Development of a holistic
approach to machine maintenance
GROB-WERKE GmbH & Co. KG -
FactoryChat & FactoryDashboard
GROB-WERKE GmbH & Co. KG is a globally operating family business and manufactures machining centers and assembly equipment as well as interlinking systems for production and assembly lines. The company specializes in the planning and construction of complete production systems for the automotive industry and its suppliers worldwide. The systems and machines are also used in the aerospace and medical sectors as well as in tool and mold making.
As a global player with production sites in Germany, Brazil, China, Italy and the USA, a smooth, efficient and reliable process in the plants is an essential prerequisite for standing out from the competition. With the GROB-NET4Industry platform, GROB offers modularly developed web applications that enable production processes to be networked and digitalized across plants to make manufacturing even more efficient.
Until now, despite digitalization, there was still a need for an application to further network systems and employees. If a specific error is reported in the machine portal, workers must have the relevant specialist knowledge or consult the corresponding documentation in order to rectify it. This costs unnecessary time or requires additional resources. In order to improve this situation, a solution for the clear visualization and documentation of recorded data should be implemented. In addition, the operator should also have access to GROB maintenance knowledge across all plants, be able to enrich the knowledge database himself and thus be able to quickly rectify the problem that has occurred, if possible independently (autonomous maintenance), in order to reduce downtimes.
FactoryChat
powered by ASM
The challenge was to visualize technical faults (machine data) clearly and to document incidents / events (machine processes) sustainably in a timeline. Employees needed to be able to record and manage tried-and-tested solutions and information easily, quickly and across all plants. This creates a digital handbook with incidents and the most efficient solution in each case. This interface was created with the FactoryChat troubleshooting database.
FactoryDashboard –
GROB Instandhaltungsleitstand
Based on this, the FactoryDashboard for machine monitoring and maintenance was implemented in close cooperation with GROB's own production department and selected customers. It creates a maintenance-optimized view of all important information contained in the FactoryChat database. The maintenance technician receives an overview of all machines in an exceptional state, i.e. in the event of a fault lasting longer than x minutes, and the corresponding error messages, instead of having to compile them himself from various sources. Filtered solution proposals are offered from the fault solution database in order to efficiently rectify the problem in the long term, prevent further malfunctions and/or initiate maintenance. This saves time and makes all further processes much easier.
"With FactoryChat and FactoryDashboard, we are closing the last gaps between the plant operator, the problem and the solution. A wide range of use cases can be covered and the system is also freely configurable. We have made the right choice with our partner elunic. The collaboration is everything you could wish for - open, goal-orientated and always at the highest technical level. This results in solutions that generate added value"
Emil Nigl
Solution concept
The applications developed enable a holistic approach to machine maintenance. FactoryChat serves as a digital, interactive and flexible manual that is written with the help of employees and machines. The information contained is then bundled in the FactoryDashboard and the maintenance specialist receives a live overview of the current status and possible action points.
The applications are currently in the beta phase at GROB. If you are interested in a presentation and participation, you can register using the following form:
Further references
More about the reference project.
