Real-Time Machine Tool Tracking

Real-time machine tool tracking means knowing, at any moment, the status of every workstation: available, in production, broken down, under maintenance, or reserved. Done well, it removes the question "is the lathe free?" and the workstations blocked by an unreported breakdown.

How do you track a machine without a sensor?

There are two approaches. The first wires sensors onto each machine: precise, but costly and invasive. The second, declarative via QR code, relies on people: you scan the machine and change its status in one action. For a training workshop, the second is ideal — it puts the apprentice in charge and requires no equipment.

A machine's statuses

• Available — ready for use.
• In production — used by an apprentice or for an order.
• Being set up — tool mounting/removal in progress.
• Broken down — unavailable, an intervention is required.
• Under maintenance — scheduled servicing in progress.
• Reserved — blocked for an upcoming time slot.

The workshop floor plan: see it at a glance

A workshop floor plan displays the machines at their real location, with a coloured dot per status. On a wall screen or a smartphone, it gives an instant reading: how many workstations are free, which breakdowns are open, which machine is waiting for a part. This is the basis of visual management.

In MECAFLOW, every machine carries a QR code. A scan opens its record, lets you change its status, report a breakdown, or view its history. The floor plan and the wall TV view update instantly for the whole workshop.

Frequently asked questions