How Infor Factory Track Streamlines Production Processes and Increases Accuracy
In sectors like aerospace, automotive, electronics, and heavy industrial manufacturing, shop-floor control must be precise, proactive, and scalable. In these environments, even a 1% deviation or a 30-second machine delay cascades into audit failures, scrap, or missed delivery schedules.
Infor Factory Track, already in use by many Infor clients, brings real-time control, data-driven decision loops, and compliance automation directly to the production floor. This article goes beyond generic MES benefits—drilling into database architecture, event-driven messaging, PLC interfacing, analytics pipelines, cybersecurity, and high-volume scaling. If you’re an MES architect, system integrator, plant engineer, or technical lead, you’ll appreciate the granular technical insights.
System Architecture & Event-Driven Data Flow
Factory Track operates on a robust tech stack built on Infor ION’s enterprise service bus and uses a microservices-like architecture to deliver high-throughput, low-latency control systems:
- Event Broker / EDA (Event-Driven Architecture): Device and process events (barcode scans, machine status changes, QC results) are captured by ION and routed to Factory Track. Event definitions can be configured via ION Designer, enabling flexible rule logic.
- OPC UA & PLC connectivity: Factory Track can ingest real-time PLC data via OPC UA (IEC 62541) for run/stop codes, downtimes, and sensor float readings.
- Device Gateways and Acknowledgements: Barcode scanners, RFID readers, torque tools, and tablets communicate via TCP/IP to local gateway services. A transactional acknowledgement ensures no data loss.
- Thin Client / Responsive UI: Browser-based HTML5 panels operate on tablets, HMI touchscreens, or industrial-grade kiosks—ideal for dusty or wet shop-floor conditions.
- REST APIs & Flat-File Polling: Support for 3rd-party system integrations through REST endpoints or scheduled file exchange.
Ready to streamline your shop floor operations with Infor Factory Track?
Sama delivers expert Infor Factory Track implementations that automate production processes, improve inventory accuracy, and enhance labor tracking for manufacturing excellence on your factory floor.
Core Modules: Data Models & Schema Breakdown
Factory Track uses normalized database tables—joined with core CSI entities—to capture granular shop floor activity. Here’s a detailed breakdown:
Core Modules: Data Models & Schema Breakdown
Factory Track uses normalized database tables—joined with core CSI entities—to capture granular shop floor activity. Here’s a detailed breakdown:
|
Module |
Core Tables and Purpose |
|
Production |
track_job, ftrack_rtstep, ftrack_work_event, ftrack_event_log — track job definitions, sequence, events |
|
Inventory / WIP |
ftrack_mat_txn, ftrack_consumption, ftrack_bin — record material movements, bin status, and visibility control |
|
Labor / Attendance |
ftrack_emp_labor, ftrack_break, ftrack_overtime — capture direct and indirect labor events for costing |
|
Quality Check |
ftrack_qc_event, ftrack_qc_defect, ftrack_qc_attach — inspections, non-conformance tracking, image captures |
|
Warehouse Management |
ftrack_put_away, ftrack_pick, ftrack_cycle_count — support ASN, put-away, picking and reconciliation events |
These tables feed live dashboards, triggering OEE, FPY (First Pass Yield), cycle-time, and traceability reports through real-time analytics. A 2023 LNS Research survey showed integrated MES deployments reduce WIP by 30% and increase labor efficiency by 15%
Real-Time Production Workflow: The Precision Sequence
Let’s walk through a high-detail operation cycle typical in high-precision assembly:
Operator Login & Authorization
Barcode badge scan or QR login triggers badge-to-tag mapping. Role-based privileges (via SAML SSO) determine accessible jobs and operations.
Job Release
Master work order from CSI triggers job generation. Factory Track loads route and BOM (Bill of Materials).
Material Issuance
Operators scan material barcodes or RFID tags. System validates serial/lot, expiration, and TTL (a FIFO rule).
Operation Execution
-Scan route-step QR code (routetable→ftrack_rtstep). System verifies prerequisites—labour availability, tooling, QC hold release.
-Job timer starts; logged in ftrack_work_event_startEmbedded digital work instructions (HTML5) guide operator—torque specs, assembly points, checklist—with E-signature validation.
Machine/PLC Sync
OPC UA tags stream machine runtime data—cycles, stops, scrap events—into process memory.
In-Process Inspection
QC inspection prompts (via route config) trigger scan, measurement capture, and photo uploads—all logged with timestamp and operator ID (ftrack_qc_event, ftrack_qc_attach).
Job & WIP Completion
Job closes automatically when the final step is scanned/completed. ftrack_mat_txn updates WIP and posts consumption. ION pushes confirmation to CSI.
Traceability Logs & Analytics
Data is queryable: job ID → operator events, materials used, QC fail points. Exportable in CSV/XML for regulatory audit.
Accuracy Technologies: Ensuring Precision
Barcode & RFID Enforcement
Operators must scan material and task-coded barcodes. Compliance logic checks for:
- Correct serials
- Expiration dates
- Material reservation status
RFID portals automatically register pallets with minimal human interaction—ideal for high-velocity lines.
Digital Work Manuals
Embedded HTML instructions integrate torque sets, digital images, and emergency stop protocols. The system ensures operators follow configured task-claim sequences to reduce errors.
QC Gates with Auto-Logic
Factory Track supports table-driven QC validations:
- Numeric thresholds (e.g., ±0.02 mm tolerance)
- Dynamic defect routing (non-conformance → corrective action queue)
- Quality hold tags prevent job advancement until resolution.
Serialization & Historical Traceability
Each serial or lot is logged in operations—creating full assembly trees for rapid recall or genealogy reports.
Statistical Improvements
Aberdeen studies report a 25% increase in FPY and a 20% reduction in defect rates when MES accuracy technologies—like barcode enforcement and QC gating—are enabled.
Ready to streamline your shop floor operations with Infor Factory Track?
Sama delivers expert Infor Factory Track implementations that automate production processes, improve inventory accuracy, and enhance labor tracking for manufacturing excellence on your factory floor.
Analytics, Reporting & Visibility
Factory Track enables data used for analytics via real-time dashboards, structured data lakes, and predictive modeling:
- Live Dashboards: Visual KPIs (OEE, job queues, exceptions) embedded in the interface.
- Data streaming to Infor Nexus: ION pushes events into Data Lake for BI and advanced analytics.
- Predictive Maintenance: Combined with machine data, trigger ML models to predict failures.
- Time-series Analytics: Supports root cause analysis across temperature, runtime, and QC histories.
- Historical Drill-downs: Relational joins permit retrospective analysis—for example, linking shift × job × QC fail to specific operator or tool.
Integration Matrix: Messaging & Connectivity
|
Source System |
Integration Method |
Data Exchanged |
Direction |
|
Infor CSI |
ION ESB |
Job release, material standard, WIP update |
Bi-directional |
|
Infor LN |
REST / FTP |
QC events, job adjustments |
One-way |
|
PLCs & SCADA |
OPC UA / CIP / Modbus TCP |
Run/stop, throughput, downtime alarms |
Bi-directional |
|
Barcode/RFID Devices |
TCP-LAN gateway |
Scans, transaction confirmations |
Push |
|
Quality Systems (SPC) |
REST JSON |
Calibration, measurement test results |
Push |
|
WMS / 3PL |
File drops |
Receipts, putaway, cycle counts |
One-way |
High-Volume Throughput & Scaling
To support ≥500 jobs/hour or ≥10,000 daily events, the system architecture includes:
- ION Queue Buffers supporting high message volumes and configurable retry logic.
- Database Optimizations: Indexed tables (ftrack_work_event, ftrack_qc_event) enable fast queries.
- Load Testing: Configuration for High-Availability in ION and Factory Track apps ensures <1 sec scan latency.
- Cold/Hot Backups and incident handling through Infor IDM and enterprise-grade clustering.
IoT Edge & IIoT Integration
Factory Track supports edge-to-cloud integrations:
- OPC UA Edge Gateways: Process data (runtime, torque, temp) via local buffer, sent in cycles to reduce latency.
- Edge Analytics: Run basic anomaly detection locally while detailed signals are ingested into Data Lake for AI modeling.
- Big Data Archival: Enterprise Data Lake stores time-series and event metadata for retrospective modeling and AI-driven insights.
Cybersecurity & Access Control
Factory Track includes enterprise-grade security protocols:
- SAML-based SSO with CSI/IAM platforms, mapped to user roles.
- X.509 SSL/TLS encryption for devices and REST endpoints.
- OPC UA Security Profiles: Encryption and user tokens per IEC 62541
- Audit Logging at table-level tracking operator, location, event timestamps.
- Edge Containers running hardened Linux OS with limited OS footprint to minimize attack surface.
Ready to streamline your shop floor operations with Infor Factory Track?
Sama delivers expert Infor Factory Track implementations that automate production processes, improve inventory accuracy, and enhance labor tracking for manufacturing excellence on your factory floor.
Governance, Failures, and Common Pitfalls
According to LNS Research, 75% of MES efforts fail due to factors like automating broken processes, poor governance, and IT-leading-only strategies
Technical safeguards include:
- Modeling real workflows before automation.
- Device registry management to align devices to production areas.
- Testing transactional throughput under simulated peak conditions.
- Structured change management for routing logic and QC template updates.
- Ongoing performance tuning of database indexes and event queue thresholds.
Industry Use Cases: Deep Technical Scenarios
Aerospace / Defense
- Torque data captured at a micro-Newton precision via integrated IIoT torque tools.
- Sampling plans enforce ISO 2859-1 based on lot size—Factory Track creates statistical QC templates based on parent job.
- Sub-assembly genealogy indicates torque anomaly correlation across flight-critical systems.
Automotive Tier‑1
- RFID-triggered JIT consumable supply in dock-to-line pipelines.
- Barcode scanning at line-side stations: OEE triggers auto-jam action messages via ION when cycle times exceed threshold ×1.2.
- First-article inspections (FAI) auto-snapshot at run start, linked to CSI’s cost model.
Electronics PCB Assembly
- ESD bench monitors coupled via OPC UA verify grounding status before job scans.
- Serialized tracing via 2D codes at reflow/IUT steps.
- Vision system calls Factory Track QC via REST endpoint to append image analysis defects automatically.
Implementation Best Practices for Technical Teams
- Process Discovery: Model and validate current workflows using BPMN-like diagrams (Ion Workflow tool) before automating.
- Device Rollout: Map and register devices, deploy firmware via configuration management—minimizes scans timeouts.
- Stress/Volume Testing: Use synthetic jobs to simulate load and monitor queue spikes.
- Database Maintenance: Regular indexing, archiving older data, and monitoring of table growth for performance.
- User Training: Role-specific guides—critical for torque, QC, assembly groups.
- Governance & Analytics: Establish data owners, C-level KPIs, and weekly exception handling reviews.
ROI & Measurable Gains
- 25–30% WIP reduction
- 15–20% labor efficiency improvement
- 22–25% increase in FPY / defect reduction
- 2–5% OEE uplift within first year
Defect rate reductions of 20% with AI/analytics-enhanced MES. Inventory turnover up by ~10% in smart factory implementations.
Ready to streamline your shop floor operations with Infor Factory Track?
Sama delivers expert Infor Factory Track implementations that automate production processes, improve inventory accuracy, and enhance labor tracking for manufacturing excellence on your factory floor.
Roadmap: Scalable MES Deployment Blueprint
- Pilot – Begin with a torque-critical assembly or electronics line with OPC UA and QC gating.
- Factory Rollout – Expand to all assembly, warehouse, and QC zones.
- Multi-Site Scale – Apply template logic across plants, standardize ION/Device registry.
- Advanced Add-ons – Leverage AI analytics, predictive maintenance, and ERP-widening.
- Continuous Governance – Use audit logs and performance metrics for continuous improvement cycles.
Conclusion & Call to Action
Infor Factory Track converts passive ERP-driven production into a real-time command center—empowering engineers, plant managers, and IT leads with automation, traceability, and scalability.
If you’re ready to architect torque-aware QC gates, RFID-driven JIT lines, or predictive maintenance infrastructure, explore our Infor Factory Track consulting services or browse real-world insights in our Insights hub.
Author Bio
Srikanth Kumar has 15+ years engineering MES and ERP landscapes across aerospace, automotive, electronics, and industrial verticals. Highly skilled in Infor Factory Track architecture, CSI integrations, ION messaging, and IIoT deployments. Discover our team’s deep technical expertise in Factory Track consulting.
References
- Tupl. (2025). How to Measure ROI in a MES – defect reduction, FPY, OEE improvements.
- LNS Research. (2023). WIP Reduction and Labor Efficiency via MES
- LNS Research. (2025). Why MES Initiatives Fail – 75% failure rate breakdown.
- Aberdeeen Group; MoldStud; Novotek. (2024–2025) Reports on MES, OEE, analytics benefits.
- OPC UA specification for secure PLC integration standards.
Ready to streamline your shop floor operations with Infor Factory Track?
Sama delivers expert Infor Factory Track implementations that automate production processes, improve inventory accuracy, and enhance labor tracking for manufacturing excellence on your factory floor.
