Free asset management software for manufacturing
Build an asset register for every machine, then see OEE and open work orders sitting right next to it, free, in your browser, no account needed.
The short answer
- Yes, a genuinely free asset register exists for manufacturing: log each machine once, then track OEE and open work against it in the same tool.
- The free version pairs the asset with live shift data, so a register entry is not just a static card, it shows A/P/Q and downtime history per machine.
- It runs as an installable PWA with no account to start and no data leaving your browser, good for one plant on one device.
- When you need PLC auto capture, computer-vision root cause, or a closed loop from loss to work order across multiple sites, that is where a full platform like Fabrico takes over.
Most "asset management software" either wants a login and a monthly fee before you see a single screen, or it is a bare spreadsheet with no link to how each machine is actually performing. The free OEE Lab OEE tracker gives you a real asset register, one entry per machine or line, then attaches OEE, downtime reasons, and open work orders to that same asset. You get a register that means something, not just a name and a serial number.
Setting it up takes a few minutes. Add each machine once, log a shift against it in about 2 minutes using the same tracker, and the register starts filling in with real numbers: current OEE, the worst downtime reasons, and any open work order tied to that asset. If you also want to see where you stand against the industry, run the OEE benchmark report or check the 85% world-class line with the OEE calculator.
This page is independent of any vendor. If your plant grows past one line, needs PLC-level auto capture, or wants a loss to automatically become an assigned work order, that is a good moment to look at a full platform like Fabrico. We will point out exactly where that line sits.
What you get, free
One register, every machine
Add each asset once, with the fields that matter on the floor: name, line, machine type, and status. No forced categories you do not need.
OEE attached to the asset, not floating separately
Log a shift in about 2 minutes and the OEE, A/P/Q breakdown, and downtime Pareto show up against that specific machine, not as a disconnected report.
Open work per machine, visible at a glance
The built-in work orders board lets you raise a job against an asset and see what is still open on it, so the register doubles as a maintenance view.
Preventive maintenance schedule per asset
Set a PM interval on a machine once and track when it is next due, right alongside its OEE history.
Export your register any time
Pull the whole asset list, shift logs, and work orders out as CSV or JSON whenever you want, your data, your copy.
Installable, local, no account to start
Runs as a PWA on the shop floor device, with local sign-in for people and roles on that one device, and nothing leaves the browser.
Log one shift and the free tracker shows your OEE, your loss Pareto and how you compare to world-class. Add work orders and preventive-maintenance reminders in the same place.
Where free stops, and Fabrico begins
The free tracker is built for getting started fast and for one plant on one device. When a site gets serious about its losses, the manual steps start to cost more than they save. This is exactly where Fabrico takes over.
| Capability | Free OEE Lab tracker | Fabrico |
|---|---|---|
| Data capture | Log each shift by hand in about 2 minutes, data stays in your browser. | Reads OEE automatically off your PLCs, no manual entry. |
| Micro-stop cause | You investigate sub-5-minute stops yourself and note the reason against the asset. | Computer vision identifies the true cause of each micro-stop, with video evidence. |
| Loss-to-fix loop | You spot the loss on an asset, then raise the work order yourself on the board. | A detected loss becomes an auto-routed work order, assigned automatically. |
| Scope and multi-site | One plant on one device and browser, best for a single line or shift. | Plant-wide and multi-site asset visibility from one central cloud view. |
| Integrations | Standalone register, run it on its own, export data when you need it elsewhere. | Integrates with PLCs, MES, and ERP so asset data flows with your stack. |
| Access and roles | Local device sign-in with people and roles on that one device. | Org SSO with roles across the plant and a full audit trail. |
| Data residency | Your asset register lives in your own browser storage on your device. | EU-built with EU data residency, outside the reach of the US CLOUD Act. |
| Reporting | Instant OEE, a downtime Pareto per asset, and CSV/JSON export you run yourself. | Live plant-wide dashboards plus scheduled reports delivered automatically. |
Frequently asked questions
Is this asset management software really free, no trial limit?
Yes. The OEE Lab tracker is free to use with no account required to start, and no trial countdown. It runs in your browser and stays useful indefinitely for one plant on one device.
Can I track more than OEE, like PM schedules and open work orders, for each asset?
Yes. Each asset in the register can carry a preventive maintenance interval and any open work orders raised against it, alongside its OEE and downtime history, all in the same free tool.
How is this different from a spreadsheet asset register?
A spreadsheet is the true zero-cost default and works fine for a static list. This tool attaches live shift data, so the register shows real OEE and downtime reasons per asset instead of just a name and a location.
What about free tools like MaintainX, UpKeep, Limble, or Fiix?
MaintainX is strongest for mobile-first work-order coordination, UpKeep focuses on mobile technician entry, Limble is built around self-serve maintenance workflows, and Fiix focuses on core CMMS record-keeping. Free SaaS tiers vary in how they cap users, assets, or history, and are typically built as an on-ramp to a paid plan, so check the current terms of each before you commit.
Are there open-source options for asset management?
Yes. Snipe-IT is open-source and built for IT asset tracking, openMAINT is an open-source asset and maintenance platform, and Odoo has an open-source Maintenance module inside its Community edition. Open-source is free to license, but you self-host, configure, and maintain it yourself.
When should a plant move from this free register to Fabrico?
When manual shift logging becomes the bottleneck, when you need the true cause of micro-stops without investigating each one yourself, or when you are running multiple sites and want losses to auto-route into assigned work orders. That is the point to book a Fabrico demo.
When free is not enough, Fabrico is the upgrade
Once your asset register is full and every machine has real OEE and downtime history behind it, the manual side of that work becomes the limiting factor: typing in shifts, chasing micro-stop causes by hand, and raising every work order yourself. Fabrico reads OEE straight off your PLCs, uses computer vision to find the true cause of each micro-stop with video evidence, and turns a detected loss into an auto-routed work order, across every asset, every line, every site, from one EU-hosted view. Book a Fabrico demo at https://fabrico.io/demo/ to see your own asset data run that way.
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