Machine data collection and requirements of Industry 4.0 regulations
Machine data collection is one of the central elements of an Industry 4.0 project: it is not only used to "read data", but to create true integration between machines, operators and business systems.
To be consistent with the legislation, the project must include real interconnection, bidirectional data exchange, single MES, remote access, batch and recipe management and collection of data useful for improving company performance and quality.
Because data collection is essential
In an Industry 4.0 project the machine must be able to communicate with the company system, receive information, send data and contribute to the traceability and control of the process.
The goal is not to collect data randomly, but to build a reliable flow that supports efficiency, quality, traceability and operational decisions.
The key requirements of an Industry 4.0 project
To comply with the principles of the regulation, the machine data collection must satisfy some basic requirements.
Bidirectional data exchange
- The machine must send data to the company system
- The system must be able to send data or commands to the machine
- Reading data alone is not enough
A single MES for all machines
- The machines must converge into a central system
- Uniform and comparable data
- Unique vision of production
Remote access to the machine panel
- Remote display of machine status
- Supervision and diagnosis
- HMI access where technically required
Batch and recipe management
- Passage of the production batch
- Sending or selecting the recipe
- Association of data with product and processing
What it really means to be compliant
Compliance is not achieved simply by connecting the machine to the network: real integration with company processes is needed.
- Unique identification of the machine in the system
- Exchange of information useful for the production process
- Consistent management of orders, batches, recipes and progress
- Remote control and supervision
- Collection of data that concretely helps the company to improve
What data needs to be collected
The data collected must have real value for the company, not simply be "present".
Machine states
- Machine running
- Machine stopped
- Alarms and anomalies
Production data
- Quantities produced
- Cycle times
- Production progress
Traceability data
- Production batch
- Recipe used
- Machine, operator, event time
Data for quality and performance
- Scraps
- Causes of detention
- Useful indicators for improvement
Official Industry 4.0 regulation
The requirements described derive from the official guidelines of the Industry 4.0 plan (now Transition 4.0), published in the Official Journal and in technical documents of the Revenue Agency.
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Law 11 December 2016, n. 232 (2017 Budget Law)
Introduction of the Industry 4.0 plan and interconnection requirements -
Annex A – Goods functional to technological transformation
Defines the mandatory characteristics of 4.0 machines (interconnection, integration, etc.) -
Revenue Agency Circular no. 4/E of 30 March 2017
Technical clarifications on requirements, including: interconnection, bidirectional data exchange and integration with company systems
Official documents available for consultation:
👉 In summary, to comply with Industry 4.0 regulations, a machine must be interconnected, integrated into the company system and capable of exchanging data bidirectionally, actively contributing to the production process.
How to approach an Industry 4.0 project
To obtain a good result it is important that all the project actors are aligned.
- Organize an initial meeting between the client, suppliers and appraiser
- Define roles and responsibilities
- Share technical documentation and communication protocols
- Establish the data to be exchanged and a test plan
- Prepare network, cabling and configurations before testing
- Verify that all machine services are active before MES integration
The most common errors
- Think that it is enough to connect the machine to the network
- Involving the appraiser too late
- Do not immediately define the data useful for the project
- Do not have a single central data collection point
- Underestimate networking, cabling and remote access
Because all this has value for the company
A project done well not only serves to comply with the law, but to generate concrete benefits.
- Improvement of production performance
- Greater process control
- Reduction of manual errors
- Increased quality and traceability
- Solid basis for future evolutions of the system
Do you want to understand if your project is really Industry 4.0?
Together we analyze machines, data, flows and regulatory requirements to build a concrete, sustainable and useful solution for the company.