Monitoring & metering
Pandemic triggers remote diagnostics tipping point
The adoption of ‘all-things remote’ has been amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the widespread use of remote assistance technologies. With manufacturing decision makers now focused on long term efficiency improvements, Nigel Flowers, UK managing director of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, examines how moulders are eliminating inefficient tasks and benefiting from intelligent diagnostic tools to monitor and troubleshoot machine assets remotely.
monitoring has for many been the hallmark of 2020 and 2021 so far. In the last 12 months, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s UK technical team - many also working remotely - resolved close to 400 individual issues and assisted 35 different moulding customers to maintain business continuity via its encrypted cellular 4G activeConnect tool. The ability to take live data from moulding
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machines and use this to inform operational decisions and make process improvements has induced greater trust and a change in mindset about remote access tools, claim experts. From subscription remote diagnostic services to more viable innovations like activeConnect which does not encroach on a company’s IT architecture and security firewall, manufacturers seek faster, slicker and more responsive remote troubleshooting solutions to improve operational efficiency summarises The Manufacturer and IBM in the recently published “2021 Digital Transformation Assessment report”.
AHeAD OF THe pANDemIC pIVOT As UK and Ireland moulders did their best to press through the COVID-19 crisis, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag customers hailed the company’s shrewd foresight to implement and retrofit activeConnect on nearly half of all machines in the UK and Ireland capable of supporting this clever piece of kit. “Throughout this unpredictable trading environment, remote diagnostics has been a golden ticket to maintain operational efficiency and save money, while adhering to health and safety guidance and ensuring machine assets are safeguarded,” notes Nigel Flowers. Applying the same principle deployed by computer helpdesks, activeConnect utilises industrial 4G mobile technology. Being based on cellular connectivity is a key feature of this innovative solution. For ease, cost efficiency and speed of implementation, one system is wired into each machine control panel.
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activeConnect enabled SDUK to remotely diagnose and resolve over 400 machinery issues in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic
Cybersecure, activeConnect helps to ensure the customer is in full control of their machine assets. Rather than being an ‘always on technology’, connection to the service management system is only established when the customer grants access.
90 per CeNT FIrST TIme FIx In Tyco’s case, identifying a loose sensor remotely to resolve an automatic tiebar pulling issue saved them a full day or more in lost production time. Equating to a saving of at least £650 in service costs alone compared to a site visit in addition to lost production costs. Instead the UK helpdesk logged in and observed the machine in operation. Technical nanager Nick Stockton recaps: “As
the team operated the machine we observed and spotted a sensor on the moving tie bar platen wasn’t reading. It had simply come loose. With a quick adjustment they removed the tiebar, changed the tool and were back in production within several hours. “Rather than trying to decipher the machine settings or error messages previously relayed over the telephone, our helpdesk team can now view the machine control panel live. In many instances, we can fault find, reset the machine and resolve an issue straightaway.” It takes an engineer approximately 15 seconds to connect to a machine, providing the customer has switched on the router access. Another critical feature of remote diagnostics
August 2021 Instrumentation Monthly
gility has been the name of the game during these unprecedented times. An uptick in interest for remote machine
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