Production downtime tracking software | FourJaw

Production Tracking.
Made Simple.

Unplanned downtime is one of the biggest hidden costs in manufacturing. Yet many factories still rely on manual logs, operator input, or incomplete machine data to understand why production stops.

FourJaw provides production downtime tracking software that automatically captures machine activity, giving manufacturers a clear, real-time view of where time is being lost and why.

FourJaw Every Machine

Automatic machine data capture

FourJaw connects directly to your machines to detect when production stops.

Learn more about the hardware

Real-time downtime visibility See downtime events as they happen, across individual machines or entire production lines.

Downtime categorisation Operators or supervisors can quickly assign reasons to downtime events, building a reliable picture of recurring issues.

Actionable insights & reporting Identify trends, prioritise root causes, and measure the impact of improvement actions over time.

3Step_Installation_1

Connect Sensor 01

Clip the sensors to the machine's power cables. Zero integration with the PLC or control is required.

3Step_Installation_2

Connect IoT device 02

Connect the MachineLink IoT device to WiFi and mains power. Your machines begin sending live production data instantly.

3Step_Installation_3

Analyse Production Data 03

Use data insights to start identifying and removing inefficiencies. Identify waste, target improvements and measure impact with real data.

Customer Testimonials

Sean ThomasHead of Operations

"FourJaw has delivered a significant and sustained improvement in the productivity levels we're getting from our manufacturing centres."

Monitoring downtime, eliminating the various causes of waste in our processes, and deploying colleagues to where they are needed most has helped achieve a 30 per cent overall increase in uptime.

Andy WhiteProduction Manager

“You may have been in a position where you think you need to buy another machine".

Because you think you’ve got a capacity problem, but now that we use FourJaw, we can see where we have capacity that I'm not using. FourJaw is the tool we use to maintain a ‘drumbeat’ of improvement and create a healthy, competitive environment to keep trying to do better.

Andy ToulsonOperations Manager

“We’ve removed all back orders and are now in a position to deliver orders on time for customers worldwide.”

This is a tangible benefit of our unprecedented increase in machine productivity, and we’ve also improved staff retention with a calmer, less stressful working environment where operators have the autonomy to get on with the job.

See for yourself how
we capture the data.

FourJaw's MachineLink hardware translates raw electrical signals into actionable production data in real-time. Works on any machine, any age, any brand.

Start Machine

5-Axis CNC Center

Live Telemetry Stream

0.0A

Idle

Non-Invasive

Clips onto the power cable. No connection to machine controller required.

Pattern Recognition

High current draw indicates the machine is under load (Productive).

Secure

No PLC Integrations Required.

Frequently Asked Questions.

What is production downtime tracking software? Production downtime tracking software monitors when manufacturing equipment stops producing and records how long the downtime lasts and why it occurred. By automatically collecting machine data, it provides accurate insight into lost production time without relying on manual logs or spreadsheets.

How is production downtime tracked automatically?

As demonstrated a little further up this page, downtime is tracked by connecting software directly to machines via our MachineLink IoT device to detect when production stops or slows below expected levels. This prompts operators to input the relevant downtime at the touch of a button, ensuring consistent, real-time data across shifts and machines.

What types of downtime can be tracked?

The short answer is, any.

Production downtime tracking software, such as FourJaw can capture both planned and unplanned downtime, including:

Machine breakdowns
Setup and changeovers
Material shortages
Operator delays
Quality issues

When a customer starts to use FourJaw to track their downtime, they can choose their downtime categories to ensure they are relevant to their manufacturing processes. However, we always recommend keeping the list as concise as possible, as good categorising helps manufacturers identify recurring problems and prioritise improvement actions quickly.

How does downtime tracking help improve OEE?

OEE is often used as a 'generic' term to describe things like production and machine monitoring.

However, downtime directly impacts the Availability component of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and accurate downtime tracking ensures OEE calculations are based on real machine behaviour, giving manufacturers a reliable baseline to measure improvements and reduce lost production time.

Is production downtime tracking software difficult to implement?

Not if you use FourJaw!

Modern downtime tracking software, such as FourJaw is designed for quick deployment in live manufacturing environments. Systems such as ours can be installed with minimal disruption, require little operator training, and can scale easily across multiple machines and sites.

How do manufacturers track production downtime?

There are a few ways to track production downtime.

Some manufacturers still rely on manual, paper-based data collection methods. They may seem the cheapest and easiest option, but people often forget to account for the time it takes to capture the information and do something meaningful with it. Manual data capture is also often outdated and inaccurate to be of any use.

However, more and more manufacturers track production downtime by using software (like FourJaw) that automatically collects data from machines when production stops. This removes the need for manual downtime logs and provides consistent visibility across shifts, machines, and production lines.

Why is production downtime tracking important? Production downtime tracking is important because it helps manufacturers reduce lost production time, improve OEE accuracy, and make data-driven decisions to improve efficiency. Without accurate downtime data, improvement efforts are often based on assumptions rather than facts. Don't believe us? Check out what these manufacturers have to say about it.