top of page
Daryl Miller

How To Create an Industrial IoT Dashboard: A Step-by-Step Guide



In this article, we will walk you through the steps of setting up an industrial IoT dashboard. By the end, you'll know how to collect and visualize data from your connected devices in a way that helps you make better decisions and improve your business performance. Let's get started!

We will be using Machinechat JEDI Pro for this project. Machinechat JEDI Pro is a powerful tool that allows you to collect, visualize and monitor data from your connected devices. It offers a variety of features that make it an ideal solution for businesses of all sizes. With Machinechat JEDI Pro, you can easily create web-based HMI or industrial IoT dashboards that help you make better decisions and improve your business performance.

Step 1: Download and run Machinechat JEDI Pro

JEDI Pro is available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi OS and BeagleBone Debian. This article uses JEDI Pro running on Microsoft Windows to illustrate the procedure:


1. Download JEDI Pro and unzip the archive for mcjedi.exe

2. Open a command prompt window as Administrator

3. Navigate to the directory where mcjedi.exe was placed

4. Run mcjedi.exe

5. Open a web browser on the PC and browse to 127.0.0.1:9123

6. Enter the license key. Then answer three challenge questions (required to reset your password)


That’s it, you are ready to go! If you want JEDI to start up every time the machine is booted, it can be setup as a service – instructions are on our support site.

Step 2: Receiving data from sensors

JEDI Pro can receive machine and sensor data from local ports (serial, USB, i2c, SPI…) or from wired and wireless networks over protocols including TCP CSV, HTTP or MQTT. You can also create custom data collectors using any scripting or programming language.


What if you do not yet have hardware components? Built-in virtual sensors allow you to simulate sensors using data from a spreadsheet! Regardless of the source, incoming operational data can be visualized using dashboards and monitored using rules. You can use rules to trigger notifications or custom actions.

Step 3: Creating an Industrial IoT Dashboard or an HMI

JEDI Pro includes a dashboard editor that allows you to import a custom image and overlay data widgets such as dials, gauges, tiles, and text. For example, you can import a floorplan image or a schematic of a HVAC system.

To create your own system dashboard within JEDI Pro:


1. Navigate to Settings -> Dashboard Manager -> Add Dashboard. Name and add a system dashboard

2. Navigate to Dashboards -> (name of your new dashboard)

3. Select Background. Chose an image file for the background

4. Now select Text, Tile, Number, Liquid, or Gauge widgets to add dynamic content to your system dashboard


Here’s how you do it:



As you create new widgets, all the incoming data sources will be listed automatically for you to chose from. Widgets can be scaled and placed anywhere on the background image. JEDI Pro allows you to create up to four unique system dashboards.


You can also create up to four data dashboards. These are useful for displaying sensor data by type, location, or some other logical grouping that a user may need. For example, you might want to show all the temperature sensors as a dynamic table or group of tile widgets.


Data dashboard example:


JEDI Pro includes a device dashboard that shows EVERY data source that is sending data to the software, on one screen. It includes the last time the data was updated and can optionally display the last known value. Here’s an example:

If you're looking for the quickest and easiest way to create web-based HMI or industrial IoT dashboards, then JEDI Pro is the right solution for you. Thanks for reading!


637 views

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page