Advanced KPIs for smart factories: measuring the future of production

In the era of the connected industry, data has become the most valuable asset for making operational decisions.

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But having data is not enough: it is essential to transform it into actionable indicators. This is where the strategic use of production KPIs comes in, integrated into a KPI dashboard that connects plant, management and systems.

Unlike traditional indicators, the new digital environments make it possible to measure and visualize advanced metrics in real time that go far beyond basic production control.

The evolution of KPIs in Industry 4.0

KPIs have always been an essential tool for measuring and improving production efficiency. But in 2026, the challenge is to anticipate. The new metrics integrate real-time data, AI, predictive analytics and cross-plant visibility. The key is to move from "what happened" to "what is happening" and "what will happen if we don't act".

What are production KPIs in a digital environment?

A KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is a key metric that measures the performance of a specific process. In a digital manufacturing environment, KPIs allow you to evaluate plant behavior from different angles: throughput, quality, availability, sustainability, maintenance and more.

For example, an example of a classic production KPI is OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), which measures the overall efficiency of a piece of equipment, taking into account availability, throughput and quality.

But in 2026, the challenge is no longer just to measure, but to analyse in real time, anticipate deviations and scale continuous improvement.

Key indicators you should be measuring

Here is a selection of advanced KPIs that every industrial company should include in its scorecard, especially if it already works with integrated MES or ERP systems.

1. Industrial Production Index

Measures the overall evolution of production activity based on the volume of units manufactured, resource consumption and hours invested. It is a critical indicator for aligning planning with actual capacity and financial targets.

Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and Mean Time To Repair (MTTR)

Beyond downtime, these indicators allow you to evaluate equipment reliability and maintenance effectiveness. Crucial for predictive maintenance strategies.

• MTBF: Allows to anticipate maintenance, reduce unplanned downtime and improve operational availability of critical equipment.
• MTTR: Quantifies how long it takes to restore operation after a failure. A progressive decrease in this KPI indicates improvements in maintenance and incident resolution processes.

3. Energy efficiency ratio per unit produced.

Sustainability is now an integral part of the industrial business. This indicator links energy consumption with actual production, enabling greener and more profitable decisions.

4. Full digital cycle time

This is not just the physical manufacturing process, but the digital cycle that includes planning, design, launch, manufacturing and delivery. Ideal for factories integrating PLM + ERP + MES solutions.

5. Percentage of automated operational decisions

A new KPI that measures the degree of digital maturity: how many decisions are already made by intelligent systems and not by human intervention?

How to visualise and analyse these KPIs

For these indicators to provide real value, they must be integrated into a dashboard that is accessible, updated in real time and adapted to each role (plant supervisor, operations manager, maintenance manager...).

This scorecard must be built from data from MES and ERP systems. This is the only way to ensure complete traceability and the connection between plant decisions and business results.

The role of MES and ERP in smart metering

The MES INEXION system allows data to be captured directly from the plant floor, without manual intervention, and transformed into KPIs. By integrating with the industrial ERP, RPS Next, a 360° view of efficiency is achieved. This combination allows:

• Visualize updated KPIs per shift, line or machine.
• Detect incidents in real time
• Automate reports and alerts
• Compare historical trends by line or work center

Production KPIs are the language of the modern factory floor. But for them to drive transformation, they must be well defined, accurately measured and contextualised in an integrated digital environment.

At Overtel, we help you build your KPI dashboard through solutions like MES/MOM INEXION and RPS Next. We connect all levels of the organisation to transform data into decisions. Contact us.