Comparing the Top Three Up-and-Coming OEE Software for Manufacturers

Measuring Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is now essential for manufacturers striving to enhance productivity and streamline operations. As digital transformation continues to reshape the manufacturing landscape, demand for advanced data analytics solutions that provide real-time insights into machine performance and production bottlenecks has grown exponentially. ABI Research has observed manufacturers increasingly investing in purpose-built OEE software solutions, rather than relying on metrics embedded within Manufacturing Execution Systems (MESs) or Quality Management Systems (QMSs). This trend reflects the industry's pivot toward descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics capabilities—areas where traditional MES or QMS platforms fall short. Up-and-comers like Litmus Automation, MachineMetrics, and Augury have stepped up to fill this market gap for OEE tools.

The market for OEE tracking software is seeing growth driven by several key factors:

• Adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for predictive maintenance and anomaly detection.
• Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions make OEE accessible for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) due to their flexibility and cost-effectiveness.
• Increased need for scalability and fast deployment across global factory networks.
• Increasing demand for low-code or no-code platforms that reduce implementation complexity and allow greater customization.
• Pressure to reduce Time to Value (TTV) and quickly demonstrate Return on Investment (ROI).

As the OEE software ecosystem matures, more mid-market players are emerging to challenge legacy providers like Siemens and Rockwell Automation. In its competitive assessment, ABI Research evaluates 10 up-and-coming OEE vendors. These vendors are selected based on their ability to deliver enterprise-scale solutions, while operating with fewer than 2,000 employees and being founded within the past 15 years. Notably excluded from the report are legacy giants and vendors whose OEE features are secondary to MES or QMS platforms.

Our analyst team ranked Litmus Automation, MachineMetrics, and Augury as the three leaders.

Table 1: Comparative Analysis of the Top Up-and-Coming OEE Software Platforms

1. Litmus Automation (Score: 76.6/100)

Litmus Automation ranks first in ABI Research’s analysis of up-and-coming OEE software providers. Its comprehensive approach to connectivity, scalability, and predictive analytics was a key reason for the top-notch ranking. The company’s flagship OEE platform, Litmus Edge, is a DataOps solution offering hybrid, on-premises, and SaaS deployments. It connects to over 52 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), including major names like Siemens and Mitsubishi.

Key strengths of the solution include:

• Compatibility with all key factory systems, including Enterprise Resource Platform (ERP), MES, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), and Historians
• Low-code customization for industry-specific needs
• Integration of AI/ML models for predictive analytics
• Out-of-the-Box (OOTB) functionality
• 97% customer retention rate, per a recent press release

Litmus scored the highest in platform scalability. Its Kubernetes-based deployments enable manufacturers to standardize machine data inputs across up to 50 factory sites in under 6 months. The company also scores the highest in pricing structure. Its site-based pricing model offers flexibility for the large-scale rollout of OEE software, avoiding user-based licensing constraints.

Figure 1: Executive Dashboard On Litmus OEE Software 

(Source: Litmus)

2. MachineMetrics (Score: 76.2/100)

MachineMetrics ranks second overall, with standout performance in connectivity and time-to-value. Its Edge Platform is a SaaS solution that supports multiple factory floor protocols like MTConnect, MQTT, and Modbus TCP, enabling integration with over 20,000 known sensors.

MachineMetrics excels in:

• New technologies like Internet of Things (IoT) data collection/integration and smart tagging machines
• Real-time dashboards and reporting for automatic OEE calculations
• Anomaly detection and predictive maintenance
• Fast ROI and deployment, with average TTV of 30–60 days
• 24/7 customer support and strong educational resources

Also helping MachineMetrics’ Edge Platform rank second is its licensing model. It is based on machine counts, rather than user seats, allowing broader accessibility to the software.

Part of why MachineMetrics narrowly missed out on the top spot in our ranking came down to its focus on SaaS deployment. While Litmus Automation allows manufacturers to deploy the OEE system on-premises, as SaaS, or as a hybrid, MachineMetrics only allows for SaaS. Additionally, only about 50% of MachineMetrics’ users deploy the Edge Platform at multiple factories, which is less than Litmus and Augury.

Nonetheless, MachineMetrics goes toe to toe with Litmus and all the other OEE vendors assessed, only missing out on the top spot by less than half a point. In many cases, it is outdoing others in the key criteria that ABI Research used to compile the rankings.

Figure 2: MachineMetrics OEE Dashboard for Monitoring Equipment 

(Source: MachineMetrics)

3. Augury (75.5/100)

Augury’s Machine Health and Process Health platforms round out the top three up-and-coming OEE software. These hybrid solutions combine on-premises sensors with SaaS interfaces accessible across all smart devices running on Android or iOS Operating Systems (OSs). Augury’s approach to usability is comparable to MachineMetrics’, allowing any number of users to access OEE metrics based on the number of machines that need to be monitored.

Distinctive advantages include:

• Scores the highest points for new technologies in comparison to other OEE tracking solutions
• AI-driven insights to optimize uptime, reduce waste, and improve yield
• Industry-specific focus, especially in process verticals like food & beverage, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals
• Strong channel partnerships with Value-Added Resellers (VARs) and System Integrators (SIs)

Augury leads in the implementation of OEE software, thanks to a robust reseller network and vertically targeted pricing models. Areas where Augury is on par with Litmus Automation and MachineMetrics include commercial success, TTV, and user support. Where it is comparatively inferior is with connectivity options. While Augury’s OEE solution connects to all major software required for OEE calculations, it does not offer the same level of support for IoT sensors on the factory floor. Augury struggles with IoT sensor connectivity, favoring an approach where manufacturers adopt Augury-built sensors as opposed to utilizing existing device infrastructure.

Figure 3: Augury Machine Health Critical Monitoring Solution 

(Source: Augury)

How to Choose the Right OEE Monitoring Software

When evaluating these OEE software solutions on the up and up, manufacturers should consider several core factors:

• Scalability and deployment models
• Machine connectivity and protocol support
• Customization and user interface flexibility
• Integration with existing factory systems (ERP, MES, SCADA)
• AI and ML capabilities for predictive analytics
• Pricing structure and licensing options

Promising platforms like Litmus Edge, MachineMetrics Edge, and Augury’s suite excel across these dimensions, each offering distinct benefits depending on the complexity and scale of the manufacturing environment.

To identify the innovation and implementation criteria used by ABI Research to rank these software suppliers, read the premium resource, Selecting the Right Up-and-Coming Data Analytics Vendor for Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).

Related Resources:

• Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE): Everything Manufacturers Need to Know (Blog)
• Data Analytics Providers of Overall Equipment Effectiveness Are Deploying Hardware on the Factory Floor to Help Small and Medium Manufacturers Overcome Operational Technology Obstacles (Analyst Insight)
• The Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) Market - What Industry Players Need to Know (Video)
• Breaking Down the $6.3 Billion Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) Market (Whitepaper)