As we look toward Automate 2025 in Detroit, the conversation is shifting. Manufacturers aren’t just trying to automate—they’re trying to scale, unify, and optimize end-to-end operations. And after 25 years in industrial automation, I can tell you: the most powerful lever we have is OEE—but not just on the shop floor.
OEE—Overall Equipment Effectiveness—has evolved.
It’s no longer just a machine-level or line-level KPI. The best-performing manufacturers use OEE as a strategic metric at the facility and enterprise level, connecting performance across plants, lines, and even upstream supply chains. And that’s where the real ROI lives.
Fragmentation is Costing You—Locally and Globally
“Islands of automation” aren’t just a tech issue—they’re a drag on your enterprise effectiveness. When plants operate in silos, data stays local, and lessons learned in one facility never make it to another, OEE stagnates. Worse—poor visibility leads to duplicated mistakes, misaligned inventory, and unproductive labor allocation.
At the machine level, OEE losses hide in slow cycles and rework.
At the plant level, they multiply in bottlenecks and bad scheduling.
At the enterprise level, they snowball across supply chains—delays, excess inventory, missed forecasts.
Elevate Your OEE Thinking: Five Questions to Ask Before Automate 2025
As you gear up for Detroit, use OEE not just as a maintenance metric—but as a business performance tool:
- Are we tracking OEE at the facility and network level?
Stop measuring in silos. If you’re not aggregating and comparing performance across sites, you’re flying blind. - Is our automation strategy aligned with enterprise KPIs?
Automation should ladder up to delivery performance, inventory turns, and capacity planning. - Do we have a real-time view across our value chain?
Can we see how supplier delays, machine faults, and labor availability affect delivery dates—all in one place? - Are we scaling what works—or letting it stay local?
When a facility hits 85%+ OEE, do others benefit? Or are you starting from scratch every time? - Are we ready for AI, MES, and predictive analytics?
These tools only pay off when the foundation is there—tight integration, clean data, and clear ownership of performance.
Your Integrator Should Think Bigger, Too
If your integrator is only solving for uptime, you’re leaving money on the table. At Acieta, we design with the entire manufacturing ecosystem in mind—from robot cell to executive dashboard.
With over 40 years of experience, we don’t just build automation—we build connected performance platforms. We help manufacturers:
- Align machine data with plant KPIs
- Roll up performance across sites
- Link automation metrics to P&L outcomes
- Turn raw data into real-time, enterprise-level decisions
That’s how you drive OEE as a strategic metric. And that’s how you unlock ROI that scales.
See It in Action at Automate 2025 – Booth #1300
From May 12–15, we’ll be at Automate 2025 in Detroit. Visit us at Booth #1300 to see how the right automation partner can help you:
- Connect machines, teams, and plants into a cohesive performance engine
- Push OEE beyond the 85% world-class standard
- Tie those gains to real business value—faster cycles, better margins, and happier customers
If you're ready to go beyond fragmented automation and start thinking like an enterprise approach, we’re ready to partner.
Visit yourautomationedge.com to learn more or schedule time with our team.
