DC floor. Conveyor equipment makers
and systems integrators are stepping up
efforts to provide hands-on assistance
with troubleshooting and maintenance
needs by turning to IIoT-powered apps
as well as emerging technologies such as
virtual reality (VR). Mitch Smith, vice
president of engineering for conveyor
manufacturer Hytrol, points to the company’s Hytrol Toolbox app that allows
technicians to access equipment information and maintenance instructions on
their mobile devices. The technician simply scans a serial number or 2-D (
two-dimensional) bar code on the equipment
in question to gain access to a host of
information, including frequently asked
questions and troubleshooting advice.
The company provides video instruction
in a similar way via its “Ask Hytrol” series
on You Tube.
“One of the challenges the industry
has—particularly material handling and
a lot of e-commerce facilities and par-
cel facilities—is that there is a lack of
trained and experienced conveyor main-
tenance technicians today,” Smith says.
“This leads us to integrate maintenance
solutions by employing more controls,
software, and other technologies.”
Similarly, Dematic uses a smartphone
app that allows technicians to stream live
video or audio from an Android or iOs
device. Called SiteView, the app enables
Dematic’s technical support team to see
what the conveyor maintenance tech-
nician sees while hearing the technician
describe the issue or ask a question.
Some companies are already using virtual reality tools for maintenance requirements, in the form of VR glasses and
headsets that deliver hands-on instruction, for instance. Hytrol is developing
its own Target Virtual Reality app that
allows technicians to use their mobile
device to hover over a piece of equipment,
generating troubleshooting questions and
step-by-step maintenance instructions on
the device. Smith says the Target VR app
will be released early in 2019.
“We’re even looking at ways we can
have online or video chat through this
app,” Smith says. “We’re trying to con-
nect the real world of what’s going on in
the field directly to the task at hand—and
if need be, connecting to a human
being at some point.”
Smith adds that the race is on
for conveyor solutions providers
to bring more and more predictive
maintenance capabilities to the table.
“It’s about keeping the system
running. It’s about keeping equip-
ment available for use,” he explains.
“At the end of the day, DCs are there
to provide a service to consumers.
It’s our job to make sure the con-
veyor is running and available at all
times. Being able to predict up front
if there’s a problem—that’s what
we’re all trying to do.”
