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TL;DR: Caddis Systems connects to virtually any production machine using flexible connectivity options including IIoT Gateways, I/O Modules, IIoT Sensors, Current Transducers, PLCs, and Part Count Relays. No single connection method is required. Caddis is designed to work with your existing equipment, your existing infrastructure, and your existing constraints. Whether you are running a modern CNC with a live PLC or a 30-year-old press with no controls at all, there is a connectivity path that works.
One of the most common questions manufacturers ask before deploying machine monitoring is: "Will it work with my equipment?" It is a fair question. Production floors are not uniform — they contain machines from multiple eras, multiple manufacturers, with wildly different control architectures. A monitoring platform that requires a specific protocol or a specific machine vintage is not a platform that scales across a real facility.
Caddis Systems was built with this reality in mind. This guide explains every connectivity method Caddis supports, what each is best suited for, and how to think about choosing the right approach for your machines.
Most manufacturers run a mixed equipment environment. A single facility might have a 2022 CNC machining center with full network connectivity sitting next to a 1995 hydraulic press with no digital outputs at all. A monitoring platform that can only handle one end of that spectrum forces you into workarounds, exceptions, or blind spots.
Caddis takes the opposite approach: start with your machines as they exist, and apply the right connection method for each one. The result is consistent data: cycle times, downtime events, utilization, OEE across your entire floor, regardless of what is running on it.
Best for: Facilities that want centralized connectivity across multiple machines with minimal sensor sprawl.
An IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) Gateway acts as a hub that collects data from multiple machines or sensors and transmits it to the Caddis platform over a network connection. Gateways are particularly useful in environments where machines are clustered together and a single device can serve an entire cell or work center.
Gateways support a range of downstream connection types — they can aggregate data from sensors, I/O modules, and direct machine signals — making them a flexible backbone for multi-machine deployments.
Typical use cases:
Best for: Machines with digital output signals that need a simple, reliable interface to the Caddis platform.
I/O (Input/Output) Modules connect directly to a machine's existing digital outputs — such as cycle complete signals, fault outputs, or status indicators — and translate those signals into machine state data that Caddis can process. If a machine already has a digital signal for "cycle complete" or "machine running," an I/O module is often the cleanest, most accurate connectivity path.
I/O modules are highly reliable because they read signals the machine is already producing, rather than inferring state from secondary measurements like power draw.
Typical use cases:
Best for: Machines where physical machine activity needs to be detected without electrical integration.
IIoT Sensors detect machine state through physical means — vibration, proximity, magnetic field, or other signals generated by the machine during operation. They are mounted directly to the machine and transmit data wirelessly, making them easy to deploy without electrical work or machine modification.
Sensors are particularly valuable for machines that lack digital outputs but produce consistent physical signatures during operation — a vibrating press, a rotating spindle, a reciprocating arm.
Typical use cases:
Best for: Any electrically-powered machine where power draw is a reliable indicator of operating state.
Current Transducers (CTs) clamp around a machine's power supply leads and measure electrical current draw. When a machine is running, it draws current; when it is idle or off, it does not. This makes CTs a universal connectivity option — any machine that uses electricity can be monitored this way.
CTs are non-invasive, require no machine modification, and install in minutes inside an electrical panel or at the machine's power supply. They are the fallback option for machines that have no digital outputs and no consistent physical signature, and the primary option for machines where speed of deployment is the priority.
Typical use cases:
Important note: Current-based detection is excellent for tracking machine on/off state and overall utilization. For cycle time precision on fast-cycling machines, pairing a CT with an I/O module or IIoT sensor for cycle detection is recommended.
Best for: Modern machines with Programmable Logic Controllers that expose rich operational data.
A PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) is the digital brain of a modern machine — it controls machine sequences, monitors inputs and outputs, and maintains operational state in real time. When Caddis connects directly to a machine's PLC, it can access the richest possible data set: cycle counts, fault codes, machine mode, production counts, and more.
PLC connectivity requires that the machine's controller is accessible via a supported protocol (such as EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP, OPC-UA, or similar) and that the relevant data registers are identifiable. For manufacturers with modern, networked equipment, PLC integration delivers the highest data fidelity of any connectivity method.
Typical use cases:
Best for: Machines that produce a discrete electrical pulse for each completed part or cycle.
Part Count Relays produce a momentary electrical signal — a pulse — each time a machine completes a cycle or produces a part. This signal can be read by Caddis directly, creating an accurate, event-driven cycle count without inference or estimation.
Many machines — presses, molding machines, assembly equipment, conveyors — already have part count outputs built in, either as a relay contact or a proximity sensor output. Connecting Caddis to this signal produces highly accurate cycle counts and cycle time calculations because the data is triggered by the actual completion of each part.
Typical use cases:
The right method depends on your machine, your environment, and your data requirements. Here is a quick reference:
Connectivity MethodMachine RequirementData FidelityInstall SpeedIIoT GatewayAny — aggregates multiple methodsVaries by downstreamFastI/O ModuleDigital output signal availableHighFastIIoT SensorPhysical activity signatureMedium–HighVery fastCurrent TransducerElectrical power drawMediumFastestPLC IntegrationNetworked PLC with accessible dataHighestModeratePart Count RelayPart count pulse outputHighest for cycle dataFast
One of the most important things to understand about Caddis connectivity is that you do not have to choose one method for your entire floor. A single Caddis deployment can use multiple connectivity methods simultaneously — each machine gets the connection type that fits it best, and all data flows into the same unified dashboard.
This means your floor data is consistent and comparable across all machines, regardless of how each one is connected. A cycle time on a PLC-integrated CNC and a cycle time on a CT-monitored press are both displayed in the same interface, with the same units, on the same dashboards.
Most Caddis connectivity methods are non-invasive and require no machine modification. Current transducers clamp onto existing power wiring, IIoT sensors mount externally, and I/O modules connect to existing output terminals. PLC integration requires network access to the controller but does not modify machine programs or behavior.
Yes. Legacy machines without modern controls are among the most common deployments for Caddis. Current transducers and IIoT sensors work on any machine that operates electrically or produces a physical signature during operation — no digital outputs, no PLC, and no network connectivity required.
Caddis supports the most common industrial protocols including EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP, OPC-UA, and others. If you have a specific PLC platform or protocol requirement, contact the Caddis team to confirm compatibility before deployment.
For non-invasive methods (current transducers, IIoT sensors), most machines can be connected in under an hour. I/O module and part count relay connections typically take 1–2 hours per machine depending on electrical access. PLC integrations vary based on network setup and data mapping requirements.
Yes — this is the standard deployment model. Caddis is designed to aggregate data from multiple connectivity methods into a single platform. Each machine uses the method that best fits its capabilities, and all data is normalized into consistent metrics across the facility.
Caddis Systems flexible connectivity is not a feature — it is the foundation of how the platform was designed. Real manufacturing floors are not uniform, and a monitoring solution that requires uniformity will always leave gaps. By supporting IIoT Gateways, I/O Modules, IIoT Sensors, Current Transducers, PLC integration, and Part Count Relays, Caddis ensures that every machine on your floor — regardless of age, brand, or control architecture — can contribute to your production data.
Ready to see how Caddis connects to your specific equipment? Talk to the team about your machine mix and we will map out the right connectivity approach for your facility.
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See how Caddis can provide real-time machine insights and expert guides to help improve your plant operations on Day 1.
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