereby enhancing data-driven decision-making. The case analysis, supported by a review of related literature, identifies significant quantitative improvements, including increased productivity, reduced defect rates, shorter lead times, and improved inventory turnover. In addition, several qualitative benefits were observed, such as enhanced process visibility, operational standardization, faster managerial decision-making, and a reduced workload for shop-floor operators. Overall, this study demonstrates a smart factory operational model that integrates the technological foundations of Industry 4.0 with the value-oriented principles of Industry 5.0. The findings provide meaningful implications for SMEs seeking to achieve sustainable and human-centered digital transformation in manufacturing.

1. 서 론
2. 이론적 배경
    2.1 생산 자동화
    2.2 MES(Manufacturing Execution System)
    2.3 스마트팩토리
    2.4 운영성과
3. 스마트팩토리 구축사례
    3.1 기업개요
    3.2 MES 구성
    3.3 스마트팩토리 구축
4. 운영성과 분석
    4.1 정량적 성과 분석
    4.2 정성적 성과 분석
    4.3 운영성과의 한계점
5. 결 론
    5.1 연구요약
    5.2 시사점
    5.3 연구 한계점
References

• Beomseok Lee(Department of Convergence Technology Management Graduate School Kyungpook National University) | 이범석 (경북대학교 대학원 융합기술경영학과)
• Onyou Park(SL Corportion) | 박온유 (SL)
• Pansoo Kim(School of Business Administration Kyungpook National University) | 김판수 (경북대학교 경영학부) Corresponding author