When the panel dies,
the line doesn't.
Getting production lines back running is our whole job. The free phone app puts a screen on the machine in minutes; the plug-in LineKeeper touchscreen stands in for the dead panel for keeps — live tags, operator buttons, history and dashboards — and the data flows onward when you're ready for more.
- ~15 minutes from a dead panel to a working screen
- No PLC program changes — nothing to re-validate
- The PLC keeps running; you just give it a screen back
The HMI panel just died.
Now what?
- Replacement panel: 2–6 weeks lead time
- Integrator visit: days of waiting + travel invoice
- SCADA quote: license costs that rival the machine itself
- Meanwhile the line is dark — every hour is money
Plug in. Connect.
Keep producing.
- Enter the PLC's IP address — tags appear in ~5 minutes
- Build the operator screen you need: buttons, indicators, setpoints
- The machine's own program keeps running untouched
- Keep it afterwards as a diagnostics & logging tool
LineKeeper is a minimal temporary stand-in, not a full HMI replacement — exactly enough for the operator to see the key values and press the right buttons, so production continues while the proper repair is on its way. Panel dead right now? Start with the 10-minute triage guide →
From "the panel just died" to better than before
Four steps, ordered by how fast they get you producing again. Start wherever today's emergency puts you — they stack.
A screen on a phone
The free LineKeeper app turns a phone or iPad on the PLC network into the temporary screen: live values, start/stop buttons, alarms. Allen-Bradley, Siemens S7 and Modbus TCP.
Get the app → In about an hour · freeRecover the old screens
Upload the dead panel's project export — FactoryTalk View, TIA Portal, Weintek and more — and the converter rebuilds it as a LineKeeper screen, instead of you redrawing it by hand.
Convert a project → For keepsThe LineKeeper device
A 7″ plug-in touchscreen that stands in for the panel — and then stays: data logging, dashboards, on-device analytics and up to 5 years of history for the machine.
See the product tour ↓Data keeps flowing
Every LineKeeper publishes MQTT Sparkplug B into any SCADA today. Next up: LineKeeper Hub — a plant-wide SCADA-lite that picks up every LineKeeper on the network automatically.
Hub — in developmentOne small screen. Five serious tools.
Operator control panel
Drag-and-drop builder for the screen your operator actually needs: hold-to-run and latching buttons, indicators, numeric setpoints, section headers. Multiple panels for different line sections.
- Buttons release safely if the browser tab closes
- Button + feedback indicator on separate tags
- Use it on the built-in touchscreen or from any browser on the network
Dashboards & history
Pick the tags worth keeping and LineKeeper logs them on change — charts, gauges, uptime, counters, error codes. 12 widget types, from 15 minutes to 30 days back, exports to CSV.
- Smart storage: raw → hourly → daily aggregates
- Boolean analytics: uptime %, cycle times, start counts
- CSV export for the customer report
Live tag diagnostics
The whole controller at a glance — every tag with live values, UDT structures unfolded, bit-level view of integers. Write a value, toggle a bool, flip a single bit. No licensed engineering software required.
- Full tag list in one batch read, refreshed twice a second
- Timers, counters, arrays, UDTs, I/O modules
- Every write logged: who, when, which tag, what value
| Conveyor_Run | BOOL | 1 |
| Line_Speed_SP | REAL | 128.5 |
| Filler.State | DINT | 3 |
| Reject_Count | DINT | 147 |
| Recipe.Name | STRING | "COLA_05L" |
Remote access & integrations
Built-in Tailscale lets your OEM or integrator diagnose the machine remotely — access granted per person, revocable, no router port forwarding. Outgrew the basics? Publish data to any SCADA/IIoT platform over MQTT Sparkplug B by entering one broker address. And LineKeeper Hub — our plant-wide SCADA-lite, in development — will pick up every LineKeeper on the network automatically.
- Remote access toggled from the screen — no IT skills needed
- MQTT Sparkplug B: NBIRTH/NDATA/NDEATH, off by default
- Multiple machine profiles on one device
On-device AI analytics
A built-in analytics engine watches the recorded data for real problems — drift toward alarm limits, abnormal cycling, stalled counters, creeping cycle times — and an optional local AI turns the findings into a plain-language daily health report. Everything runs on the device: no cloud, no subscription, your data never leaves the plant.
- Daily report with issues ranked by severity and likely causes
- Tracks whether yesterday's issues are resolved, persist or worsen
- Ask your own questions: "Is Motor_Speed trending down over 8 hours?"
One interface — on the 7″ screen and in any browser.
Actual screenshots of LineKeeper's interface. The same UI runs on the built-in touchscreen and opens from any computer, tablet or phone on the plant network. Click to zoom — or see every screen explained, tab by tab →
From box to running line in three steps
Plug it in
Power + Ethernet into the machine network. LineKeeper boots straight into its touchscreen interface. Wi‑Fi works too.
Connect to the PLC
Type the controller's IP address. LineKeeper discovers every tag automatically — values go live in seconds.
Run the line
Build the operator panel, pick tags to log, hand the operator a one-page guide. That's the whole rollout.
Have the dead panel's project file? Drop it in.
The free converter reads the vendor export and rebuilds it as a working LineKeeper screen — instead of you redrawing it button by button. Everything runs in your browser: the project file never leaves your computer.
FactoryTalk View ME/SE View Designer FactoryTalk Optix TIA Portal / WinCC Weintek Tag CSV
One box: screen, brains, storage.
Deliberately not a built-in panel. During an outage it stands next to the machine on its own; the rest of the time it can live anywhere on the plant network — dashboards, history and analytics don't care whether it's in the workshop or on an office shelf.
- 7″ capacitive touchscreen — same interface in any browser on the network
- Quad-core compute module, fanless and silent
- Gigabit Ethernet + Wi‑Fi on board
- No installation — power + Ethernet, stands wherever needed
- 128 GB SSD on board — up to 5 years of history stored locally
Plain-language specifications
Three ways plants use LineKeeper
The panel died on a Friday
A bottling line's HMI failed; the replacement quote said four weeks. LineKeeper showed the key tags and start/stop buttons within an hour of unboxing — the line ran until the new panel arrived.
The travelling engineer
A service engineer keeps one in the van. On site: plug in, see every tag, write setpoints, check I/O — without licensed engineering software on the laptop.
History without a SCADA project
A small plant wanted temperature trends and downtime stats for one machine. LineKeeper logged the tags and drew the dashboards — no server, no licenses, no integrator weeks.
Scenarios drawn from the product's design targets.
What fixing a dead panel actually costs
| LineKeeper | New HMI panel | SCADA system | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $1,290 one-time (founders' batch) | $1,500–$4,000 + programming | $5,000+ licenses + server |
| Time to running | First batch — early list open · 5-minute setup, no programming | 2–6 weeks lead time + panel project rebuild | Weeks of integration |
| Needs a programmer | No | Yes — panel project rebuild | Yes — ongoing |
| Data logging & trends | Included | Rarely | Included |
| Remote diagnostics | Included (Tailscale) | Extra hardware | Depends on vendor |
| Recurring fees | None | None | Support contracts |
| Grows with you | Yes — feeds any SCADA via MQTT Sparkplug B later | No | — |
What does waiting for a panel cost you?
Three numbers from your plant — no email required to see the result.
One device. One price.
Everything included.
Delivered ready to work: hardware, software, lifetime of the features above. Software updates install from the screen in one tap — and roll back automatically if anything goes wrong.
- Industrial touchscreen device, pre-configured
- Backup HMI + diagnostics + logging + dashboards
- Operator guide your staff can actually read
- One-tap software updates with auto-rollback
- 30-day money-back guarantee — if it doesn't work with your setup, return it
- Pay by card or company invoice — PO / NET-30 accepted
Fair questions
Is it safe to control the machine through this?
LineKeeper writes tags exactly like a normal HMI does — through the PLC, whose own safety program stays fully in charge. On connection loss it never forces or holds outputs; hold-to-run buttons release automatically. Every write is recorded in an audit log with the user role, time and value.
Which PLCs does it work with?
Today: Allen-Bradley ControlLogix and CompactLogix over EtherNet/IP, including UDTs, arrays, timers/counters and I/O modules. The communication core is modular — Modbus TCP and OPC UA drivers are on the roadmap and don't require replacing the device. The free phone app already covers all three protocols today — Allen-Bradley Logix, Siemens S7comm and Modbus TCP — including Find by action tag discovery on every one of them.
Do I need a programmer or an integrator?
No. If you can type an IP address, you can connect it. Building the operator panel is drag-and-drop. The included operator guide is written for line staff, not engineers.
Does it need internet or a cloud account?
No. Everything — live view, control panel, logging, dashboards — runs on the device itself. Internet is only needed for optional remote access and software updates.
Can it replace our HMI permanently?
It's designed as a bridge, not a full replacement: enough for the operator to keep the line running while the proper panel is repaired or replaced. Many customers keep it afterwards as a diagnostics and logging tool.
What happens when we grow into a real SCADA?
Flip one switch: LineKeeper publishes its data over MQTT Sparkplug B — the standard spoken by Ignition, AWS IoT and most modern platforms. The device becomes an edge node; nothing on it needs replacing.
What about updates and support?
Updates install from the settings screen in one tap. If a new version fails to start, the device automatically rolls back to the previous one. Remote support is possible via built-in, per-person revocable Tailscale access — only when you enable it.
When will I actually get it?
Honestly: we're a young company and the first production batch is being prepared right now. Joining the early list is free — you get a confirmation email immediately, and the moment units are available we contact you personally, in order of signup. If your line is down right now, say so in the form: line-down requests get the first units, and the remote triage call is free in the meantime.
How do I pay? Can our plant pay by invoice?
Nothing today — the early list asks for no payment details at all. Payment opens when the first batch ships: card or company invoice (purchase orders and NET-30 accepted). The founders' price ($1,290 instead of $1,490) is locked for everyone on the list.
What if it doesn't work with our setup?
Every unit comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Connect it, try it against your controller, and if it doesn't do the job, send it back for a full refund. Before shipping we also confirm your controller model, so surprises are rare.
Our line is down right now — can you help faster?
Tell us in the form that the line is down. Two things happen: you go to the very front of the list for the first available units, and we offer a free remote triage call — often the panel failure has a workaround (or a repairable cause) that gets you producing before any hardware arrives. Start with the 10-minute triage guide.
Start free today — the device ships in batches
The mobile app
Allen-Bradley, Siemens S7 and Modbus TCP on your iPhone or iPad — the 15-minute bridge when a panel dies, free while the beta runs.
Try the free beta onTestFlight See the app tour · Android closed betaThe device
The 7″ plug-in touchscreen — backup HMI, logging, dashboards and analytics, everything included, no subscriptions.
The early list below locks the founders' price ($1,290 instead of $1,490), takes no payment details, and puts you first in line — full pricing details.Want a unit from the first batch — or a free triage call right now? Leave your details; line-down requests get answered first.