Machine connectivity
Machine monitoring system for mixed and legacy machine estates
A machine monitoring system collects state, counts, alarms and process values from every machine on the floor, whatever its age or brand, and makes them available in one place. It is the data layer that OEE, downtime tracking, predictive maintenance and MES all depend on, so getting it right once saves rebuilding it for each project.
Free scoping call. We start with one line, never change your machine logic, and you own the code and the data.
- material movements tracked a day, integrated steel plant
- 720,000+
- fewer dispatch errors with RFID and barcode dispatch
- 90%
- items an hour through RFID warehouse automation
- 16,800
Company reported project figures, not independently audited, not a promise for another plant. Samsung Business Insights: our RFID warehouse automation story (opens in a new tab). Forbes India Brand Connect (sponsored): founder profile (opens in a new tab).
Sound familiar?
- Machines from four vendors and three decades, and no two speak the same way.
- Every new software project wires its own connection to the same PLCs.
- The oldest machines, the ones that matter most, are invisible.
- IT blocks connecting machines because nobody has shown a safe design.
Each of these is output, margin or time you have already paid for and are not getting back.
What you get
A machine survey
Each machine, its controller, available signals and the connection method we would use.
One data layer
Edge gateways, MQTT or OPC UA backbone and one naming structure for every machine.
Legacy machines included
Run, cycle and current signals without changing machine programs.
A security design IT can sign
Read only by default, segmented network, documented connections.
How we work
What we build
We survey the machine estate, select the connection method per machine, supply or specify edge hardware, and build the data layer: collection, contextualization, the MQTT or OPC UA backbone and storage. On top of it we build OEE, downtime, maintenance or MES applications, or hand the clean data to the tools you already use.
How we start
- 1Machine survey. List every machine, its controller, available signals and network access.
- 2Connect a pilot line. Prove each connection type on a few representative machines.
- 3Name everything once. Agree the plant, line, machine and tag structure.
- 4Scale by machine type. Roll out by connection pattern, not machine by machine.
How it works
How machines are connected
Modern PLCs and CNCs are read over OPC UA or the controller vendor protocol. Many drives, meters and older controllers speak Modbus RTU or Modbus TCP. Where a controller is closed or has no spare communication port, an edge I/O module reads the machine run lamp, cycle signal or a current transformer on the motor. None of these approaches requires changing the machine logic.
An edge gateway at the line collects the data, buffers it if the network drops, and publishes it over MQTT to a broker. Each value is published under a structured name such as plant, area, line, machine and tag, which is the basis of a unified namespace. Applications subscribe to what they need instead of each opening its own connection to the machines.
Legacy machine integration without a controller upgrade
- Relay or old PLC machines: read run, fault and cycle signals through edge digital inputs.
- Machines with a serial port: Modbus RTU or the vendor protocol through a serial gateway.
- Machines with no signals at all: a clamp on current transformer tells run from idle; a proximity sensor counts cycles.
- Critical assets: add vibration and temperature sensors for condition monitoring alongside production data.
Security and reliability
Machine connections should be read only by default, run on a separate OT network segment and pass through a controlled boundary to IT systems. The ISA/IEC 62443 series is the usual reference for zones, conduits and access control in industrial networks. Edge buffering means a network outage delays data but does not lose it, and never stops a machine.
Background
What machine monitoring collects
| Data | Examples | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| State | Running, idle, stopped, alarm, setup | Downtime, OEE availability |
| Counts | Cycles, parts, rejects | Output, OEE performance and quality |
| Process values | Temperature, pressure, speed, current, vibration | Quality, predictive maintenance |
| Alarms and events | Fault codes, door open, tool change | Root cause, maintenance |
| Context | Program, order, operator, material batch | Traceability, analysis by product |
When we are not the right choice
- All your machines are new and already connected to a platform you are happy with.
- You need data from two machines for a one off study. A portable logger is cheaper.
Common concerns, answered
Will this disrupt production?
No. We connect read only first, install during planned stops, and edge devices buffer data so a network problem never stops a machine. Nothing writes to a PLC without your controls team and a test.
Our machines are old. Do we need to replace them?
No. Old machines are the usual case. A running signal, a cycle signal or a current sensor on the motor is enough to start, without touching the machine program.
We tried a system before and nobody used it.
That is the most common failure, so we design with the operators and supervisors who will use it, start with one report they already fill in by hand, and only extend once they rely on it.
What about IT security?
Read only by default, a segmented OT network, and a review with your IT team before anything connects, following the ISA/IEC 62443 zone approach.
We will not replace SAP or Oracle. Do we have to?
No. We connect to the ERP you already run through its standard interfaces and add what the shop floor is missing. Your ERP stays the system of record.
Do your engineers understand a heavy industrial floor?
Our systems run in steel plants, warehouses and process lines. We start every project by walking the line with your operators and supervisors, and the first release is tested by them, not only by IT.
Are we locked in?
No. You own the source code and the data, documented, in your own repository. Another team can maintain it.
Frequently asked questions
What is machine data collection?
Machine data collection is the automatic capture of states, counts, alarms and process values from production machines, with the context needed to use them, such as which machine, product and order they belong to.
Can you monitor machines from different brands on one system?
Yes. Each machine is connected with the method it supports, such as OPC UA, Modbus or discrete signals, and the data is normalized into one structure so all machines appear the same way to applications.
Is it safe to connect production machines to a network?
It is safe when connections are read only, the OT network is segmented from IT, and access passes through a controlled boundary. We follow the zone and conduit approach of the ISA/IEC 62443 series.
What if the network goes down?
Edge gateways buffer data locally and forward it when the connection returns. Machines keep running because monitoring does not sit in their control path.
Is machine monitoring the same as IIoT?
Machine monitoring is one of the most common industrial IoT applications. IIoT also covers sensors on assets and environments, logistics tracking and the platforms that carry the data.
Related reading
References
Start with one line and one number
We scope one line, agree the number that should move, and show it moving before anything is scaled. You keep the code and the data.
Step 1
An engineer reads it
Not a sales bot. Our team replies within 24 hours with questions or times for a call.
Step 2
30 minute call
Your process, machines, systems and the number you want to move. We tell you honestly if we are a fit.
Step 3
A written scope for one line
What we would connect, what you would see, how long it takes. You decide; nothing starts without your approval.
Reviewed by Amey Kadle, Founder, Ajinkya Technologies. Last reviewed: .