Downtime shows up too late
Whether a saw is running, being set up or standing still reaches management after the fact – from the shift’s memory, not from the machine.
Shopfloor Suite (SFS) – SaaS by ZirkelTech
Machines, production orders and service in one view.
Shopfloor Suite brings machine data, production orders and service together in one platform. Monitor machine states and shifts, organize production work in the Workcenter, and keep service activity and reporting traceable.
- Connect suitable existing machines
- Work in the browser with agreed modules and roles
- One point of contact for the application and connectivity
Group Machines
Category All
Site Plant North
8 producing
2 setup
1 unproductive
1 offline
Band saw 1
Band saw · BS-01
ProducingSmart-Box online
Circular saw 2
Circular saw · KS-02
SetupSmart-Box online
Drilling line 1
Drilling line · BA-01
Unproductive for 11 minSmart-Box online
Blasting line 1
Blasting line · SA-01
ProducingSmart-Box online
Tube saw 1
Tube saw · RK-01
ProducingSmart-Box online
Band saw 2
Band saw · BS-02
No dataSmart-Box offline
Bar = productive share of the current shiftSample data
Cockpit view with sample data. No customer data is shown.
Starting point
What happens on the shop floor rarely makes it into the shift meeting.
Machine states, orders and service information are often held in different places. This makes three important tasks harder.
Reasons are missing
Setup times and unproductive phases are not recorded or not qualified. Without reasons there is nothing to work on.
Reports on request
Compiling shift reports from notes and follow-up questions takes time. A shared data foundation makes reporting easier.
Shopfloor Suite brings suitable machine data and operational workflows together. Connectivity and onboarding are tailored to your resources.
The application
From machine signals to daily work.
Six areas of work, one platform. Available modules, roles and resources follow the agreed configuration for managers, planners, operators and service teams.
01
Understand machines and shifts
Cockpit Live shows resources and states within the selected scope. Shift reports place events in time; machine state and box connectivity remain distinct.
02
Manage production work
Assign production orders in Orderdesk; start, pause, resume and complete them in the Workcenter. The history keeps the work traceable.
03
Organize service around the resource
Create and update service tickets, tracking their status and history. View assigned care, maintenance and inspection plans at the resource.
04
Analyze production measures
Dashboard and Analytics help review periods and resources. Productive, setup and unproductive time are analyzed separately; missing data is not proof of downtime.
05
Bring resource information together
Find master data and operational assignments at the resource, including resources without an IoT box. Organization, branch and role assignments determine access.
06
Make machine signals useful
Assign IoT boxes to resources and configure inputs and signal processing. Measurements become traceable events for the operating context.
From the machine into the application
Understand signals. Make work traceable.
Machine data creates visibility. Production orders and service remain deliberately managed workflows.
-
Machine signals
Select suitable digital and analog signals. Assess connections, networking and required work for each machine.
-
Smart-Box
Assign the data source to a resource and configure how its signals are interpreted. Verify commissioning together.
-
Review events
Measurements are processed using the configuration. Events, time periods and reasons give observations their operational context.
-
Work and analyze
Manage orders and service through their workflows; review states and reports in the browser. The box does not perform these tasks automatically.
The physical connection is commissioned and verified together for each machine. Resources without a Smart-Box can still be managed in SFS with master data and reports.
The hardware
The Smart-Box: retrofit instead of replace.
A suitable data source connects existing machines to the platform. We assess the appropriate signals and connections for each machine.
- Digital and analog inputs are configured for the resource. Measurements provide the basis for events and reports.
- Consider box connectivity separately from machine state: missing data does not automatically mean machine downtime.
- ON/OFF delays, filtering and event editing are configured for the operating context.
- For typical resources in steel and metal distribution: band saws, circular saws, tube saws, drilling and blasting lines.
Who it is for
For plants where machine time is money.
Developed with users from steel distribution – built for every plant where cutting, drilling and blasting set the pace.
Steel & metal distribution
Processing with band and circular saws, drilling and blasting lines. Many short orders, frequent setups – and the question of where the shift went.
Go to industry ›Metal processing
Mixed machine park, several shifts, KPIs per line. Make downtime reasons visible before investment decisions are taken.
Go to industry ›Machinery & plant engineering
Run your own production traceably – or understand the status of your machines at the customer without waiting for the next controller generation.
Go to industry ›For managers, planners, operators and service teams.
Plant management & planning
Review states, shifts and production work in context. Agreed resource and role assignments determine the visible scope.
Shift leaders & operators
View assigned resources and orders in the Workcenter; qualify events through the supported workflow.
Maintenance
Organize service work around the resource and use the available information to support it.
Onboarding
Part of the day in three steps.
Start with an agreed pilot scope. Expand to further resources and sites after validating data quality and workflows.
Access is set up as part of onboarding; there is deliberately no self-registration.
-
Understand requirements
Review resources, shifts, roles and available signals together. Result: an agreed pilot scope with clear expectations.
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Agree a pilot
Select a suitable machine, mount the Smart-Box, verify connection and data quality across several shifts.
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Make it part of the day
Introduce users, review the first shift reports together and agree the rollout to further resources.
Understanding the data
From a measurement to a meaningful machine state.
The Smart-Box captures suitable signals at the machine. In Shopfloor Suite, the data source is assigned to a resource. The agreed configuration determines how measurements and states contribute to reporting. A connected box and a productive machine are different things.
What do productive, setup and unproductive mean?
Productive time is time recorded as processing. Setup covers preparation and follow-up time. Unproductive means observed time without productive processing; reasons are qualified through the designated process. Missing or unattributed data is not evidence of downtime. Counter increments are considered separately from durations.
What is needed to get started?
For the pilot, resources, suitable machine signals, connectivity, responsibilities and the shift model are reviewed together. The physical connection must be suitable and confirmed for each machine. Access is configured within the agreed organisation and role scope. Available modules and scope are agreed before onboarding.
How are functions and integrations agreed?
Modules and access follow the agreed configuration. Connecting existing systems requires project-specific assessment; this does not promise a ready-made SAP, Salesforce or universal ERP connector. Demo requests use the contact form. If form sending is unavailable, email info@zirkeltech.com directly.
Frequently asked questions
What plants want to know before the pilot.
Not covered? Ask in your demo request – we answer personally.
Which functions are available?
The platform includes Cockpit Live, shift reports, Orderdesk, Workcenter, Servicedesk, Dashboard, Analytics, and resource and IoT management. Your available modules and access are agreed during onboarding.
How do orders and service relate to machine data?
Machine data describes observations. Orderdesk and Workcenter organize production work, while Servicedesk organizes service work. An IoT box does not automatically create or complete this work.
What happens to a demo request?
The contact form tells you whether the email service accepted your message. This does not confirm inbox delivery. If sending is unavailable or fails, you can email info@zirkeltech.com directly.
Does every resource need a Smart-Box?
No. Resources and master data can be managed without a box. Live machine status and the reports derived from it require a connected Smart-Box or another suitable data source.
Which machines can be connected?
Suitable saws, drilling and blasting lines are typical use cases. Signals, connection options, networking and commissioning are assessed for each specific machine.
Does SFS work with our ERP?
SFS can operate independently. Data flow, permissions and mappings for an existing system are assessed and agreed within the project. A universal ERP connection is not included.
What does SaaS mean here in practice?
You use the application in the browser. Operations, onboarding, updates, hardware and support are defined in the agreed scope.
Can I register myself?
No. Access is set up as part of the agreed onboarding so that roles, resources and shifts are right from the start. Existing users sign in via Login.
How are onboarding and support agreed?
We discuss requirements, pilot scope and support with you personally. Scope, availability and responsibilities for application and Smart-Box are defined in the contract – with one point of contact for both.
Demo
Let’s discuss your shop floor.
See Shopfloor Suite in a personal demo and find out which connection fits your plant. Write to info@zirkeltech.com or use the form.
What you will see in the demo
- Machine states and shift timelines
- Orderdesk and Workcenter within the agreed scope
- Service work and production reporting
- The Smart-Box and the path to a pilot
HeadquartersZirkel Technologies GmbHTaunustor 1, 60310 Frankfurt am Main