How it works
From machine to insight - in four steps
The same four stages as the diagram above, with what each one actually does.
Read
The PLC, or an industrial gateway next to it, exposes the signals defined for that machine model: states, currents, speeds, temperatures, pressures, flows, power. The demo corrugator reports 84 of them.
Send
The gateway opens an outbound, encrypted connection to your tenant. Nothing on the plant network has to be reachable from the internet.
Store
Data lands in a dedicated tenant: TLS 1.3 in transit, AES-256 at rest, in the AWS region you choose.
Show
Your fleet view and each customer's branded portal read the same data set - each seeing only what its role allows.
Two ways in
Through the PLC, or beside it
-
Via the PLC
Recommended for new designs. Expose the key variables through an OPC-UA server - most modern PLCs support it natively - and Mavex reads them. Richest data, no extra hardware.
-
Via an industrial gateway
For the installed base and legacy machines. A gateway with managed firmware, installed next to the machine, reads Modbus TCP/RTU, OPC-UA or MQTT locally and forwards the data. No rip-and-replace, no reprogramming.
-
Via the REST API
For software. ERPs, MES platforms and maintenance tools push and pull data on demand or via webhook.
Clamp-on sensors tell you the machine is drawing current. The PLC tells you the current of each motor, the pressure at each sensor and the state of each door switch. Mavex reads the PLC.
Protocols
Four protocols, out of the box
If your machine uses a proprietary protocol we evaluate it case by case, before you commit to anything - most can be bridged with an edge adapter.
-
OPC-UA
IEC 62541 · Modern PLCs & CNCs
The standard for modern industrial communication. Recommended for Siemens, Beckhoff, B&R and any PLC with a UA server.
-
Modbus
TCP & RTU · Legacy & older equipment
The most widely deployed protocol in manufacturing. Ethernet and serial RS-485 for older equipment.
-
MQTT
IoT messaging · Edge devices
Lightweight publish-subscribe for edge devices, gateways and cloud-connected sensors. Low bandwidth, high reliability.
-
REST API
HTTP/HTTPS · ERP & MES
External software systems push and pull data on demand or via webhook.
Any brand
One line, many machines, any brand.
A production line is several machines working together, often from different manufacturers - the demo line is an extruder, a die, a corrugator, an aftercooler and a cutter. Mavex connects every machine in the line, whatever the brand, as long as it provides a way to read its data, then unifies it into one view of the whole line.
Equipment integrated so far
- Siemens
- Allen-Bradley
- Beckhoff
- Mitsubishi Electric
- Fanuc
- Bosch Rexroth
- B&R Automation
- Schneider Electric
- + more on request
Your data model
Your metrics, your definitions, your polling interval
You decide what to capture, and how often.
Every machine model has its metric list: the name your engineers use, the PLC tag behind it, the type (gauge or counter), the unit, the polling interval, the valid range.
Every metric can feed an alarm rule, a dashboard tile, a 3D overlay or an Explore chart - without touching the PLC program. And because pricing depends on data points per hour, you keep control of the balance between detail and cost.
Explore/Metric definition demo data
A machine joins the fleet
Configured once per model, inherited by every serial number
The second machine of a model costs you almost nothing.
Customers, plants, lines and machines are one hierarchy, and every machine belongs to a machine model. Metrics, alarms, 3D views and dashboard slots are configured against the model, not the unit.
A first deployment takes 2–4 weeks. A further machine of an already-configured model is added from the fleet screen and inherits its model's whole configuration.
Fleet/Machines demo data
Security
Your data, protected and where you need it
-
End-to-end encrypted
All data in transit via TLS 1.3. Data at rest uses AES-256. Your machine data never travels unprotected.
-
99.9% uptime SLA
Redundant cloud infrastructure with automatic failover. Monitored 24/7 with guaranteed response times.
-
Role-based access control
Separate access levels for admins, OEM fleet managers and the customer's own users.
-
Data residency of your choice
Each installation runs in the AWS region you choose - Canada, the US, Europe, or wherever your compliance requires.
Who owns the machine data? You do. Always. Mavex acts as a processor, not a controller. Your data is stored in your dedicated tenant, never shared or aggregated across customers, and can be exported or deleted at any time. We're happy to review our data processing agreement before you sign anything.
For your customer's IT
The questions your customer's IT will ask - answered
When you sell a connected machine, the buyer's IT department gets a say. These are the questions we hear - with answers you can forward as they are.
Does the machine have to open a port for you?
Do we need to change the PLC program?
How is the data encrypted?
Where is the data stored, and who owns it?
What happens when the line loses its connection?draft
Are you certified - ISO 27001, IEC 62443?
What uptime do you commit to?
How long does connecting a machine take?
Deployment & pricing
Signed contract to live data: 2–4 weeks
-
What the 2–4 weeks include
Hardware configuration, protocol setup, dashboard customization, and - for OEMs - white-label branding. The timeline depends on the number of machines and the complexity of data you want to capture. Average time to first dashboard on early deployments: 3 weeks.
-
How it's priced
A monthly fee per connected machine. The price also depends on how many data points you capture per hour or per day. No per-user fees. For OEMs, a reseller model - you set your own price to your end customers and keep the margin.
Keep exploring
The modules that run on it
Get in touch
Ready to connect the machines you build?
Tell us about your machines and your customers - we'll show you exactly what Mavex can do for your business.