Another user is Ficep, which makes,
sells and maintains metalcutting and
fabrication equipment across the UK and
Scandinavia (pictured, top left). Richard
Clark, UK service manager at Ficep UK,
says: “It used to take two or three weeks
to get a quote out to a customer; now
we achieve that within 24 hours. It’s the
same for invoices and with electronic
sign-offs from customers on-site; we
can invoice almost immediately. As a
result there has been a much better and
quicker conversion rate of quote to order,
and queries on invoices have virtually
disappeared.
“The tablets have really revolutionised
the way we work, giving engineers instant
access to the information they need. We
now have service sheets customised for
each machine that identify the correct
parts and even give the engineer a
complete history of previous service
work and parts used. It really helps them
do a good job every time and helps
ensure machine downtime is minimised.
Customers have been markedly
impressed with the system and the
information it provides.”
ONE OUT OF MANY
Of course, these are not the only system
available to industry. A simple browse
online produces results for a range of
companies offering their own mobile
workforce management software.
Examples include Vodafone (www.is.gd/
xekalo), Totalmobile (www.is.gd/kujose)
and Oneserve (www.is.gd/axajax).
Earlier this year, ABB also launched
ABB Ability Augmented Field Procedures
(pictured, main image and above), a
technology aimed at digitalising the
field operator experience and improving
interaction between field and control
room operations.
The solution is designed to allow
workers to work anywhere and manage
the system on their own. According to
ABB, the technology empowers seamless
integration between the field and the
MRO – MOBILE WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
plant distributed control system, offering
improved safety, reducing the risk for
human error and making field operations
more efficient.
It adds that the solution enables
consistency when executing manual
procedures, standardising operating
procedures and maintenance or repair
techniques in the field, tightening the
integration between field operations and
the control room, and digitally recording
notes to ensure operational knowledge
is captured and utilised. Among the
many features available to field workers
are step-by-step instructions, picture
and signature capture, supporting
information and augmented reality
hands-free help. Office users, meanwhile,
have the ability to configure workflows
and dispatch jobs, among other options
(www.is.gd/ubirah). A short video on the
system is also available via
www.is.gd/anulaq.
Chris Naunheimer, digital lead for
energy industries at ABB, explains:
“Human error continues to be a
significant contributing factor to safety
issues, as well as production downtime.
Engineers spend considerable time using
and interpreting data. With this solution,
we intend to address these challenges
and truly transform the future of work.
“ABB worked with customers to
develop a solution aimed at making
operational site procedures more
consistent, data-driven and digitally-led.
Our solution ensures these procedures
are in place for field workers performing
tasks when and where they need them.
This increases safety and operational
efficiency and leads to operational
expenditure savings for customers.”
AGArit Stainltg d oopuebrlaetso r productivity
Winter maintenance company AA Salt
has doubled the productivity of its gritting
operators following the introduction of
JobWatch mobile workforce system from
BigChange.
AA Salt clears and grits private roads and
estates, such as car parks at retail sites, universities and industrial estates. Jobs are
scheduled in BigChange and allocated with jobs sent directly to the gritting operators’
tablets. The firm has also mapped and geo-fenced each site, and using the JobWatch
app, operators can see job specifications and notify of any issues with time and
location referenced photographs on location.
The productivity gains are said to have come from improved routing and job
scheduling and greater efficiency through the elimination of paperwork. As part of
the system, its fleet is also fitted with GPS tracking so gritting operations can be
monitored 24/7.
“As demand for our gritting service increased, we knew we had to automate more.
When the Beast from the East hit the country in 2019 we had just started using
BigChange. Without the system we would never have coped with the demand and
BigChange has basically allowed us to double our business,” says Ben Tanner, sales and
operations director at AA Salt. “Through work optimisation and digital reporting, we
reckon we are saving five minutes per job and reducing driving time by a total of four
hours each night. From just 100 jobs a night we can now do up to 450.”
Autumn 2020 www.operationsengineer.org.uk 77
/kujose)
/axajax)
/ubirah)
/anulaq
/www.operationsengineer.org.uk
/xekalo