How to Set Up and Display Manufacturing KPI Dashboards

In a manufacturing environment, data is only useful if people can actually see it. That’s where a manufacturing KPI dashboard comes in. These dashboards are used to track performance metrics like production output, downtime, and quality rates. But here’s the catch: you don't want the data to stay locked away in spreadsheets or dashboards that only managers access.

That’s where digital signage can really help. It's an incredible way to display live dashboards throughout your facility. Putting key performance indicators (KPIs) on screens helps teams respond faster, hit their targets, and stay focused on what matters.

This guide will walk you through the basics, including what a manufacturing KPI dashboard is, what manufacturing KPIs to track, and the types of KPI dashboards you can build. We will also share how to set up your dashboard so it shows up on digital signage screens in the places where it matters most.

What is a manufacturing KPI dashboard?

A manufacturing KPI dashboard is a digital display that shows key performance indicators from your operations. It’s designed to give teams a snapshot of how things are going with the manufacturing process, without needing to open a report or ask a supervisor.

In manufacturing, the Key Performance Indicators might include things like:

• Units produced per hour
• Downtime by machine
• First-pass yield
• OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)
• Production efficiency

These aren’t just numbers; they’re the heartbeat of the manufacturing process. A sudden spike in downtime or drop in quality isn’t something you want to discover after the shift ends. A good dashboard gives your team a way to act quickly when something starts to slip.

The dashboard itself can be created using tools like Power BI, Tableau, Google Sheets, or a manufacturing execution system (MES). What makes it valuable is how it helps surface important data, fast. And once the dashboard is connected to digital signage, it becomes a real-time communication tool.

Why use digital signage to display your manufacturing metrics?

A static dashboard on a desktop is better than nothing, but it’s not enough. Teams on the floor need to see what’s going on without leaving their workstations. That’s why digital signage is such a useful upgrade.

Here’s what happens when you use screens to display your KPI dashboards:

• Real-time visibility: Everyone can see live metrics at a glance, no need to wait for end-of-day reports or check email updates.
• Faster decisions: When an issue shows up on screen (like a spike in downtime), someone can fix it right away.
• Alignment across shifts: Metrics don’t get lost in handovers. The screen shows the same data no matter who’s working.
• Improved morale: Teams know where they stand and hitting targets becomes a shared goal. When success is visible, it’s easier to build momentum.
• Easier to scale: You can set up one dashboard and broadcast it across multiple locations or departments using cloud-based signage tools.
• Less reliance on meetings: You don’t have to bring everyone together to share updates. The data’s already up there.

Think of screens as the modern-day bulletin board only smarter, faster, and more relevant. Instead of printing charts or emailing graphs that might be ignored, you’re delivering manufacturing metrics in real time, to the right people, right where they work.

Types of manufacturing KPI dashboards

Depending on your goals and your team, you might need different types of dashboards for different situations. Here are a few of the most common:

1. Production dashboards

Production dashboards track real-time output, cycle time, and machine utilization. They’re especially useful on the line or in work cells, where operators can adjust their pace based on live data. A production dashboard might include:

• Actual vs. target output per shift
• Cycle time for each work cell
• Production equipment availability
• Active downtime events

2. Quality dashboards

These focus on scrap rate, first-pass yield, inspection results, and rework trends. Quality dashboards are typically used by QA teams and shift managers to keep a close eye on consistency, accuracy, and overall product quality standards. Some useful metrics for quality control:

• First-pass yield percentage
• Number of defects per batch
• Types of defects or failure codes
• Rework rate over time

3. Maintenance dashboards

You'll find these shown on manufacturing information displays. They highlight mean time between failures (MTBF), mean time to repair (MTTR), and preventive maintenance tasks. They’re a great tool for reliability teams to stay ahead of breakdowns. Common components:

• Equipment status (running, idle, down)
• Open maintenance tickets
• Downtime by asset or cause
• Upcoming scheduled maintenance

4. Safety dashboards

These might show safety incidents, workplace safety quotes, near misses, days since last injury, or active safety campaigns. Keeping safety visible helps reinforce company standards. Examples include:

• Incidents reported this month
• Days without injury
• Completed safety training
• PPE compliance checks

5. Supply chain and inventory dashboards

These track inventory accuracy, order cycle time, supplier OTIF (on time in full), and material shortages. Supply chain dashboards are especially helpful for procurement and planning teams:

• Stock levels for key components
• Open purchase orders
• Supplier performance scores
• Lead times vs. expected delivery

Examples of manufacturing KPIs to track

You don’t need dozens of key performance indicators on every dashboard. In fact, less is usually more. Here’s a closer look at some of the most common and useful manufacturing KPIs for production processes. These can be combined into a single dashboard or split across multiple screens depending on the audience.

• OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness): Combines availability, performance, and quality into one number. It’s a go-to for understanding equipment productivity.
• Downtime by cause: Helps pinpoint the biggest disruptions in your line. Categorizing downtime events (e.g. mechanical, staffing, supply issue) can guide your response.
• Production vs. target: Keeps teams focused on hitting daily or shift-level goals. Simple color coding can help flag red or green status.
• First-pass yield: Shows the percentage of products made right the first time. A drop here usually means something upstream needs attention.
• Scrap rate: Useful for identifying waste and tracking improvement over time. Paired with cost of scrap, it also helps justify quality initiatives.
• Takt time: Compares the pace of production to customer demand.
• Inventory turns: Measures how often you sell and replace inventory. Low turns may signal overstocking; high turns suggest efficient flow.
• On-time delivery rate: Shows how reliably you meet shipping dates. Often used by customer service or fulfillment teams.
• Work orders completed: Tracks task progress across teams. Helpful for maintenance, quality, or any team running against checklists.

You can also create calculated KPIs that tie multiple metrics together. For example, a cost-per-unit KPI that factors in labor hours, scrap, and material cost.

How to display a manufacturing KPI dashboard on screen

Getting your dashboards onto screens isn’t hard, but it does require a few steps. Here’s a simple process that works for most manufacturing companies.

Read our full guide to setting up ScreenCloud dashboards for a longer, more detailed breakdown.

1. Install Google Chrome

ScreenCloud Dashboards works with the Google Chrome browser. If you haven’t already, download Chrome to your desktop or PC. Make sure you’re using version 87 or above.

2. Add the ScreenCloud Dashboards recorder extension

Head to the Chrome Web Store and search for “ScreenCloud Dashboards.” Select Add to Chrome to install the extension. You’ll get a confirmation once it’s installed. If you’re using a locked-down work device, you may need help from your IT administrator to install browser extensions.

3. Enable incognito mode for the extension

Once added, open your browser extensions and allow the ScreenCloud Dashboard recorder to run in incognito mode. This step ensures a clean, consistent session when capturing dashboards without interference from cookies or saved settings.

4. Start setting up your dashboard in ScreenCloud

Log into your ScreenCloud account, go to the Dashboards section in the left-hand menu, and click New Dashboard or Set up your first Dashboard to begin.

5. Record your dashboard journey

Paste the full URL of the data dashboard you want to display (for example, from Grafana, Tableau, or Power BI). Then click Start Recording. A pop-up window will guide you through logging into your dashboard service and navigating to the dashboard you want to capture.

Supported login types include basic authentication, Google sign-in, and token-based multi-factor authentication.

As you move through your dashboard service, ScreenCloud logs each step automatically in the “Actions” sidebar. Once you reach your final destination (the dashboard or report you want displayed), make sure the view is set to full-screen for the best result. Or you can select a specific part of the dashboard by dragging the capture tool over it.

When you’re ready, click Finish Journey and then Take Snapshot.

6. Set the refresh rate

Choose how often you want the data to refresh on screen. This helps keep your dashboard accurate and up to date without interruptions. The ideal refresh rate depends on how often your dashboard data changes.

7. Name your dashboard

Give your dashboard a name you’ll remember. This makes it easier to manage and reference later inside your ScreenCloud account.

8. Save and preview

Click Save & Preview to finalize the setup. You’ll get a confirmation message and a live preview of your dashboard. Depending on the service you’re using, the preview may take a few moments to fully load.

9. Publish to your digital signage screens

Now that your dashboard is ready, you can push it to your manufacturing digital signage screens. Add it to a playlist, schedule it alongside other content like safety messages or shift updates, and choose exactly where and when it appears.

Whether you’re showing key performance indicators from a private Grafana dashboard or live data from Power BI, this process makes it easy to broadcast metrics to your team; no extra hardware or complex IT setup needed.

Final thoughts

Manufacturing runs on numbers. But numbers hidden away in a report or trapped inside someone’s laptop don’t help anyone on the floor.

By using digital signage to show live manufacturing KPI dashboards, manufacturers can make data visible and actionable. It keeps teams aligned, focused, and faster to respond. That’s not just good for output; it’s good for morale and continuous improvement.

If you're ready to bring your manufacturing KPIs to life, ScreenCloud makes it simple to connect your dashboards to screens across your facility. Try it out and see the difference for yourself.

Start your free trial or book a demo today.