Machine Automation
Communicate with your machines in both directions and monitor running status, work orders, process and energy data in real time. Collect production data automatically from stenters and finishing machines to the knitting floor, and measure performance and cost transparently.
- Two-way machine communication
- Stenter recipe and consumption tracking
- IoT energy monitoring
- Knitting downtime analysis
Machine Communication
Machine communication gives you each machine’s live running status, current work order and input-output data instantly. Recipes and set values are sent to the machine over the same connection, so data flows both from and to the machine.
- Live running, stop and fault status
- Current work order and batch on each machine
- Automatic recording of batch input and output
- Sending stored recipes and reference values to the machine
- Communication via Siemens PLC, Modbus and OPC UA
Stenters and Finishing Machines
We communicate directly with finishing machines such as stenters, compactors and dryers over PLC. Stenter recipes are sent from the system to the machine, and each chamber’s right and left temperatures are monitored live against their set values, together with fan rates, feed, running speed and inlet and outlet width.
- Right and left temperature versus set value for every chamber
- Lower and upper fan, exhaust fan and cooling fan rates
- Running speed, upper and lower feed, inlet and outlet width
- Batch, customer, fabric and quantity currently on the machine
- Sending stenter recipes to the machine and saving successful values as recipes
Stenter Reporting and Consumption
Data collected from stenters becomes chart reports by batch and date range. Fabric moisture, fabric surface temperature and machine speed are shown on a timeline, and the share of time spent in each value range is reported as a percentage. Natural gas and electricity consumption for the batch appear in the same report.
- Fabric moisture, fabric surface temperature and machine speed charts
- Average values and percentage distribution by range
- Batch start-end time and stage weight
- Break (e.g. cleaning) and fault records with durations
- Natural gas and electricity consumption per batch
IoT Energy Monitoring
With the IoT solutions we install at your plant, you can track electricity, water and natural gas consumption both per batch and over time. You see which machine, batch and period each unit of consumption belongs to, so production costs stay transparent.
- Automatic data from electricity, water and gas meters
- Energy consumption per batch
- Historical reports by day, week, month or date range
- Reflecting energy cost in batch and product costs
Knitting Automation
Our IoT solutions automatically record downtime durations and reasons on knitting machines. The whole process is tracked per batch and per shift and reported flexibly, so production performance becomes measurable.
- Needle breakage
- Memminger yarn break
- Lycra drop
- Start-stop stops
- Automatic recording of downtime duration and frequency
- Tracking per batch and per shift
- Flexible, filterable reports
- Machine-level production performance measurement
Three Steps from Machine to Report
- 01
Connect
Machines are connected through PLC communication or IoT devices; the method is chosen per machine.
- 02
Live data
Running status, process values, downtime and energy consumption are collected automatically.
- 03
Report and act
Data is reported by batch, shift and date, and recipes and set values are sent back to the machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which machines can you communicate with?
Machines with an accessible PLC are connected via protocols such as Siemens PLC, Modbus and OPC UA. Where the PLC cannot be accessed, running, downtime and consumption data can be collected with IoT devices. The connection method is decided after a machine-by-machine review.
Can data also be sent to the machine?
Yes. Stored recipes and reference values can be sent to the machine. On finishing machines such as stenters, values saved at the end of a batch can be reused as the recipe in the next run.
What do the stenter reports include?
Fabric moisture, fabric surface temperature and machine speed charts; averages and the percentage distribution of values by range; batch duration, break and fault records; and natural gas and electricity consumption.
How is energy consumption tracked?
Data is collected from electricity, water and natural gas meters with our IoT solutions. Consumption is reported per batch and over time, and reflected in production costs.
Which stops are tracked on knitting machines?
Stops such as needle breakage, Memminger yarn breaks, Lycra drops and start-stop events are recorded with their duration and reason, and reported per batch and per shift.