Audio and visual link to trouble shoot faults

Edited by the Manufacturingtalk editorial team Aug 1, 2003

Mechanical faults still account for 80% of faults in industry. The ASK Centre system gives the flexibility of conferring with experts "live", in a hands free manner, with audio and visual link.

Mechanical faults still account for 80% of faults in industry.

The ASK Centre system gives the flexibility of conferring with experts "live", in a hands free manner, with both an audio and visual link that allows * Cost of breakdowns to be significantly reduced through speedy problem solving.

* Significant "expert" travel time and cost reductions.

* Up-skilling front-end staff by supervising repair and spare parts replacement tasks by "live" audiovisual linkup.

* Instant "live" diagnosis of faults.

* Immediate access to company systems during fault repair.

The (r)ASK Centre Long Distance Service System reached the final of the Electrical Contractors of New Zealand - ECANZ Safepower Awards 2003.

We were commended for our innovation and foresight and were finalists in the Ideal/Krone Teledata Award - for excellence in communication and/or data transfer 1.

Introduction to the (r)ASK Centre system - essentially the (r)ASK Centre system is designed to provide support for someone installing, commissioning, maintaining or repairing equipment at a remote (even international) site.

The support is given in the form of an expert who can provide instruction and direct supervision for the performing operator at the front-end site.

This provides full coverage of electrical, electronic and mechanic faults.

1) The operator requires expert assistance - * Using the portable communication node, housed in a rugged transport box, the operator dials up the (r)ASK Centre expert for advice.

2) The link is audio and visual - * The expert can see what the operator is doing and two way audio communication is established.

3) The expert looks at the problem - * Not only telepresence and all the expert's knowledge but the ability to use all the company's systems information "live" to help in the efficient and effective completion of the task.

4) The task is then supervised - * It's so much easier when you can use many heads to solve a problem.

* It's as if the expert is there with you.

New Zealand Industry often has a long distance to go to serve their customers.

The engineering /automation industry is servicing NZ built plants worldwide.

With international competition, machine availability is required at a level of up to 99.98% and because of this maintenance becomes vital.

The remote position of NZ requires companies to go more than an "extra mile", this means often 12 and more hours flying.

The costs of travel and transport and the related operation losses very quickly mount up, thousands of dollars per hour are currently being spent.

About the development - top experts are becoming like jewels; rare.

To utilise their knowledge more efficiently, they should stay at the company site, be accessible at any time and be able to give instant support.

Knowing the costs of maintenance through their consultancy work in industry SchemNZ decided to address the problem through the use of advance technology.

It launched a project in conjunction with experts from Massey University to develop the (r)ASK Centre - the Audiovisually Supported Knowledge Centre.

Telepresence - is like Hollywood's tomorrow come today.

Wireless communication with both sound and picture, transmitted to and from someone "in the field" to and from an expert "back at base".

* It is like having the expert there with you at all times.

* The expert can see exactly what the operator does.

* You can immediately spot if the operator is having problems.

* Audio and visual data streams are separate so you do not loose contact at critical moments.

Seeing is believing - you don't even have to be there.

Let your expert handle problems across the other side of the world without leaving his seat.

* The expert is with you virtually.

What are the advantages? * Costs are reduced by keeping the expert at base.

* The expert is back at base with all the supporting knowledge to hand.

* The expert has audio and visual contact with the operation.

* The operator is in audio contact with the expert.

* Instructions are given by the expert and verified by the operator to speed up a repair.

Business case study - the following benefits case figures were calculated for a customer who was making 1 to 2 trips per month from New Zealand to Europe on business and who had internal to New Zealand maintenance contracts to support as well.

Our customer was involved in developing a unique machine which was being manufactured in Europe but designed in New Zealand.

During the manufacturing and development process many trips from New Zealand to Europe were undertaken to verify the prototype design performance at specific manufacturing stages.

There was no real need to be on site physically only virtually as the manufacturing stages were confirmed by the designer after viewing.

Travelling costs * Cost of airfare - NZ-Europe return $6,000.

* Accommodation (3 nights) $1,500.

Cost of lost time @ $150 / hour.

* Travel time of 48 hours (2 x 8 hour days) $2,400.

* Recovery time of 16 hours $2,400.

* Missed business opportunities/ support in NZ (8 hours) $1,200.

Cost of lost production @ $250 / hour.

* 36 hours for travelling time $9,000.

* 5 hours for maintenance operation $1,250.

Total Costs per trip to Europe $23,750.

The costs of operating the above support with an (r)ASK Centre would be: - Cost of lost production @ $250 / hour.