Machine types & protocols
How Xentr models machine types, the three connection methods, and the protocols supported today plus what's on the roadmap.
Every machine in Xentr has a type — a reusable definition of which protocol it speaks and how its data reaches us. A machine record then just binds that type to one machine's connection details (an IP, a SIM, or an MQTT identity). This keeps onboarding consistent across very different hardware: a FANUC CNC and an andon light are the same "add a machine" flow with different fields.
The model
A machine type is made of three layers:
- Driver — the protocol implementation (FOCAS, Modbus, OPC-UA, andon…). Shipped by Xentr.
- Profile — the data model for that machine: which registers/tags to read, units, poll rate.
- Instance — one machine's connection parameters (IP/port, SIM, or MQTT client id).
You pick a type; Xentr renders only the fields that type needs.
The three connection methods
How telemetry reaches Xentr depends on the machine type:
| Method | How data arrives | You provide | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edge-collected | a Xentr edge gateway on your shop floor polls the machine and forwards telemetry | the edge + each machine's IP:port | FANUC FOCAS (IP:8193) |
| Cloud-polled | Xentr polls a vendor cloud on your behalf | a device SIM / vendor registration | Andon via lightmes.cn |
| Direct-MQTT | the device publishes straight to your Xentr broker | the device's MQTT client id + topic | Andon via a self-hosted broker |
Edge-collected machines need a one-time edge setup (claim, then connect); cloud-polled and direct-MQTT machines do not.
Supported protocols
Availability below reflects what is wired end-to-end today. Protocols marked Roadmap are planned — the type model is built so adding one is a driver + a type definition, not a change to your onboarding flow.
| Protocol | Method | Status |
|---|---|---|
| FANUC FOCAS | Edge-collected | Available |
| Andon — lightmes.cn | Cloud-polled | Available |
| Andon — self-hosted (MQTT) | Direct-MQTT | Available |
| Modbus TCP | Edge-collected | Roadmap |
| OPC-UA | Edge-collected | Roadmap |
| MTConnect | Edge-collected | Roadmap |
| Siemens S7 | Edge-collected | Roadmap |
| Generic MQTT / REST | Direct-MQTT | Available — see Connect a machine |
More protocols are coming
The protocol list is deliberately open-ended. Because a machine type is a driver plus a profile, new protocols are added without changing how you onboard machines:
- A new model of a protocol we already support (e.g. another FANUC series, another Modbus device) is a configuration change — no new software.
- A genuinely new protocol (e.g. EtherNet/IP, SECS/GEM) ships as a new edge driver plus a type definition; once released it appears in the machine-type picker like any other.
If you run a protocol you don't see here, contact us — prioritising the roadmap is driven by what customers actually run.
Next steps
- Connect a machine — register a machine and start streaming.
- Edge setup — provision an edge gateway for edge-collected protocols.
- Andon & quality — how andon state maps to RUNNING/IDLE/ALARM/OFF.