Many facilities are purchasing automated production equipment from many manufacturers. Sometimes a PLC is used or a custom controller. These systems usually have remote communication possibilities either via serial port or a network connection. Many automated data collection opportunities are lost due to lack of time to develop an application or lack of expertise within the facility. Information potential includes process, quality and SPC data, production quantities and rates. Many software packages allow the automatic collection of this data which can inexpensively be placed on a computer network for analysis or summary by engineers or data analysts. Automating data collection this way improves data accuracy and can pinpoint problems before they affect product deliveries. Integration is also the connection to shop floor scheduling and process setup (recipes). If these exist in MRP 2 systems, the schedules can be extracted and displayed at operator workstations. Usually recipe storage and selection is done at the machine. Additional product specifications may be downloaded with the production schedule to assure that the operator has complete information on running the product. This information is generally stored in a PC network server using a database package such as Oracle or SQL Server.