Connect MTConnect

The MTConnect driver is designed for CNCs and machine tools that expose a standard MTConnect Agent endpoint. It reads machine hierarchy and live observations through probe/current/sample flows.

Supported Models & Protocol Type

Use ProtocolType.MTConnect for MTConnect-compatible devices.

Protocol Type	Hardware	Notes
`MTConnect`	CNC / machine tools	Requires reachable MTConnect Agent endpoint

Connection Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Typical Value	Description
Host	string	Yes	`http://192.168.1.20:5000`	MTConnect Agent endpoint. Include port in the URL when needed.
PollingInterval	int	No	`1000`	Read cycle in milliseconds. Lower values increase freshness and load.
ConnectTimeout	int	No	`3000-10000`	Connection timeout in milliseconds.
ReceiveTimeout	int	No	`3000-15000`	Read timeout in milliseconds.

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Host Format

Use a full endpoint when possible (for example http://192.168.1.20:5000).

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Edge Deployment Best Practice

In distributed plants, place the data connection on the Edge Gateway closest to the machine network. Then use gateway-based remote browse from the central console.

Address Syntax

MTConnect tag addresses follow this format:

<DeviceName>/<ComponentPath>/<DataItemId>

Address Components

Component	Description	Example
DeviceName	MTConnect device name	`Mazak-01`
ComponentPath	Dot-separated component/composition path	`Axes.Spindle`
DataItemId	MTConnect data item id	`load`

Examples

Address	Description
`Mazak-01/Controller/exec`	Data item under controller component
`Mazak-01/Axes.Spindle/cool_cond`	Nested component path
`Mazak-01/avail`	Root-level data item

Browse and Tag Selection

Start from the profile screen button:

Open Browse Tags / MTConnect Browser.
Select a Gateway.
Browser loads hierarchy from the selected edge.
Select DataItem / Condition rows.
Click OK to sync selected rows to profile tags.

Selection behavior:

Existing profile tags are pre-selected.
Unselected previously mapped rows are removed from profile tags.
Duplicate DataItemId rows are handled safely in live value merge.

Data Read Strategy

Snapshot + Incremental Streaming

The driver uses a two-phase read model:

Initial full snapshot from current.
Incremental updates from sample with sequence tracking.

Restart and Recovery

If the agent instance changes (restart/reset), the driver falls back to current, then resumes incremental mode.

Re-Probe Refresh

Device/item cache is refreshed periodically (every 5 minutes) to keep topology aligned with agent changes.

Data Quality Mapping

Data Category	Incoming Value	Quality
Standard DataItem	normal value	`Good`
Standard DataItem	`UNAVAILABLE`	`Uncertain`
Condition	`Normal`	`Good`
Condition	`Warning`	`Uncertain`
Condition	`Fault`	`Bad`

Condition values can be emitted in:

<Level>|<NativeCode>|<Text>

Example:

Fault|X123|Hydraulic pressure low

Performance Notes

Incremental sample flow reduces repeated full payload reads.
Periodic re-probe keeps item cache up to date.
Batch reads return per-tag quality (Good/Uncertain/Bad) for downstream processing.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely Cause	Action
No nodes in browser	Wrong host/URL, agent unreachable, or empty probe	Validate MTConnect endpoint from selected gateway network
Frequent `UNAVAILABLE`	Data item not emitted, machine state mismatch, or unstable network	Verify data item in agent output; review polling/timeout settings
Works on one gateway, fails on another	Network segmentation / VLAN / firewall	Use gateway in the same machine network zone
Values stale after topology change	Agent model changed	Re-open browser and re-sync selected tags

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Operational Validation

Before production rollout, test normal run, agent restart, and temporary edge disconnect scenarios.