Frequently Asked Questions
Here you can find answers to frequently asked questions.
Pilot Project Process
A proof of value (PoV) is a structured introduction to oee.ai — a two-month pilot phase in which the system goes live with your real data and proves what it does. The PoV starts with a kick-off and installation, followed by weekly consultations, active real operation and ends with a joint conclusion — which makes it clear what potential was actually visible. The PoV is followed by a seamless transition to the follow-up contract.
Your responsibilities are manageable and easy to fit into day-to-day operations. At the start, you'll provide us with the key master data. It's also important to involve the right stakeholders – such as IT, maintenance, engineering, machine operators, and shift supervisors – and to ensure the team is properly onboarded. Most importantly: join our regular sessions so we can get the most out of oee.ai for your specific situation.
Once it's clear the collaboration is moving forward, we scale the system together to additional machines, plants, or sites. A typical rollout takes around three months, depending on the scope. We're happy to support you on-site throughout the process to ensure a smooth transition and build momentum within your team.
We work closely together throughout the PoV, with regular alignment sessions. A dedicated Customer Success Manager will guide you through the platform weekly, walk you through relevant use cases, and configure everything to fit your specific setup. Especially in the early stages, we take on much of the operational work. Over time, your team gradually takes ownership of areas like master data management.
The PoV is deliberately kept lean to enable a fast, low-risk entry – giving you the chance to test oee.ai in a real production environment before committing further. For a specific quote or more details, feel free to get in touch with us directly.
The PoV typically runs for 8 weeks – starting from the point when the first reliable data becomes visible in oee.ai. After around 6 weeks, we'll meet to review findings and discuss next steps together. A 4-week extension is possible if needed, but rarely necessary – most customers have more than enough insights by then to move straight into a long-term partnership.
We're very flexible and can move quickly. Once the formalities are sorted, we'll either ship the hardware to you or come on-site to install it directly. In parallel, we'll need a few basic master data items from you. In most cases, we can kick off the PoV within just a few weeks.
Data Privacy & Security
Requirements are deliberately minimal. Since oee.ai runs entirely in the cloud, all you need is a stable internet connection and a browser-enabled device – whether that's a PC, tablet, or smartphone. No local installation or dedicated server infrastructure is required.
oee.ai is industry-agnostic and already in use across a wide range of sectors – including automotive, food and beverage, metal processing, plastics, injection molding, medical devices, packaging, and various other areas of discrete and process manufacturing.
No – oee.ai does not collect personal data. Our platform focuses exclusively on machine data and production processes: runtimes, downtimes, piece counts, loss reasons, and similar operational metrics. This keeps your GDPR compliance requirements significantly simpler and ensures the focus stays on process improvement, not individual performance tracking.
oee.ai is a fully cloud-based solution. This means no infrastructure investment on your end, no maintenance burden, and access from anywhere at any time. We handle updates, uptime, and scaling entirely in the background – making the cloud the far more practical choice, which is why we've built exclusively around it.
Your data is stored in certified data centers in Frankfurt, Germany (DigitalOcean). This means your data stays within Germany and the EU, fully subject to applicable data protection regulations. The facilities themselves meet high security standards and hold the relevant certifications.
Yes, all data is transmitted and stored in encrypted form. We use established security standards to ensure data is protected in transit to oee.ai. At rest, data is equally secured and accessible only to authorized users.
Yes – data security is a top priority for us. As an ISO 27001 certified company, we maintain audited, clearly defined processes for secure data handling, including access controls, encrypted transmission, and structured risk management. You retain full visibility and control over who can access your data at all times.
Yes, oee.ai is ISO 27001 certified. This means our processes, systems, and data handling comply with an internationally recognized standard for information security – covering access controls, data protection, risk management, and clearly defined procedures for handling sensitive information.
Machine Connectivity
Yes, manual workstations can be mapped just as easily. In these cases, data is not captured automatically via machine signals but entered manually – for example via tablets or terminals at the workstation. Employees record statuses, piece counts, or loss reasons directly.
Yes. Node-RED is a low-code tool for visual data processing that lets you model data flows between machines and systems via drag-and-drop. FlowFuse adds centralized management and enterprise-grade security on top. Both integrate seamlessly with oee.ai – data is typically handed over via MQTT or other standardized interfaces.
Data is either captured directly at the machine via our sensor boxes or retrieved from existing systems such as PLCs. Our sensor boxes pick up the relevant signals – e.g. running/stopped states, piece counts, or faults – and prepare them for transmission. Data is then sent securely to oee.ai via standardized protocols such as MQTT, where it is processed and visualized.
In principle, yes. oee.ai can connect to virtually any machine – regardless of manufacturer or age. Depending on the setup, connectivity is achieved either via our sensor boxes or through existing interfaces such as PLCs, OPC UA, or other available systems.
For the Proof of Value (PoV), we provide the required hardware in a straightforward manner. Afterwards, we'll work together to determine what a permanent solution might look like as part of a follow-up contract.
It depends on the environment we're connecting to. We frequently use our own sensor boxes for machine data acquisition, which capture signals directly at the machine and transmit them to oee.ai. Alternatively, existing interfaces such as PLCs or already available IoT infrastructure can be integrated.
Even older machines can typically be connected to oee.ai without any issues – a modern controller with extensive data interfaces is not strictly required. In many brownfield environments, capturing just a few relevant signals is enough to obtain reliable OEE, downtime, and production data. A key component for this is our oee.ai sensor box: it was specifically designed to connect machines quickly and pragmatically when no or only very limited digital interfaces are available.
Integration & Interfaces
Absolutely – that's entirely possible. Our documentation makes self-implementation straightforward in most cases, and we're always available to support you if questions come up along the way.
Yes, we provide comprehensive integration documentation covering all relevant details on connectivity, data formats, and supported protocols. We're happy to share it with you on request.
oee.ai requires very little master data to get started – typically shift schedules, products, cycle times, and an existing loss reason catalog if available. If not everything is fully defined yet, that's no problem at all – we'll work through it together during the project.
Why oee.ai
oee.ai is based in Aachen, Germany – one of the country's leading university cities with deep roots in engineering, manufacturing research, and industrial innovation.
oee.ai is a focused team of around 20 people – with short decision-making paths, fast response times, and a genuine commitment to each customer project.
Yes, oee.ai is available worldwide. The operator interface supports over 20 languages, with 7 languages available at the key user level – including right-to-left script support.
The PoV starts at a fixed, clearly defined price. For subsequent rollouts, oee.ai uses a scalable licensing model based on scope, number of machines, hardware requirements, and integration complexity. Pricing is transparent and designed to grow with your needs.
oee.ai's core strength lies in the combination of rapid, pragmatic deployment; manufacturer-independent machine connectivity; real-time production transparency replacing slow, manual reporting; low IT overhead; and a clearly scoped PoV as a low-risk starting point. Together, these allow companies to achieve measurable productivity gains without the burden of a large-scale digitalization project.
oee.ai is positioned as a fast-to-deploy, lightweight SaaS solution for production transparency and loss analysis – not a full-scale MES replacement. The key differentiators are: retrofit-first connectivity without deep PLC integration, no large IT project required, a rapid Proof of Value, and a laser focus on OEE visibility and loss root cause analysis. ERP or FAUF integrations can be added later as part of the scaling roadmap.
oee.ai provides a range of purpose-built interfaces for different user contexts: a web-based interface for analytics and administration, tablet views for shop floor data capture, and Andon or large-format displays for real-time production visualization. All interfaces are browser-based and designed to be immediately intuitive – for both frontline operators and management alike.
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