Every factory generates vast amounts of data — but it's fragmented across disconnected systems that don't talk to each other. The UNS Framework replaces point-to-point integrations with a single, shared data layer
The Unified Namespace (UNS) replaces point-to-point integrations with a single, shared data layer. Every system — machines, sensors, applications, databases — publishes and subscribes to a common MQTT topic hierarchy.
Every new connection adds complexity. Every system has its own data model. Getting a simple answer — "what's the utilisation of cnc-01 this shift?" — requires pulling data from multiple systems.
Any system can publish data. Any system can subscribe. No point-to-point wiring. No vendor lock-in. Adding a new consumer means subscribing to existing topics — not building a new integration.
Data is organised using the ISA-95 international standard — a structured path from enterprise down to individual data points. The hierarchy is self-describing.
The UNS isn't just a technical architecture — it's a business tool. Real-time visibility, reduced integration cost, and faster time to insight for every role on the factory floor.
| Metric | Before UNS | With UNS |
|---|---|---|
| Time to answer "what's machine utilisation?" | Hours (manual data pull) | Seconds (API call) |
| New integration setup | Weeks (custom development) | Minutes (subscribe to topic) |
| Data freshness | Hours/days (batch) | Real-time (< 1 second) |
| Systems with access to machine data | 1-2 (SCADA, historian) | Unlimited (any MQTT subscriber) |
| Cost of adding a new KPI | Significant (cross-system) | Minimal (new SQL query) |
Real-time dashboards showing machine utilisation, production progress, and stoppage reasons across the entire shop floor.
Automatic MTBF and MTTR calculations per machine. Alarm history with durations. Stoppage pareto charts showing where to focus.
Actual throughput data — parts per hour, target attainment — compared against planned schedules. Identify bottleneck machines.
Scrap tracking linked to specific machines, programs, and operators. Quality check pass rates over time.
Data-driven kaizen. Every state change, every stoppage, every production run is recorded with timestamps and durations.
A clean, maintainable architecture. Each function is independent, version-controlled, and deployable via git push. No vendor lock-in.
An open standard for structuring manufacturing data, an open platform for deploying serverless functions, and a reference implementation that brings them together.
An open standard that defines how to structure manufacturing data in MQTT using YAML files. ISA-95 topic hierarchy, versioned namespaces, payload conventions, and best practices. Vendor-neutral — any system that follows the standard can participate.
A lightweight Functions-as-a-Service platform that runs anywhere Containers run. Write functions in any language — Go, Node.js, Python — scaffold with one command, deploy via git push. No cloud vendor required.
Serverless functions that implement a complete UNS data pipeline on fnkit. From machine simulation to KPI computation — capture, process, and report on manufacturing data using the UNS Framework standard.
Learn what a Unified Namespace is, read the open standard, or dive straight into the fn-uns reference implementation with real serverless functions.