SOLUTIONS FOR FACTORIES · FDI ENTERPRISES · INDUSTRIAL PARKS
Extract telemetry from legacy machines. Sub-meter electrical power per machine and monitor Run/Stop/Idle uptime without altering PLC logic or interrupting production lines.
Not every factory can overhaul its PLC infrastructure or invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in new machinery. DeviceLab offers a non-invasive Retrofit approach: add external clip-on sensors, Split-core CTs, and industrial IoT edge gateways to meter power per shift, monitor Run/Stop/Idle cycles, and quantify piece count. Start with a risk-free 1–3 machine PoC in 2–4 weeks to verify figures before scaling plant-wide.
Solution Direct Answer
DeviceLab legacy machine data acquisition delivers a complete non-invasive IIoT Retrofit architecture: external clip-on sensors and 2.5kV optically isolated industrial gateways meter electrical energy (kWh, kW, Peak), track Run/Stop/Idle status, count output, and calculate OEE per shift. Implementation adheres to our 3 ZERO commitments: zero production downtime, zero PLC program modification, zero IT office network intrusion. Clients start with a 1–3 machine PoC in 2–4 weeks to prove ROI.
NON-INVASIVE RETROFIT ACQUISITION ARCHITECTURE — ZERO PLC MODIFICATION
Field Telemetry & Data Acquisition
Acquired directly via non-invasive clamp sensors and industrial meters, feeding clean telemetry straight to SCADA, MES, or Cloud.
Capture dry contact relays, auxiliary contactors, Andon tower lights, or external CT current sensors to accurately classify Run, Idle, and Stop states; measure operating uptime and stamping cycle time per shift.
Measure voltage (V), current (A), active power (kW), consumption (kWh), power factor cosφ, and harmonics across individual distribution boards and heavy machinery. Pinpoint after-hours idle energy waste.
Install optical/proximity sensors or read pulse counters for real-time output quantification. Automatically compute kWh consumed per unit produced (kWh/unit) for precision manufacturing cost accounting.
PT100/NTC temperature probes on motor housings, air compressors, chillers, and VFDs; ambient humidity in warehouses and electrical cabinets. Early alert for thermal breakdown and component degradation.
Pipeline pressure transmitters and cooling water flowmeters. Detect pressure drops and compressed air leaks immediately — one of the largest hidden overhead costs in manufacturing.
Safety Guarantee
Engineering execution prioritizes plant operational safety, eliminating all risks of production interruption.
Utilize split-core CTs clamped externally over cables, independent sensors, and safe parallel connections during scheduled maintenance or shift changeovers.
Strictly no code changes, no logic overwrites, and no reprogramming of existing PLCs. Original factory automation logic remains 100% untouched.
IoT Gateways use dedicated industrial 4G LTE Cat-1 cellular uplinks to transmit data to Cloud or On-Premise servers, physically air-gapped from internal office LANs.
Under Vietnam Prime Ministerial Decision 42/2026/QD-TTg, 2,441 designated high-emission facilities must conduct mandatory greenhouse gas inventories. DeviceLab continuous energy monitoring provides auditable, tamper-resistant real-time telemetry for Scope 2 emissions reporting, ISO 50001 energy compliance, ESG disclosures, and EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) export compliance.
Common Factory Pain Points
Most factories possess durable mechanical machines but lack granular, real-time figures required to cut operational costs.
Power expenses surge by thousands of dollars, but management cannot determine which line, shift, or idle machine caused the spike.
Stamping presses, plastic injection molders, and chillers run reliably but lack digital communication to integrate into modern SCADA/MES.
Workers record machine counts manually on clipboards. Data is delayed, error-prone, and cannot calculate accurate Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
Off-the-shelf serial converters lack industrial isolation, crashing near heavy VFDs and losing telemetry permanently when connections drop.
DeviceLab Engineering Approach
We bridge hardware, sensors, and field connectivity — the vital engineering link that pure software companies cannot handle.
Deploy multi-function Modbus RS485 power meters measuring V, A, kW, kWh, and cosφ per workshop, substation, and major equipment cluster.
Extract run/stop/fault status, cycle times, and piece pulses via auxiliary contacts or external current clamps with zero PLC intervention.
2.5kV optical isolation protects against electrical noise. Local Flash memory buffers data during outages, auto-resending with timestamp upon reconnect.
Standardized MQTT/JSON, Modbus TCP, or RESTful API streams feed directly into client MES platforms, SCADA systems, or custom dashboards.
PoC Implementation Roadmap
Select 1–3 critical machines or 1 feeder line to capture (Run/Stop, kWh, output) and align on exact measurement metrics.
DeviceLab engineering team deploys gateways and clamp sensors on target units within 1–2 days with zero line shutdown.
System runs 24/7 logging real-time power consumption, operational states, machine cycle rhythms, and anomalous idle spikes.
Formal report detailing idle waste hours, off-peak power losses, and quantified cost-saving opportunities with payback projections.
With proven precision and economic validation, management confidently rolls out the solution across all factory lines.
Case Studies & Technical References
Deployed isolated RS485 gateways with 4G fallback and edge buffering feeding an enterprise centralized SCADA.
Read more →Engineering guidelines on selecting multi-function meters, split-core CTs, and wiring topologies.
Read more →Technical criteria: when to use off-the-shelf COTS converters vs when custom gateways are required.
Read more →TCO analysis and engineering trade-offs between standard commercial products and dedicated hardware.
Read more →FAQ
Absolutely not. DeviceLab adheres strictly to our "3 ZERO" commitment: using split-core clamp CTs over existing power cables, non-invasive sensors, and executing connections during break intervals or scheduled maintenance.
Yes. We specialize in non-invasive IIoT retrofitting: tapping auxiliary run/stop relay contacts, Andon lights, proximity counters, or clamp-on current sensors to precisely determine running, idling, and downtime.
Yes. The system provides an unbroken, auditable telemetry trail stored with timestamps, exporting monthly and annual Scope 2 emission reports that meet Vietnamese legal requirements (Decision 42/2026/QD-TTg) and ISO 50001 / ESG audits.
Pricing is modular, based on the number of metering points, machines monitored, sensor types required, and software ingestion endpoints. Following an on-site survey, DeviceLab provides a transparent turnkey quotation.
No data is lost. DeviceLab industrial gateways feature local Flash buffering (Store-and-Forward). Telemetry is continuously recorded with timestamps and automatically synchronized once connectivity is restored.
Yes. 100% of telemetry data belongs strictly to the client and is hosted on client-designated servers or cloud accounts. As-built schematics, configs, and documentation are fully transferred upon handover.
Have 1–3 legacy machines that need data acquisition, or need sub-metering for a specific workshop? Contact DeviceLab engineering team today for technical advice and an on-site evaluation.
✓ Mutual NDA before detailed exchange · ✓ Engineer response within 24 hours · ✓ Zero obligation
