Manufacturing Event Monitoring--MEM is a modular software system designed for real-time acquisition and storing of manufacturing event information and for viewing and analyzing that information across an enterprise. The information provided by the system is said to allow managers to better understand their manufacturing resource utilization and, with that information, to determine changes in processes to increase machine and operator efficiency.

A typical implementation involves the company meeting with designated stakeholders within the customer's organization to determine the optimal combination of data collection and reporting requirements. Once those needs have been identified, the software can combine existing modules to produce a cost-effective solution that meets the client's needs, the company says. Custom additions, if requested, can generally be provided quickly and at minimal cost, according to the company.

The system supports data collection through a combination of one or more interfaces, including HSSB (high speed serial bus), Ethernet, remote I/O devices, PC I/O cards or serial interfaces. The approach recommended to a client is based on data requirements, machine capabilities and budget considerations.

The data collected can range from simple to the complex. Some examples are machine cycle time, machine cutting time, feed hold time, spindle on/off, feed rate override, coolant on/off, lube pump on/off, tool utilization, tool breakage and alarm states. The software also provides a variety of operator and status inputs such as shift start, shift end, job start, job end, setup status, parts count and more.