oee - PLC Programming & Automation

PLC Lean Manufacturing Data: OEE, Downtime Codes and SPC from the Controller

September 13, 2026January 28, 2024 by PLC

Ladder rung with four contacts, Auto examined on, Fault, Starved and Blocked examined off, driving the Running output coil that feeds the availability run timer

How a PLC state model feeds OEE, downtime reason codes and SPC triggers on a rotary filler: the ST block, the tag structure and the classic mistakes.

PLC Sustainable Manufacturing: Measure, Then Shut Off

September 13, 2026January 23, 2024 by PLC

Timing chart of idle shutdown and staggered restart: part flow stops, the idle timer completes five minutes later, the conveyor, vacuum generator and extraction fan switch off in sequence, and when parts return the fan starts first, then the vacuum, then the conveyor

Meter energy, air, water and scrap per part, write idle shutdown in Structured Text, stagger the restart, and report numbers that survive an audit.

PLC MES Integration: Tags, Handshakes and Work Orders

September 12, 2026January 17, 2024 by PLC

Timing chart of an MES to PLC work order handshake showing Request from the MES, Ack from the PLC, Done when the order is latched, and both bits clearing after Request drops

What MES really needs from the controller: OEE counters, downtime reason codes, a work order UDT, a request and acknowledge handshake, an OPC UA bridge.