In many factories, productivity depends on more than machine uptime alone. It also comes down to how accurately losses are identified and assigned to the right causes. OEE provides a shared metric for measuring production performance and making improvements visible and manageable across operations. Its real value emerges when quality and process data are connected end to end. AI-powered analytics complement sensor data and MES systems, detect patterns earlier, and help teams pinpoint root causes faster. That turns OEE from a reporting metric into an active control lever on the shop floor.