Web-Based Production Analytics for Shopfloor Visualization

The launch of DataNavigateApp comes at a time manufactures face growing pressure to improve productivity and reduce energy consumption amid rising operating costs.

Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V. has released DataNavigateApp, a browser-based production analytics application. The software is engineered to process machine data—focusing on operational performance, downtime, and energy usage—and provide actionable shopfloor visualization for manufacturers executing IoT and digital transformation initiatives.

Hardware Integration and Setup
DataNavigateApp operates as a dedicated application hosted on the MELSEC iQ-R series C Intelligent Function Module. The software is installed directly via an SD memory card, eliminating the need for dedicated HMI hardware. The configuration interface is browser-based, requiring no specialized knowledge of ladder logic or C language programming. This allows maintenance teams to visualize existing production data held within the CPU module without modifying established PLC programs.

Cross-Platform Data Collection
To support deployment in mixed-vendor and brownfield production environments, the application collects data from both Mitsubishi Electric and third-party PLC architectures using standard industrial communication protocols. This cross-platform data acquisition enables manufacturers to initiate monitoring on a single machine or production line before scaling the architecture across broader factory operations.

Analytics and Operational Dashboards
The software translates raw machine data into graphical dashboards accessible remotely via PCs or tablets. These interfaces allow operators to visualize equipment operating status alongside historical operational trends. By comparing data across different time periods and machine conditions, the system highlights factors affecting operating time, identifies wasted power consumption, and supports predictive maintenance strategies to reduce unplanned downtime and output instability.

Additional Context: This section details technical specifications and competitive benchmarking not included in the original product announcement
In the industrial automation sector, the deployment of C Intelligent Function Modules (like the RD55UP06-V or similar coprocessors in the MELSEC iQ-R series) represents a shift toward edge computing. Traditionally, PLC CPUs handle deterministic, real-time control (IEC 61131-3 languages), while data analytics require routing information to external SCADA servers or the cloud via OPC UA or MQTT. By hosting a web server and analytics application directly on a C-language module located on the PLC backplane, Mitsubishi Electric allows the control system to process high-speed data locally and serve HTML5 dashboards without the latency or IT overhead of external servers. This edge-based approach competes directly with Siemens' SIMATIC S7-1500 TM NPU (Neural Processing Unit) and TM MFP (Multifunctional Platform) modules, which also execute high-level IT applications alongside standard PLC logic.

Edited by Lekshman Ramdas, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

www.mitsubishielectric.com