Berlin-based IT company TillerStack is a globally active solution provider in the field of enterprise field service management. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience gained from major customer projects and innovative research projects, the company delivers forward-looking solutions to complex problems in the maintenance, servicing, commissioning and repair of technical assets.
Complete solutions from TillerStack reduce service times, decrease machine downtime and save travel costs. With a 100% guarantee of compliance with service level agreements, costs are reduced as a result.
The challenge
A constant challenge is providing situational support to the service technician or tradesperson at the point of work (POW), for example when working on a wind turbine, a production system or a signaling system.
Situational support means that the technician at the POW is able to respond proactively to sudden, unpredictable work situations and problems in order to reach a solution as quickly as possible without having to leave the work site to do so.
It must be taken into account that the service technician does his work with his hands. If he reaches for a smartphone or tablet to help him solve a problem, the work process is interrupted every time, which takes more time, is nerve-racking and can have a negative impact on the quality of the work.
However, if the service technician has the option of using data glasses for his work, his hands are free and he has various ways to receive and pass on POW-related information.
The solution
By using smart glasses for remote support, TillerStack has created a new, industry-independent solution to complement its existing portfolio. It offers the service technician at the POW two different types of support, including for solving unexpected problems.
On the one hand, the service technician can use voice control to call up and display additional information (knowledge items), such as explanatory videos or work plans, on the data glasses. In the background, the TillerStack Field Service Management solution ensures task-related, structured and intuitive access to these knowledge objects.
On the other hand, the service technician can extend his capabilities with an expert's know-how by launching TillerStack’s On-Site Remote Assist (OSRA) to talk to an expert. Here, too, the benefit is that the TillerStack platform automatically identifies the right expert available at that moment and establishes a seamless connection.
The expert who is called in gets an overview of the POW through the service technician’s smart glasses and, together with the service technician, provides him with targeted support. With the help of OSRA, the expert can also transfer his qualification, e.g., as an expert in electrical engineering, to the service technician on site and, for example, guide him through an acceptance or testing process in an audit-proof manner.
As part of the multi-year research project Handwerksgeselle 4.0, TillerStack had the opportunity to specifically evaluate the use of different smart glasses for the plumbing, heating and air conditioning industry. The Vuzix M400, Vuzix M4000 and the RealWear HMT-1 proved themselves and were rated as suitable for use.
The On-Site Remote Assist (OSRA) and the seamless integration of smart glasses into the hardware-independent TillerStack platform were significantly shaped by the innovative and forward-looking findings and results of the Handwerksgeselle 4.0 research project.
"Integrating smart glasses and smart glasses applications is a must for technical service. That's why reliable partners are important to us as a solution provider. Many thanks to VR Expert."
Thomas Schwab, Business & Innovation Manager at TillerStack
Want to discuss smart glasses for field service? Contact us.