Maintenance Technology August 2015 - (Page 40)

CONNECTED SOLUTIONS Get to the Point: Solve Your Problems WHAT IMPACT DOES maintenance and operational inefficiency have on your organization? Consider the problems reflected by the following situations: ■ Maintenance personnel frequently must leave work areas to obtain technical documents, schematics, or vendor contact information. How much does this cost in terms of time, dollars, and lost opportunities? ■ Personnel can't access live process data or trends at the equipment they are testing or troubleshooting. Instead, they must call the controlroom operator for help, or station another person in front of a remote HMI panel to get the required information. How inefficient is this scenario? ■ A crucial production line goes down, and the support engineer is offsite. Hard as a supervisor tries, the problem can't be adequately described and/or effectively communicated by phone or email. How much downtime can you afford? For more information on the full VIP Services product and service portfolio from WunderlichMalec Engineering, visit wmvipservices.com. 40 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY QR-code system that provides critical information at the point of interest shortens delays that slow maintenance operations. The list goes on and on. Fortunately, so does the search for solutions. If the explosive growth of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is any indication, technology providers are listening intently to end-users across all industry sectors and working feverishly to help solve problems such as those listed here. Countless smart, "connected," break-through solutions and strategies seem to hit the market every month and, according to industry analysts and observers, even more are on the way. The right information in the right hands at the right time One recently introduced solution resulting from a supplier having paid close attention to its customers' wish lists is the VIP Services portfolio from engineering leader Wunderlich-Malec (Minnetonka, MN). Incorporating an acronym for "Virtual Information Portal" in its name, VIP Services offers an array of capabilities that get to the point in more ways than one. Designed specifically to improve efficiency and productivity, VIP Services is based on a Point of Interest (POI) concept. A POI is anything in a plant or process, real or abstract, that can be characterized by data. Examples include motors, pumps, production-line output, work cells, and warehouse activity. Preconfigured POIs can contain OPC or ODBC data, technical documents, email addresses, phone numbers, links to intranet data entry, or reporting systems. A POI generates a unique QR code that can be mounted on or near the equipment system or process it represents. A VIP Services Client app on a user's tablet scans the QR codes gener- QR-code-based point-of-information technology delivers important information at the time of need, reducing maintenance delays. ated by the configuration utility and opens on-the-spot access to live process data for the selected equipment. This includes displays of multiple POIs and associated process data, charts, graphs, and relevant documentation, including what can often be cumbersome schematics, parts lists, and manuals. Users can directly enter work orders or trouble reports into their local intranet systems right at the equipment or process site. In addition to recognizing equipment and processes on the plant floor and immediately displaying desired information on the user's tablet, VIP Services includes tools for improving communications with remote personnel regarding process issues. The point of it all is quicker, more accurate problem identification and resolution than is possible with more conventional means. -Jane Alexander, Managing Editor AUGUST 2015 http://www.wmvipservices.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Maintenance Technology August 2015

My Take
Uptime
For On The Floor
Industry News
Ultrasound: Aural Intelligence
Excellence in Action
Cool Advice on Hot Motors
Step Up to Greater Electrical Awareness
Keep Hydraulic Fluids Contamination Free
Five Steps to Workplace Desirability
Put a Good Base Under Your Pumps
QR-Code POI System for Quick Problem Solving
Products
Marketplace
Contrarian View
Ad Index

Maintenance Technology August 2015