MT CONNECT
SNAPSHOT OF MTCONNECT
Is MTConnect software ? No . The standard defines data tags and the behaviour of a software agent .
What is the standard used for ? There is no one target use case . Any application that benefits from a normalised , pre-defined vocabulary of terms will benefit from the MTConnect standard . In practice , it is used for factory floor monitoring , OEE calculation , predictive analytics or maintenance , manufacturing cell integration , scheduling and routing , and ERP integration .
How do I use MTConnect ? Most manufacturers using MTConnect buy machines , software , and systems that support the standard . Devices require a software adapter to translate native registers / data tags to the vocabulary defined in the MTConnect spec . Most users will only access their device data via another application ( OEE software , MES .)
Where can I get it ? Current and archive releases of the standard are free and publicly available here . Free , opensource developer tools are on GitHub .
Do I need MTConnect if I ’ m already using another protocol ( OPC , Profinet , Modbus , SCADA )? Terms defined in MTConnect are specific to discrete manufacturing and intended to carry useful real-world semantic meaning . That vocabulary is created , vetted , and agreed upon by industry stakeholders with domain expertise . For applications where uniform semantics are already defined , the additional semantic definitions from MTConnect may be unnecessary .
“Manufacturing helps with the fabric of our society ”
DR STEPHAN BILLER CEO OF ADVANCE MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL AND TRUSTEE OF MTCONNECT
Biller said it was an interesting endeavour . “ At AMI , we had to build all these relationships virtually , which was a bit more challenging . But one of the things we did , and still do , is call a daily scrum of the team , so we all meet up and talk for 30 minutes , and then off we go .
“ But as the US is now well ahead in terms of vaccinations , I am now starting to visit clients , which is very exciting because I can get to
246 August 2021