ADIENT: Full Real-Time OEE Visibility through PLC and SQL Connectivity

Project Summary

• Client: ADIENT (Global leader in automotive seating and component manufacturing).
• Location: Monterrey - Saltillo region.
• Sector: Automotive Tier 1.
• Solution Implemented: Real-Time OEE Dashboard with direct integration to PLCs and a Microsoft SQL Server database.
• Key Impact: Elimination of manual downtime logging, immediate visibility of line metrics, and faster response to failures.

The Operational Challenge

As a critical Tier 1 supplier to the world's leading automakers, ADIENT operates under a strict Just-In-Time (JIT) manufacturing model. In this high-cadence environment, any unplanned variation in machine availability, line performance, or assembly quality directly affects deliveries and operating costs.

Before the project, the plant faced common barriers on the production floor:

• Manual, Delayed Data Entry: Parts produced, downtime, and defects were recorded on paper forms or logbooks that were entered into the system at the end of the shift.
• Slow Response Times: When a machine stopped, notifying the maintenance team took valuable minutes before diagnosis could begin.
• Retrospective OEE Calculation: Management learned the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) figure hours or days later, preventing corrective decisions at the exact moment the deviation occurred.

The Technology Solution Developed

We designed and implemented a comprehensive Custom Industrial Software and Intelligence solution that connects the plant's physical infrastructure directly to an interactive real-time control panel.

1. Direct Connectivity with Inline PLCs

We established automated communication with the programmable logic controllers (PLCs) distributed across the assembly lines. This made it possible to natively extract cycle pulses, part counters, and machine status signals without interfering with the existing control logic.

2. Integration and Centralization in SQL Server

We structured a robust data architecture in Microsoft SQL Server. Raw data from the PLCs is instantly processed, validated, and stored along with the plant's specific business rules, guaranteeing historical traceability for every shift.

3. Interactive OEE Dashboard

We developed a scorecard with an intuitive visual interface (UI/UX) that automatically calculates and displays the three fundamental OEE variables:

• Availability: Constant monitoring of planned and unplanned stoppages.
• Performance: Real-time comparison of current speed vs. design speed (Takt Time).
• Quality: Accurate count of good parts vs. scrap produced.

Results and Impact at the Plant

Implementing the OEE Dashboard allowed ADIENT to take a qualitative leap toward full digitalization of its manufacturing floor:

• Real-Time Decision-Making: Supervisors and process engineers now identify micro-stoppages and bottlenecks instantly from screens installed on the floor and from mobile devices.
• Paper Eliminated: Manual logbooks were removed from the line, freeing operators to focus on value-added tasks.
• A Culture of Operational Transparency: Constant visibility of KPIs aligned the goals of the Production, Quality, and Maintenance teams.
• Reliable Data for Audits: Centralized storage in SQL ensured a clean, structured history to meet the requirements of standards such as IATF 16949.

Conclusion

The ADIENT project shows that digital transformation in the automotive industry doesn't require replacing existing machinery — it requires giving it connectivity and intelligence. By combining shop-floor automation (PLCs) with modern software architectures (SQL and Dashboards), we turned scattered data into a highly available strategic tool.