IIoT & Predictive Monitoring · MI-PM-02
Legacy Machine Utilisation & OEE
Live machine status from PLC registers or a CT clamp, automatic downtime capture and a first OEE number per shift.
IIoT & Predictive Monitoring · MI-PM-02
A Modbus edge gateway for machines with a PLC and current sensors for those without, feeding live run/idle/down status and a first OEE number per shift — without touching the machine's controls.
- ₹20,800pilot BOM · hardware only
- 3 – 5 daysto a live pilot
- Intermediateintegration level
- 3validated providers
Why operator sheets flatter the OEE number
The problem
Older CNCs, presses and moulding machines have no network port. Utilisation is estimated from operator sheets that are filled in at the end of the shift, downtime reasons are guesses, and the OEE number in the monthly review is nobody's favourite number to defend.
- No live machine status for assets without Ethernet or OPC
- Operator sheets under-report short stops and changeover time
- Downtime is recorded by memory, not by timestamp
- OEE cannot be computed reliably, so it is not trusted
The solution
Where the machine has a PLC, a Modbus RTU/TCP edge gateway polls its registers and publishes status over MQTT. Where it does not, a split-core current sensor on the spindle or main motor infers run, idle and off. A dashboard captures downtime automatically, asks the operator for a reason code and computes availability, performance and quality per shift.
- Live status for networked and non-networked machines alike
- Automatic downtime capture with operator reason codes
- First OEE per shift within a week
- Nothing on the machine's control system is modified
Validated service providers
Validated by TwoElectrons and ranked by validation score: verified credentials, completed jobs on the platform and client ratings.
- Sample Provider D — Chennai · Condition monitoring & PdM · ★ 4.9 · 17 jobs
- Sample Provider E — Pune · PLC / Modbus integration, OEE · ★ 4.7 · 12 jobs
- Sample Provider F — Ahmedabad · Process instrumentation · ★ 4.6 · 9 jobs
Provider listings are samples pending live registrations.
Pilot BOM and cost
Reference hardware to run the pilot. Unit costs are indicative Indian market prices for the component class.
| Qty | Item | Unit cost | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1× | Modbus RTU/TCP edge gateway MQTT publish, DIN-rail | ₹14,000 | ₹14,000 |
| 2× | Split-core current sensor machine on/off for non-networked assets | ₹2,500 | ₹5,000 |
| 1× | Industrial 24 V DIN PSU | ₹1,800 | ₹1,800 |
| 1× | OEE dashboard availability, performance, quality | Free tier / open source | — |
| Pilot BOM total | ₹20,800 |
POC BOM cost only — hardware for a pilot. Installation, integration and provider services are quoted separately. Request for Quote
How legacy machine monitoring works
- Tap. Connect the gateway to one PLC over Modbus; clip CTs on two legacy machines.
- Publish. The gateway publishes status over MQTT to the OEE dashboard.
- Reason. Operators tag downtime from a tablet or the HMI.
- Review. Compute OEE per shift and review the top three losses.
Pilot architecture
PLC (Modbus) + 2× CT sensors (run / idle / off) → Modbus edge gateway (MQTT publish · DIN-rail) → OEE platform (downtime · reason codes) → Shop-floor dashboard (OEE per shift · losses)
Three machines in the pilot: one via PLC registers, two via current sensing. The same gateway scales to a whole cell.
Business case: hidden losses, changeovers, OEE
Ranges are typical figures reported for this class of solution; your pilot establishes the numbers for your plant.
- 10 – 20% OEE improvement in year one (typical once losses are visible)
- 100% of stops captured (including short stops sheets miss)
- Per shift OEE, availability, performance (measured, not estimated)
- 3 – 5 days to a live pilot (three machines)
Who this is for: Production and operations heads, Industrial engineering, Auto components and machining, Press shops and moulding, Any plant with legacy machines, Lean / TPM programmes.
Illustrative case study
Illustrative scenario · not a client reference
A machining shop with 14 CNCs of mixed age in Bengaluru (illustrative)
Set-up. Gateway on a modern CNC's Modbus port, current sensors on two 15-year-old lathes, tablet at the cell for reason codes, dashboard on the production office screen.
What happened. Recorded availability on the old lathes was 61% against the 80% written on operator sheets; changeovers were the largest loss. A quick-change tooling project lifted availability to 72% in two months, and the plant extended monitoring to the full cell.
- Pilot budget: ₹20,800 hardware
- Sheet vs. measured: 80% vs. 61%
- Availability gain: +11 pts in 2 months
FAQ
Will this interfere with the machine's controller?
No. Modbus polling is read-only and current sensing is fully external; nothing in the machine's control program is changed.
What if a machine has no PLC and no accessible motor cable?
Vibration or spindle-light sensors can infer run state; the validated provider picks the least intrusive signal during the pilot.
Do operators need to enter anything?
Only a reason code when a downtime is detected, from a tablet or the HMI; run, idle and off states are captured automatically.
What does the ₹20,800 cover?
The gateway, two current sensors and a DIN power supply on a free-tier OEE dashboard. Installation, integration with ERP/MES and provider services are quoted after a Request for Quote.
