Machine Monitoring 101: How to Begin Your Smart Factory Journey

In manufacturing, every minute counts. Whether you run a small low volume, high mix job shop or manage a large-scale, high volume production facility, lost production time on the shop floor directly translates into lost revenue. That’s why smart factory technology and machine monitoring have become one of the more impactful tools for manufacturers looking to improve productivity recently. With the introduction of IIoT standards like Scytec DataXchange machine monitoring, manufacturers have seen reduced equipment downtime and are making smarter data driven decisions with real-time data collected from their shop floor equipment.

If you’re curious about machine monitoring or in the early stages of getting started with kaizen related initiatives, it can feel overwhelming. The good news? It doesn’t have to be! Machine monitoring platforms like Scytec DataXchange make it easy to connect your machines, capture valuable insights, and take control of your operations, all without high implementation costs, complicated setups and broken promises. Here’s what you should know and how to get started the correct way.

Understanding What Machine Monitoring Really Does

Before diving in, it’s important to understand what problems DataXchange machine monitoring software solves. The short elevator pitch is as follows, DataXchange connects to all your shop floor equipment; CNC machines, fabrication equipment, cobots, machine sensors, and more to collect real-time data on how those machines are performing.

That collected data is then displayed through intuitive dashboards, charts, and OEE reports, giving you visibility into machine utilization, downtime reasons, and productivity. In other words, instead of relying on outdated spreadsheets, guesswork, or paper and pencil to track production, manufacturers now have access to accurate, real-time metrics on what’s really happening across your shop floor.This data can be even more powerful when coupled with other shop floor data, such as information from ERP, MES or CMMS systems, helping to provide another level of insight and solve even more problems.

Identify What You Want to Improve First

Machine monitoring systems like Scytec DataXchange are powerful tools, with the best results coming from having clearly defined goals. Are you looking to:

  • Reduce equipment downtime?
  • Improve OEE and machine utilization in your shop floor?
  • Empower operators working in cells to be more productive?
  • Gain visibility into unattended shifts or lights-out production?
  • Alleviate setup and changeovers?
  • Receive instant notification for any shop floor event you can think of?

Defining these goals and sharing them with Scytec professionals allows for the strengths of DataXchange to target your specific needs with machine monitoring.

Many manufacturers who need DataXchange start off simply, connecting just a few machines on the DataXchange entry feature level just to prove out the value and then scale upwards as results come in. Scytec has a motto to “grow with your collected data”. If you have correctly implemented and using DataXchange you will discover more is able to be consistently improved with real-time shop floor data.

The First Step is Connection

You have decided that Scytec DataXchange is the platform you need to improve your shop floor performance with its low cost and common ability to improve OEE 10-30 percent. So, what is the first question when it comes to implementation? Are the machines you’re looking to monitor connected?

If the answer is “no” then fret not as the process is easy and Scytec professionals are here to guide you through it. Getting your shop floor connected is not a daunting task, and now is the time to do it. Most modern CNC machines have an Ethernet port on them where you can run cable to them or connect wirelessly, which is essential for how DataXchange talks to and collects information from your machines. If your machines do not have an Ethernet port on them, you once again need not fret. Scytec offers a low-cost hardware that ships directly to you ready to work with all the machines and sensors you are looking to monitor.

Scytec is passionate about pushing the world of manufacturing forward and will guide you through the connection process with one of our manufacturing professionals. You will not be left in the dark for the set-up and configuration process. Scytec professionals are even able to come onsite and help with connecting your machines to DataXchange.

The Other Monitoring Tenets That Need to Be Defined

Once your shop floor is connected DataXchange will start collecting data with all its built in rules and equipment statuses, and results will start coming from the data immediately. To get the full benefits of DataXchange, you can also configure messaging templates for how your shop floor personnel will be notified once a certain event has transpired. For example, after a certain work order has been finished; those interested can receive a text, email or MS Teams notification alerting them that the job has been completed. DataXchange also can give certain employment levels permission to access certain features inside of DataXchange as well. 

Getting Operators Involved and Integrating DataXchange into The Daily Routine with Ease

A successful smart factory initiative depends on team buy-in at every level from the plant manager to the machine operators. Earlier in this thought piece we described that Scytec advocates for manufacturers to start off simple with DataXchange machine monitoring by connecting a few machines to more entry level features that can tell you if your machines are running or not running as opposed to jumping into the deep end and getting overwhelmed.

There are tons of useful features at this entry level meant to automate your machine monitoring experience so that DataXchange can be one less chore your employees need to be concerned with. Once you have connected your machines and configured DataXchange to collect the information you need to solve your shop floor woes, you can automate the tools in DataXchange to send you notifications for certain events via Microsoft Teams, text and email like when a machine is not running after x amount of time. You can also get performance reports sent to you on a recurring basis so you can walk into a production meeting or Gemba walk prepared ahead of time.

There are real-time dashboards in DataXchange that show the metrics needed for your shop floor’s improvement as well as supplemental applications on higher feature levels that can be integrated into shop floor personnel’s daily routine. DataXchange’s Operator Data Interface (ODI) makes day to day DataXchange use easy by allowing operators to enter downtime reasons that can’t be collected automatically from machines and other useful metrics directly from tablets, PCs, or phones. With ODI, operators also get information on machine status and production performance, helping them feel more in control of their work environment. When your shop floor operators see that the data is being used to improve workflows (not micromanage them), adoption naturally follows.

Using Charts, Dashboards and Notifications to Drive Action

Once your machines are connected to DataXchange, the next step is to use real-time dashboards, historical charts and notifications to turn that data into action. DataXchange’s browser and mobile-based Data Display reporting tool allows you to view both real-time and historical machine statuses, production metrics, and OEE data.

Set up automated alerts via email, text, or Microsoft Teams for critical events such as:

  • Machine downtime exceeding a user set threshold
  • Feed rate overrides
  • Work order completion
  • Machine alarms
  • You name it (no, seriously)

Many aspects of the data collection rules along with dashboard creation in DataXchange is user defined and rule based. This means that the data that is collected is focused on the issues that are specific to your shop floor. This makes Scytec DataXchange a more dynamic smart factory platform than most of the others with the moniker “machine monitoring”. In addition to industry standards such as MTConnect and OPC UA, DataXchange also directly connects to proprietary protocols from name brand factory equipment producers such as FANUC, Okuma, Siemens, Mazak, Heidenhain and more that can retrieve a plethora of data that goes far beyond “is my machine running or not running” delivering you a granular level of data that can identify and help solve your shop floor issues.

Review and Refine Over Time

The best manufacturers use the data continuously to support Kaizen initiatives, lean manufacturing, and continuous improvement.

Over time, you’ll discover new opportunities for improvement on the advanced Scytec DataXchange machine monitoring offerings. There could be a bottleneck you didn’t see before, or a shift group that consistently underperforms. With that visibility, you can make informed decisions that drive measurable results. As mentioned earlier, the motto with DataXchange is to grow with your collected data and that by doing so will ensure that your shop floor runs smoothly and with precision.

Leverage Onboard Training and Support Resources

Finally, manufacturers who are new to DataXchange can take advantage of the support available for them offered complementary by Scytec. DataXchange users have access to Scytec University for all things DataXchange. Scytec University is an online learning hub with tutorials, videos, and guides to help users at all levels get the most out of DataXchange. This help website is also broken down into specific modules for how certain employment types can utilize DataXchange to better their specific responsibilities. New machine monitoring users can also explore the Scytec YouTube Channel for DataXchange feature videos, webinars that feature long form feature and user walk-throughs as well as Update Videos that give you a rundown on what has been improved in DataXchange.

If you ever need hands-on help, our support team and DataXchange resellers are always ready to assist. Scytec also prides itself on the onboarding process. When you sign up for machine monitoring, Scytec professionals walk you through the set-up process and how to utilize the feature set in DataXchange to tackle your specific shop floor issues. During this process Scytec representatives ask what your specific needs are for smart factory technology and configure your DataXchange experience to see to it, that your notifications and collected information is aligned with your smart factory goals. There is also an online onboarding process that walks you through the beginning steps of what was covered in the beginning. The bottom line is the Scytec team is here for your success with DataXchange machine monitoring.

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re ready to take your first step into machine monitoring and unlock the full potential of your shop floor, Scytec DataXchange is built to grow with you. From small job shops to global manufacturing enterprises, DataXchange delivers the visibility, analytics, and daily routine automation you need to stay competitive. Schedule a free demo today to see how easy it is to connect your equipment and start improving your OEE, utilization, and profitability.