--- title: "BeamTracker - Real-Time Laser Production Monitoring System | IoTFlows" description: "BeamTracker is an IP67 laser part counter: every unit that crosses its beam is counted, with ±2% count accuracy, and the line's uptime, OEE and downtime follow, with no PLC. Customers see 35% less unplanned downtime in the first six months (median across IoTFlows customers, internal data)." source_url: "https://www.iotflows.com/products/beamtracker" --- BeamTracker # Real-Time Laser Monitoring for Smarter Production BeamTracker is a plug-and-play industrial laser sensor that gives you real-time visibility into production. Track output, monitor OEE, catch downtime the moment it happens and find its root cause. Customers see 35% less unplanned downtime in the first six months. Built for packaging, fabrication, assembly lines and robotic automation. [Buy Now](https://www.iotflows.com/shop/products/beamtracker) ## Easy to Connect. Powerful to Use. Count ## Every unit that breaks the beam, counted. BeamTracker fires an invisible laser across the line. **Each unit that crosses it is one count**, with ±2% count accuracy and nothing wired into the machine. When units stop arriving for longer than the time you set, the line reads stopped from the last unit, so uptime is only what the line earned. [How BeamTracker counts](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/hardware/beamtracker) Install ## Bolted on in minutes. Tuned while the line runs. BeamTracker bolts on with its mount in 10 to 20 minutes. Set it up from its own touchscreen, aim it square across the part path, and it starts counting. Then run real parts past the beam and **watch each one cross the thresholds live**, until every part counts and nothing else does. [Calibrate BeamTracker](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/hardware/calibrate-beamtracker) Lines ## A count at every step. Yield at every step. Put a BeamTracker on each step of a line and group them. Every step reports **first pass yield, units lost and its rate against Step 1**. The step where the gap opens shows while the shift is still running, not in a report a week later. [Group a line as a cascade](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/monitoring/asset-groups) Network ## Your Wi-Fi, or a network of its own BeamTracker joins 2.4 GHz plant Wi-Fi from the IoTFlows phone app and connects out over HTTPS on port 443. Rather keep it off the plant network? The [IoTFlows 4G/LTE router](https://www.iotflows.com/shop/products/4g-lte-router-ifcr-150) ships configured, and **every device within 100 ft joins on its own**. [Connect through the 4G/LTE router](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/hardware/use-the-lte-router) The platform ## One counter. Everything your plant runs on. Every BeamTracker feeds the same IoTFlows platform, from the live floor to the schedule and the work order. ### Every line, live Each BeamTracker puts its line on the Assets page: running or stopped, every hour’s count against its goal, the total made, the rate for the shift and the hours up and down. - Running or stopped, for every line - Every hour’s count against its goal - Total made and the rate for the shift - Uptime and downtime hours this shift [See production monitoring](https://www.iotflows.com/solutions/production-monitoring) ### Fix the stop that costs the most Operators give each stop a reason in a few taps at the line, and rules classify the short ones. The Downtimes report ranks every reason by the hours it cost, by week and by line. - Downtime reasons with notes - Rules that classify short stops for you - Downtime ranked by reason - Trends by day, week and month [See downtime tracking](https://www.iotflows.com/solutions/downtime-tracking) ### Slow lines, caught in the shift Set an ideal cycle time and IoTFlows compares what the line made with what it could have made in the time it ran, so a line running slow shows up while the shift can still be saved. - Availability, performance and quality - Ideal, goal and actual rate - Hourly goals that turn amber when short - OEE by line, shift and operator [See OEE tracking](https://www.iotflows.com/solutions/oee-tracking) ### Schedule on real capacity The Production Scheduler plans jobs on the lines BeamTracker already counts and shows each job’s progress from the live count. - Gantt, table, list, Kanban and calendar views - An optimizer that proposes a better order - Conflicts flagged before they reach the floor - Job progress from live counts [See the Production Scheduler](https://www.iotflows.com/platform/production-scheduler) Real-time alerts ## Know the moment a line stops Get an alert when a line goes down, stays down or starts again, and a reminder when the part count says an inspection is due. ### Line down The moment a line stops, and again if it stays down past the minutes you set ### Running again When units start crossing the beam again ### Inspection due An email as the part count nears a service point, and the work order when it gets there ### Device offline If a BeamTracker loses its connection Usage-based meters ## Service on the parts it made, not the calendar A meter counts a line’s **parts or runtime hours** straight from BeamTracker. Your team gets an email at 85%, the work order opens in [Maintain](https://www.iotflows.com/platform/maintain) at 100%, and a reset after the service starts the next cycle. Change a labeler’s glue roller every 500,000 bottles or inspect a slide knife every 100,000, when the line has earned it. [How meters work](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/maintain/meters) ## Customer Testimonials [10 bottling lines counted at every step The Slide Knife inspected every 100,000 bottles, the work order opened automatically. > "Now we can talk through issues, help our operators and adjust operations in real time. We used to wait days or weeks for reports, then hold meetings and hope the team knew exactly what had happened. IoTFlows has been a game changer for us." Steve Petti, Plant Manager, Altium Packaging Read Story](https://www.iotflows.com/customers/altium-packaging)[35% more output on the bagging lines 92% of lines hitting their target rate, and changeovers 20 minutes faster. > "Within weeks of targeted coaching based on the IoTFlows data, our newer operators were hitting 30 bags per minute. This platform has transformed how we manage our bagging operations." Juan Perez, Warehouse Operations Manager, Criollos Foods Read Story](https://www.iotflows.com/customers/criollos-foods)[20% more efficiency from optimized tooling BeamTracker counts every pack after the shrink-wrap conveyor. > "We love the entire IoTFlows platform. It has revolutionized our visibility into our operations, from the coilers to the ovens to the packing line." Morne Grobler, Operations Manager, Hugo Benzing Read Story](https://www.iotflows.com/customers/hugo-benzing)[100% of downtime captured and categorized SenseAi on the machines, BeamTracker counting the output, every stop logged. > "Before IoTFlows, we’d set a target and hope we hit it. Now we know by mid-afternoon exactly where we’ll land and whether we need to adjust. That shift from hoping to knowing is everything. It turns production management from firefighting into orchestration." Swapnil Rane, Engineering Manager, Hilco Vision Read Story](https://www.iotflows.com/customers/hilco-vision) Customers see 35% less unplanned downtime in the first six months. [Ranpak](https://www.iotflows.com/customers/ranpak) and [Storm Power Components](https://www.iotflows.com/customers/storm-power-components) count with BeamTracker too. [Read the customer stories](https://www.iotflows.com/customers). ## Wherever units pass a point. Lines, presses, cells. If finished units move one way past a spot you can aim at, BeamTracker counts them. Each setup has a guide. - [### Bottling and packaging lines After the last reject point, it counts every bottle, can, bag or case the line ships. Set up a packaging line](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/production/packaging-lines) - [### Stamping presses At the exit chute it counts parts that cleared the die, not strokes. Count at the press exit](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/production/stamping-presses#beamtracker) - [### Robot and assembly cells On the out-feed, each finished unit the cell hands on is one count. Choose a mounting point](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/hardware/install-beamtracker#mounting) - [### Molding and machining cells Parts leaving single file on a conveyor are counted as they go. Set what counts as a part](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/hardware/calibrate-beamtracker#beam-values) Want counts from the machine’s own cycle, or its vibration health? Use [SenseAi](https://www.iotflows.com/products/senseai), or [SenseAi Embedded](https://www.iotflows.com/products/senseai-embedded) on a motor in coolant or washdown. Buy BeamTracker ## One counter per line or step. Bought once. $299 per BeamTracker, once $119 per device per month on Pro, billed monthly; less on longer plans and with more devices ### In the box - BeamTracker, with its touchscreen - External antenna ### Added to your order - 11 inch arm and mount - M12 power adapter ### At a glance Counts Units that break its laser, ±2% count accuracy Range Up to 8 m (26 ft) Housing IP67, sealed Network 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi or the IoTFlows 4G/LTE router Power 4.5 to 28 V DC over M12 [Buy Now](https://www.iotflows.com/shop/products/beamtracker)[See BeamTracker pricing](https://www.iotflows.com/products/beamtracker/pricing)[All specifications](https://www.iotflows.com/products/beamtracker/specs) ## Questions people ask ### What is BeamTracker and how does it work? BeamTracker is a laser part counter for production lines. It fires an invisible laser across the path units travel, and each unit that breaks the beam registers a count with a timestamp. The time between counts decides whether the line is running or stopped, against a downtime filter you set. From that stream IoTFlows reports part counts and throughput, utilization and OEE, and downtime with the reason for each stop, with no PLC connection. ### How accurate is BeamTracker’s counting? BeamTracker counts with ±2% count accuracy. The beam reaches up to 8 m (26 ft) and resolves distance to the millimetre, and calibration sets exactly what counts as a part: how far the detection zone reaches, the thinnest part to count and how heavily readings are averaged. ### What is the detection range of BeamTracker? Up to 8 m (26 ft) from the device to the part path. The surface the beam lands on when nothing passes must be at least 7 cm away, and the detection zone is set in front of it during calibration, so anything moving behind the line is ignored. ### What can BeamTracker count? Units moving one way along a fixed path: bottles, cans, bags, packets, tubes, cartons and cases on a packaging line, parts leaving a press at the exit chute, and finished units on a cell’s out-feed. Each unit needs to be larger than the laser point and opaque enough to block it; for clear glass or film, aim at the closure, the label band or the filled body, or count cases downstream. ### Does BeamTracker need a PLC connection? No. BeamTracker stands alone: it counts what crosses its beam and sends the counts to the IoTFlows cloud over Wi-Fi or the IoTFlows 4G/LTE router, so nothing is wired into the machine’s controls. ### How long does installation take? BeamTracker bolts on with its mount in 10 to 20 minutes. Connect the antenna, fasten the bracket where every good unit passes the beam and nothing else does, aim the front face square across the part path and power it over M12. It is set up from its own touchscreen, joins the IoTFlows 4G/LTE router on its own or plant Wi-Fi from the IoTFlows mobile app, and IoTFlows ties each sensor to its asset during onboarding. ### Which IoTFlows sensor should I use? BeamTracker when you want the units a line or a step actually produced, counted as they pass a point. SenseAi when you want counts from a machine’s own cycle and its vibration health; SenseAi Embedded for a motor or spindle in coolant or washdown. Many plants use both: SenseAi on the machines and BeamTracker on the lines. ### Can BeamTracker work in harsh industrial environments? Yes. BeamTracker is sealed to IP67: dustproof and protected against immersion to 1 m (3 ft) for 30 minutes, so washdown, coolant and spray do not harm it, and its industrial M12 connector locks against vibration. Mount it where the beam has a clear run across the line. ### How is BeamTracker powered? Over an industrial M12 connector, at 4.5 to 28 V DC. Plug an M12 power adapter into a standard 100 to 240 V AC outlet, or share one adapter between BeamTrackers mounted close together with an M12 T-splitter, with an M12 extension cable of 1 to 3 m (3 to 10 ft) where the adapter will not reach. ### How do I access the production data? On the IoTFlows web dashboard, the iOS and Android apps and Google TV screens on the floor. Counts, rate, uptime, OEE and downtime update live, with history by day, week, month, quarter or year, exports to CSV and PDF, and the REST API for your own systems. ### Does BeamTracker send alerts? Yes. Event rules alert when a line goes down, stays down past the minutes you set or starts again, and when a device goes offline, by email, push, SMS, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Discord or a webhook. Production-count meters in Maintain email as a count nears an inspection and open the work order when it is due. ### Is my data secure with BeamTracker? Yes. Data is encrypted at every step: from the device at the edge, in transit over TLS with SHA-256 certificates, and at rest in the IoTFlows cloud. The 4G/LTE router can keep the devices off the plant network entirely. Access is by organization, role and machine list, with two-step authentication on every account. ### How much does BeamTracker cost? $299 per BeamTracker, once, then a subscription per device per month. Pro is $119 billed monthly, $99 on an annual plan paid upfront and $59.50 on a three-year plan paid upfront, for 1 to 9 devices, with lower prices from 10 and from 25 devices. 50 or more devices are quoted. The BeamTracker pricing page has every option. ### What support is included? Every BeamTracker carries a one-year limited warranty. The IoTFlows team ties each device to its asset and helps you calibrate it during onboarding, and the BeamTracker guides cover installation, calibration and troubleshooting. ### How quickly will I see a return? ROI typically comes in under three months. Customers see 35% less unplanned downtime in the first six months. ### Can we pilot BeamTracker before we commit? Yes. A pilot puts IoTFlows on 10 to 25 machines for four weeks with no commitment to buy, on the same sensors and dashboard you would keep afterwards. Your first BeamTracker is free; more BeamTrackers are $299 each. ## Documentation Want the detail? These guides walk through each feature step by step. - [BeamTrackerWhat it counts, what ships in the box and what it needs.](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/hardware/beamtracker) - [Install and align BeamTrackerThe count point, the bracket, aiming the beam and M12 power.](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/hardware/install-beamtracker) - [Calibrate BeamTrackerWhat counts as a part, and when the line reads stopped.](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/hardware/calibrate-beamtracker) - [Configure bottling and packaging linesThe Counter algorithm, units per minute and the count point.](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/production/packaging-lines) - [Cascading groupsFirst pass yield at every step of a line.](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/monitoring/asset-groups) - [Trigger maintenance from meter readingsProduction-count meters that open the work order.](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/maintain/meters) - [Connect a device to Wi-FiPut a device on 2.4 GHz plant Wi-Fi from the mobile app.](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/hardware/connect-to-wifi) - [Connect through the 4G/LTE routerBring devices online without the facility network.](https://www.iotflows.com/docs/hardware/use-the-lte-router) ## Put BeamTracker on your first lines Start with 10 to 25 machines for four weeks, with no commitment to buy.