Many manufacturers struggle to determine whether machine monitoring is worth the investment. If you’re unsure whether tracking your machines in real-time will benefit your shop, there are a few key indicators to consider. This article will help you decide if CNC machine monitoring is right for you.

1. You’ve got machinery that’s monitoring-ready

If your machines draw power only when they’re productive or have a relay that activates every cycle, we can monitor them at TrackMyMachines. Our simple hardware installs in just 5 minutes with no modifications to your machines. This makes it easy to track uptime, cycle and loading times, counts, and utilisation.

TMM works seamlessly with various types of machinery, including:

• CNC machines
• Injection molding machines
• Laser cutters
• EDM machines
• Bandsaws

2. Your production relies on utilizing your machinery effectively

If your production relies on utilizing each piece of machinery effectively then monitoring becomes crucial. Machine monitoring gives you the data you need to track performance and identify any underperforming equipment. By understanding exactly how each machine contributes to your production process, you can make smarter decisions that maximize throughput and minimize downtime.

Manufacturers who have a clear throughput in their machinery that is limited by production inefficiencies will benefit the most from monitoring performance and utilisation.

With machine monitoring, you

• Visualise your process
• Measure your real factory machine capacity
• Can compare shift patterns
• Identify machines that are underperforming live with expected vs actual button-to-button times
• Optimize scheduling and reduce idle times

3. You don’t produce complex one-off products

While machine monitoring can benefit a wide range of manufacturers, it’s important to recognize when it’s not the right fit. For example, manufacturers that produce sophisticated machinery or die and mould tools may not experience the same level of benefit from machine monitoring.

These kinds manufacturers often produce one-off complex assemblies that require many processes to produce. Not just including CNC machining, these processes are often diverse like EDM, bench assembly, linishing and painting. In these cases CNC machine monitoring can’t help to manage a large and complex production process, instead the first thing to consider is bespoke ERP and MES software to properly plan production.

Monitoring for these manufacturers may not directly contribute to process improvements in the same way it would for manufacturers with a more clear focus on utilising their machinery to produce multiple components like product manufacturers and subcontractors.

4. You’re relying on guesswork instead of data

If you’re estimating machine utilization with operator-reported numbers instead of measuring it, you could be missing inefficiencies that impact your bottom line. Without accurate data, it’s difficult to pinpoint production bottlenecks, track operator performance, or plan maintenance effectively.

Take the guesswork out of measuring machine hours, start measuring automatically with TrackMyMachines.

5. You need a simple and afforable solution

At TrackMyMachines, we believe monitoring should be straightforward. Our system doesn’t require complex integrations or machine modifications. With quick installation and an intuitive dashboard, you get instant visibility into your shop floor operations.

TMM works with any machine type, making it a hassle-free solution for manufacturers looking to improve efficiency without disrupting their processes.

To help maximise ROI on CNC Machine Monitoring, we’ve designed our software to be as simple and afforable as possible. With little to no training required, operators and management can start visualising the manufacturing process. If you save just one machine-hour a month then TMM has already paid for itself.

Conclusion

If you recognize any of these signs in your shop, CNC machine monitoring could be the solution you need. By providing real-time production visibility, TMM helps manufacturers reduce downtime, eliminate bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions.

Ready to stop guessing and start measuring? Contact us today to learn how TrackMyMachines can transform your shop floor.