Where does the line lose time?
Stops with their reasons, grouped into a Pareto, show whether the loss is a filler jam, a missing material or a changeover.
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- Process Manufacturing
Process Line Monitoring: Downtime and OEE from PLC Signals | MDCplus
Process manufacturing · line view
Machine monitoring for process lines
Lines, PLCs and batches. MDCplus reads PLC signals to show line state, stops, throughput and batch times, so you see where a line loses time. It measures the line. It does not control the process.
- Line state from PLC signals
- Stops, counts and batch times
- OEE for filling and packaging lines
- On premise, also offline
Filling and packaging lineClick a station to fault it
Line stateRunning
Stations affected0 of 5
Simulation, not customer data. Blocked and starved states need the PLC to provide the signals.
Machine monitoring for process manufacturing means reading the signals a line's PLCs already have, such as running, fault, product count, reject count and batch start and stop, and turning them into line state, downtime, throughput, OEE and batch times. It sits next to SCADA, MES and laboratory systems, and it does not replace them: it answers where the line loses time, not how to run the process.
From signal to number
Which PLC signals does line monitoring need?
Click a signal to see what it turns into.
Where it sits
Is line monitoring the same as SCADA, MES or LIMS?
MDCplus does
- Reads PLC and machine signals, read-only
- Shows line state and stops with reasons
- Calculates throughput, rejects and OEE
- Records batch and changeover times
- Sends machine data to ERP or MES through the API
SCADA does
- Supervises and controls the process
- Shows setpoints, alarms and trends of process variables
- Lets operators act on the process
MES and LIMS do
- Manage recipes, batch records and genealogy
- Handle laboratory results and release
- Keep the regulated record
MDCplus is not a replacement for any of them. It answers one question: where does the line lose time.
Straight answers
What can you learn about a process line from its PLC?
Is the bottleneck where we think it is?
Blocked and starved states of neighbouring stations show which station sets the pace of the line.
How long do changeovers take?
Time between the last good unit of one product and the first of the next, for every changeover.
How long did the batch run?
Batch start and stop from the PLC give batch times to compare between shifts and lines.
PLCs first
How are process lines connected?
A line is connected through its PLC. MDCplus supports more than 100 open protocols, and one PLC or HMI counts as one data collection point for licensing. It is installed on premise and can work fully inside a closed network without internet access, and it reads the line without writing to it.
Open the machine connectivity checker to see the connection route for your equipment.
Discuss your line
Tell us the PLC types on your lines and the signals they provide. We will answer what can be shown and what a sensible first line looks like.
Frequently asked questions
Is MDCplus a SCADA system?
No. A SCADA system supervises and controls the process. MDCplus reads data from PLCs and machines, read-only, to report line state, stops, throughput and OEE. It does not control the process.
Can MDCplus monitor a line controlled by a PLC?
Yes. A line is connected through its PLC, and one PLC or HMI is counted as one data collection point for licensing. MDCplus supports more than 100 open protocols.
What does it measure on a process line?
Line state, stops with their reasons, throughput from product counters, rejects, changeover time between products and batch times, depending on the signals the PLC provides.
Does it replace MES, batch records or LIMS?
No. MDCplus does not manage recipes, batch records or laboratory data. It can send machine data to a MES or ERP through the API.
Can we get OEE for a filling or packaging line?
Yes, when the PLC provides the running state and product and reject counters. The ideal rate for the product is then used to calculate performance.
Can MDCplus run in a closed network?
Yes. MDCplus is installed on premise and can work fully inside a closed network without internet access.
How quickly can we start, and how is it licensed?
The first machine is connected within 1 to 2 hours. MDCplus is a perpetual license per data collection point, where one PLC or HMI is one license, and the price includes implementation and the server license.
Technical library
Read more
- SCADA vs MES: the difference
- Machine signals for OEE
- From raw machine signals to metrics
- OEE: the complete production KPI guide
- Measuring OEE in practice: formula and results
- What is machine downtime
- MES explained simply: pitfalls and lessons
- Free MES systems for manufacturing execution
- IEC 62890: lifecycle of MES and ERP systems
- Downtime Pareto principle with a free template
Other industries
Aerospace
Automotive
Railway components
Turbines & Pistons
Equipment manufacturing
Precision machining
Job shops
Contract manufacturing
Free tools
- Machine connectivity checker: find the connection route for your controller.
- Machine hour rate calculator: cost of a scheduled and a productive hour.
- Digital maturity assessment: 20 questions across 7 areas in about 5 minutes.
- Product overview, FAQ and all industries.
Last updated: . Prepared by the MDCplus team.
