OPC-UA, MQTT, Modbus, and Industrial Protocols: A Manufacturer's Guide to Machine Data Connectivity

Every machine on your factory floor is already generating data. The question is whether that data is accessible. Modern industrial machines speak a range of communication protocols — OPC-UA, Modbus, MQTT, MTConnect, PROFINET, and others — that determine how, and whether, their operational data can be read by external monitoring systems. Understanding these protocols is the key to unlocking the full potential of machine monitoring platform, and to understanding when protocol integration adds value versus when non-invasive sensor-based monitoring is the smarter approach. This guide explains what you need to know, without the engineering jargon.