REMOTE DIAGNOSTICS ADOPTING ‘ALL THINGS REMOTE’
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 is expediating the identification and ordering of defective parts. This has increased our first time fix rates to more than 90 percent, said Flowers. In the case of a screw calibration fault observed on an IntElect machine at Omega Plastics, a quote for replacement IPM modules was immediately issued, authorised and an engineer pre- booked to fit and set the machine up the next day, saving Omega £473. During remote access, Sumitomo (SHI)
Demag helpdesk service engineers can switch between screens. This enables support staff to very quickly identify the problem and decide how best to resolve it. Flowers said: “By identifying the defective
Nigel Flowers, UK managing director of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag examines how moulders can benefit from intelligent diagnostic tools which monitor machine assets remotely
T
he adoption of ‘all-things remote’ has been amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the widespread
use of remote assistance technologies. Agility has been the name of the game during these unprecedented times, and an uptick in interest for remote machine monitoring has for many been the hallmark of 2020. 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
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 doesn’t 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.1 As UK and Ireland moulders did their best to
press through the COVID-19 crisis, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag implemented and retrofitted
46 JUNE 2021 | PROCESS & CONTROL
activeConnect on nearly half of all machines in the UK and Ireland capable of supporting this clever piece of kit. 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. 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. 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 Manager Nick Stockton said: “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
part using activeConnect, our support team can order the part, arrange delivery, and schedule an engineer to attend the customer site when the part is scheduled to arrive. The result; significantly less downtime for customers and consequently an increase on OEE.” Because activeConnect is wired into each
control panel, the helpdesk can also be granted permission to undertake remedial work and recalibrate settings. This feature was especially helpful for
specialist cap manufacturer Guala Closures when an HMI touchscreen was unresponsive. Rather than booking a next day engineer visit, the helpdesk rebooted the touchscreen calibration remotely, enabling the Guala team to then calibrate the settings. Within minutes of the call, the machine was fully operational again. Saving Guala £430 for an engineer to visit and fix, and potentially thousands in lost production income. For a mass manufacturer of precision
components, keeping the factory doors open and machinery fully operational has been critical to maintaining supply chains, noted the authors of the 2021 Digital Transformation Assessment report. A remarkable 92% of manufacturing leaders participating in the survey cited improving operational efficiency as the most significant imperative. Flowers added: “In 2021, every decision will
inevitably be driven by cost and a new term coined ‘Digital Lean’. To complement this service, the Sumitomo
(SHI) Demag Group will soon unveil a web- based support application offering real time diagnostics, digitalised support documentation, an interactive parts catalogue and more.
https://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/two-in- three-manufacturers-say-covid-19-has-accelerated -their-digital-transformation/
1
Sumitomo (SHI) Demag
uk.sumitomo-shi-demag.eu
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