The connection of machines in industrial processes go right slowly. But more and more manufacturers are using the web to diagnose their products among customers.
Everything more gadgets connected to the network. The message we hear all the time. Even machines in industrial processes are now connected to the mobile network and the Internet. But the connection is slower than for consumer gadgets, vehicles and buildings.
– One reason could be that the efficiency of industrial processes already right way. Many have installed programmable logic controllers, plc, says Martin Glaumann, partner at Arthur D Little.
M2m is an abbreviation of the English term Machine-to-machine, which means that the machines communicate with each other without human intervention. IoT stands for internet of things, ie, devices that communicate over the network.
Martin Glaumann is the author of Connected Things , which describes the Nordic m2m market, and which was published last spring.
market for online industrial processes is still a small part of the total m2m market in the Nordic region. This segment accounts for only 3 percent. The largest is connected buildings followed by online consumer gadgets, and then it still does not mobiles and laptops included.
The annual growth rate for the entire Nordic m2m market is 30 percent by 2017., it is twice as fast as the rest of the world. But for industrial processes expected a slower pace in the future: an annual increase of 11 percent.
driving force to connect industrial processes is increased productivity and competitiveness, according to the report. The inhibitory activity is high integration costs and long life of existing machinery.
number of Swedish production plants connected to the machines via the mobile network and the Internet or to streamline production are not many.
Then it is easier to find examples of manufacturers in Sweden who use the web to look after diagnosis , maintenance and service of its products among customers.
ABB’s service robots, as described on the previous pages, is only an example. Siemens in Finspong has a similar setup. Thanks to sensors in the gas turbines, Siemens can offer its worldwide customers various maintenance services through online.
Even Esab is currently in the process of launch a pilot project for remote maintenance of their welds.
Extremely complicated medical equipment also checked up on the Internet. The medical technology company Elekta’s advanced linear accelerator for cancer treatment has as 2 000 alarm points, which are used to help customers with remote analysis, updating software and service planning.
The major machine manufacturers will thus distance service as a chance for new revenue and an argument for being able to sell more of their products.
– A good example of proactive maintenance, which allows for new business models, says Martin Glaumann.
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