What is a manufacturing execution system (MES)?
An MES is the software layer between your ERP and the shop floor. It turns machine and operator data into live production, quality and maintenance information, so plans in the ERP are executed and confirmed with real numbers instead of manual reports.
Which ERP systems does DigiFacto connect to?
SAP, Oracle, Tally, Odoo and custom ERPs through a REST API with JSON. DigiFacto pulls production orders, route cards and BOMs and pushes production confirmations back automatically, with three automatic retries and a log of every call.
Do we need to replace our machines or PLCs?
No. DigiFacto reads data over the machine's existing protocol where one is available, and uses an Ausweg I/O retrofit where it is not. No OEM access or controller changes are needed.
How many users and screens can DigiFacto support?
The real-time engine pushes live data over WebSocket to more than 3,000 connected clients, including operator tablets, shop-floor TVs and management dashboards.
How long does a DigiFacto implementation take?
Most plants go live in 8 to 12 weeks: discovery, set-up and machine connection, a pilot line, then plant-wide rollout with operator training. A 30-day pilot on 2 to 5 machines gives you real OEE and a loss Pareto before you scale.
Can we start with one product and add the others later?
Yes. Efficio, AusEnergy, FixItNow and Predicta run on the same platform, machine connections, users and masters. Most plants start with Efficio or AusEnergy and add maintenance and condition monitoring later without re-installing anything.
Is DigiFacto cloud or on-premise?
Either. DigiFacto runs in the cloud, on a server in your plant, or as a hybrid. Access is role-based, traffic is encrypted with TLS 1.3 and every change is kept in an audit trail.
What is Industry 4.0, and where does DigiFacto fit?
Industry 4.0 means connecting machines, utilities and people so decisions are made on live data instead of paper reports. DigiFacto is the software layer that does this on the shop floor: it collects machine signals, turns them into OEE, energy, maintenance and quality information, and keeps your ERP in sync.
How does DigiFacto calculate OEE?
OEE is availability × performance × quality. Efficio takes run and stop signals and part counts from the machine, planned time from the shift calendar, the ideal cycle time from the part master and rejections from the operator, and recalculates all three factors every few seconds.
Which machine protocols does DigiFacto support?
Modbus RTU and TCP, OPC UA, Fanuc FOCAS, Siemens 840D, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, PROFIBUS, EtherCAT and MQTT, plus LoRa, Zigbee, BLE and Wi-Fi sensors. Machines with no usable controller are connected with digital and analog I/O.
What happens if the network or internet goes down?
The Ausweg IoT gateway keeps recording. It buffers up to 17,000 records locally and sends them when the connection returns, so no production data is lost during an outage.
Is our production data secure?
Yes. Traffic is encrypted with TLS 1.3, every user gets role-based access and every change is kept in an audit trail. You also choose where the data lives: in the cloud, on a server in your plant, or both.
Can DigiFacto manage several plants in one view?
Yes. Data rolls up from machine to line, plant, division and company. Plant heads see their own floor, and leadership compares every plant side by side; one tube and cycle manufacturer runs 22 plants on DigiFacto.
How do operators log in and record downtime?
On the DigiTrack app at the machine. Operators log in by QR code, RFID card or face, start and end jobs, and pick the downtime reason in two taps when a machine stops. Rejections are entered at the end of the job or shift.
Can DigiFacto show energy cost per part?
Yes. AusEnergy reads energy meters on each machine and feeder and combines them with production counts from Efficio, so you see kWh and energy cost per machine, per shift and per good part, alongside peak-demand alerts.
How does predictive maintenance work in DigiFacto?
Predicta monitors vibration, temperature and current on critical assets and warns typically 1 to 4 weeks before a failure. The warning raises a planned work order in FixItNow, so the repair is scheduled before the machine stops.
What support do we get after go-live?
SLA-backed remote and on-site support from Ausweg engineers in Coimbatore, Bangalore and Chennai, plus operator training for every shift and help tuning KPIs as you scale to more lines and plants.