Connect machines to Odoo — even without a protocol
Most factories have a mixed machine park. A few machines use a modern protocol, while others only have a serial port, measurement output or simple signals. The absence of a network port or protocol is therefore no reason to leave valuable process data unused.
Business outcomes
What it delivers
Technology is valuable when it improves planning, execution and the reliability of financial information.
Actual run times instead of estimates
Work orders and routings are supplied with times that are closer to reality. This makes actual costing more useful and quotations easier to substantiate.
Downtime that becomes visible
Not only major failures, but also short stops that nobody records become part of the discussion about capacity, maintenance and process discipline.
Accurate inventory and work in progress
Records align more quickly with physical movement and progress. Fewer corrections, less searching and a month-end close based on fewer assumptions.
Energy and cost per order
Move from one monthly invoice to a useful indication per process, machine group or order. Waste and cost differences can then be discussed sooner.
Capabilities
What we connect
We start with the information the process needs, then assess which existing equipment can provide it reliably.
Machines and control systems
From older production machines to PLC-controlled lines. Status, counts, fault categories and relevant process values can be assessed as data sources.
Scales
We assess both modern and older scales based on the interfaces and signals they already provide.
Printers and labels
Product, pallet, work-order and shipping labels generated from the process. Local printers without a network or Wi-Fi connection can also be assessed.
RFID
Automatic identification of pallets, containers, materials or assets during logistics and production movements.
Sensors and conditions
Temperature, pressure, energy, level, movement and other measurement categories with operational relevance.
Lighting and switching
Status lighting, signalling and switching actions that need to be controlled from one process context.
Alarm and access systems
Bring events from alarms, fire notifications or access registration together with the processes that require follow-up.
No protocol required
Older and affordable equipment too
Many useful machines have no API, modern PLC or network port. They still produce signals that say something about running, stopping, counting, measuring or alarming. We can assess categories such as discrete status, pulses, serial communication and analogue measurements without rewriting the machine's internal control system.
Our starting point is to use available signals and interfaces without changing the machine's internal control logic. Whether manufacturer approval or an additional safety or conformity assessment is required depends on the machine and the chosen connection. During the technical survey, we determine which signals are meaningful and which approach is appropriate.
Fewer portals
One central process instead of separate portals
An alarm centre has its own environment, lighting has a separate app, the scale has a local program, the printer has a utility and the machine may have a supplier portal. Each system can work on its own, but the operation still has to translate information between environments. A fault may therefore be technically visible but not yet linked to the order that is being delayed. A weight exists but is not yet recorded against the batch. An access event is registered but is not part of the follow-up process.
Bringing relevant events together in Odoo creates process context rather than an arbitrary dashboard. Employees see what happened, which order, location or responsibility it belongs to and which next step is required. Not every portal has to disappear immediately; the goal is that the daily process is no longer managed through five separate logins.
Commercial model
Fixed per location and additional node
The Linky gateway and additional nodes are supplied by Linky Business as part of the subscription. The monthly model is transparent: a fixed fee per location and a fixed fee per additional node. A node can, for example, be an I/O module, a scale or a Wi-Fi bridge for a printer.
When an application requires additional development, that custom work is quoted as a one-off project. Technical complexity does not change the fixed monthly fee. This lets you distinguish in advance between recurring infrastructure and the project effort needed to support your specific process reliably. See the current fees and an example pilot on the pricing page.
Start small
What it costs and how to start
Short answer: one-off engineering for machine connectivity typically costs €100 to €2,000 for a device link such as a scale, scanner or label printer, €1,900 to €4,000 for a pilot on one or two machines, and €4,400 to €9,900 for multiple machines or mixed interfaces. All amounts are calculated at our fixed rate of €110 per hour excluding VAT. The recurring Linky Gateway subscription is priced separately in the webshop.
| Scope | Hours | One-off indication |
|---|---|---|
| Device link: scale, scanner, printer or RFID | 1–18 hours | €100–€2,000 |
| Machine pilot: 1–2 machines | 18–36 hours | €1,900–€4,000 |
| Multiple machines or mixed interfaces | 40–90 hours | €4,400–€9,900 |
An initial pilot usually focuses on two machines and one clear business objective, such as actual run time, production counts or a reliable view of stops. The aim is to have the first real data available within approximately two weeks. The pilot has a fixed price and does not oblige you to roll out across the entire machine park afterwards.
Included are the technical survey, agreed hardware, configuration of the data flow, a controlled test and a short review of the results. You provide safe access to the machines, a contact person from production or maintenance and time to test at agreed moments. At the end, you receive working data, a clear assessment of scalability and a proposal for a possible rollout.
Frequently asked questions
Practical answers in advance
Often it does. Age matters less than which reliable signals the machine already provides. During the technical survey, we determine which signals are meaningful without modifying the machine internally.
Yes. The Linky gateway and additional nodes are supplied as part of the subscription. The model consists of a fixed fee per location and per node; any custom work is quoted separately. Current fees are listed on the pricing page.
Whether a connection affects warranty, CE conformity or other certification depends on the machine, the connection method and the manufacturer’s conditions. We assess this before implementation and involve the manufacturer or another qualified party when required.
A network port is not required. Devices with only serial communication, discrete signals, measurement outputs or local controls can also be assessed.
Yes. The connectivity layer can also be used independently or alongside another ERP system. Odoo is our strongest integration environment, but the operational challenge comes first.
The exact behaviour depends on the chosen architecture. During the technical survey, we determine which processes must continue to operate locally and which data can be updated safely later.
For two machines, the aim is to make the first real data available during a short pilot, provided access, documentation and test windows are arranged on time.
Yes. The pilot is designed to prove technical feasibility and operational value. The same structure can then be expanded in a controlled way to more machines, lines or locations.
Less data, more meaning
Not everything that can be measured belongs in Odoo
A machine can produce hundreds of values. Storing all of them does not automatically make the system smarter. It increases storage, management and interpretation, while operators and planners mainly need to know which change requires action. A connection therefore starts with a business decision: which information makes planning more reliable, shortens fault finding, prevents an incorrect batch or explains a cost difference?
High-frequency data may be better kept locally or in a specialised time-series system. Odoo then receives only the event, summary or value that belongs to the process. This keeps the ERP system understandable and prevents a business record from becoming a technical log. We define that boundary for each application and keep customer-specific decision logic confidential.
Reliable in production
Management, security and responsibilities
A connection must remain manageable after the pilot. We therefore record which components are covered by the Linky subscription, which equipment remains the client's, which network access is required, how changes are tested and who assesses a fault first. The installation must not become an unclear dependency on one laptop or one external account.
Access is limited to what is required for the agreed function. We discuss local operation, buffering and recovery when the network or internet is temporarily unavailable. We also agree how updates and expansions will take place without unexpectedly affecting production.
Each machine is assessed on its own technical context. You receive a documented installation, test results and clear agreements about support and expansion.
From signal to meaning
The same value can mean something different in every process
A counter may represent a product, cycle, package or simply a machine movement. A stop signal may mean planned maintenance, a material shortage or a fault. We therefore never link a technical signal directly to a business conclusion without validation by operators and process owners.
The pilot compares the source with observable events and existing records. Only when the meaning and exceptions are sufficiently reliable is the information used for reporting or automated follow-up actions. This prevents a visually attractive dashboard from being built on incorrect assumptions.
Knowledge base
Latest articles
Current practical knowledge about Odoo, migration and shop-floor connectivity.
A good first question is small and verifiable: which single record should be more reliable tomorrow in order to improve an operational decision? With that starting point, we can prepare the technical survey in a focused way and prevent a pilot from becoming a broad data project without a clear owner.
Pricing and cost structure
See which components determine the cost of a pilot, rollout and ongoing management.
Go to pricing →For manufacturing companies
Read how work orders, planning and shop-floor information come together.
Explore manufacturing →For logistics
Read how scanning, RFID, weighing and inventory processes reinforce one another.
Explore logistics →Send us a photo of the data plate
With one clear photo and a brief description of the desired result, we can often indicate whether a technical survey makes sense.