The Key Benefits AR Can Deliver and the Challenges of Implementation
Aug 28, 2019 • Features • Augmented Reality • future of field service • OverIT
Francesco Benvenuto, OverIT gives us his expert insight on AR in field service...
In the Era of Digital Transformation most businesses have begun to be acquainted with the tremendous potential of Augmented Reality (AR). As more enterprise-focused case studies are emerging proving the effectiveness of such technology, today companies are increasingly implementing AR as a strategic part of their technology stack. Enterprises are deploying Augmented, Mixed and Virtual Reality across a variety of sectors, including maintenance, repair, manufacturing, field service, and training.
Whether converting paper instructions into digital AR workflows or quickly enabling a remote technician to get the expert support needed through an AR-enabled live collaboration call, an AR solution always delivers unprecedented levels of knowledge sharing. AR products lead to improved workforce efficiency and safety, as well as reduced errors and equipment downtime. But with so many possible use cases, how can field service organizations easily get started? Field Service Managers are looking for gaining competitive advantages by deploying AR, MR and VR solutions to improve key service metrics, such as first-time fix rates, average repair time, SLAs compliance, and equipment downtime.
Field Service technicians and engineers frequently need to consult technical documents and manuals. Allowing them to visualize pertinent information hands-free during all phases of the work order debriefing is a key element leading to a huge increase in productivity.
The availability of digital and work-related information allows the user to have immediate access to the documentation needed to solve the problem, both reducing the time required to access it and increasing first-time fix rate.
Thanks to the ability to display Digital Twins and the related animations, the user can efficiently disassemble any assets. Error minimization - The availability of work instructions guiding the user step by step drastically reduces errors.
For industrial operators performing complex tasks with both hands, the need for a hands-free experience is paramount. Visualizing workflows supporting them in the execution prevents accidents resulting from unnecessary and potentially dangerous activities.
By viewing assets in 3D and configuring animations, enterprises are able to organize training sessions for employees in a safe environment. SPACE1 – Extended Field Solution goes beyond the conventional Field Service concept improving the efficiency of technicians by:
• Positively impacting recruitment, training, procedure documentation, knowledge management, resource allocation, and much more;
• Efficiently capturing and transferring service knowledge;
• Building and enhancing field operators’ knowledge and skills.
Although AR has proven benefits as well as an undiscussed potential across a wide variety of industries, there are still challenges to be addressed.
Despite successful application, hardware volatility characterizes the AR market as new hardware emerges. Partnering with a provider who follows a hardware agnostic approach will empower your company to immediately deploy AR applications on the devices currently used.
In order to make the most of the full potential of AR, lots of digital content is required. The ideal product has easy-to-author workflows accessing data and content from existing integrated systems, as well as easy-tonavigate instructions allowing the video guidance and/or the remote mentor assistance. It captures the metadata related to the workflow execution, such as the technician who performed a step, the time when the step was performed and its duration, making such information accessible for Analytics and for measuring the execution compliance.
Choosing an integrated platform which is flexible and easy to connect with existing systems, such as ERP and IoT, will allow you to quickly get up and running with AR applications to start reaping the benefits such technology can offer. In order to successfully implement this game-changing technology, companies should rely on providers showing already valuable use cases and customers in their portfolio. Moreover, an experienced AR partner will always provide customers with features that are always in step with the latest technological innovations, safeguarding their investments.
AR, MR, VR are here to stay. Such technologies bring information to life and enable users in remote locations to feel like they are interacting with experts on the scene, thus helping field service companies to drive improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.
OverIT is the pioneer of enterprise-class Augmented Reality, revolutionizing the way field service companies work and collaborate thanks to an integrated AR product providing more effective and efficient knowledge-sharing to conduct complex remote tasks, employee training, product and equipment assembly, maintenance and repair, field and customer support, and much more. Leading enterprises like Cobo Group, Nice, ABS, to name just a few are employing SPACE1 to quickly scale their use of AR
In the Era of Digital Transformation most businesses have begun to be acquainted with the tremendous potential of Augmented Reality (AR). As more enterprise-focused case studies are emerging proving the effectiveness of such technology, today companies are increasingly implementing AR as a strategic part of their technology stack. Enterprises are deploying Augmented, Mixed and Virtual Reality across a variety of sectors, including maintenance, repair, manufacturing, field service, and training.
Whether converting paper instructions into digital AR workflows or quickly enabling a remote technician to get the expert support needed through an AR-enabled live collaboration call, an AR solution always delivers unprecedented levels of knowledge sharing. AR products lead to improved workforce efficiency and safety, as well as reduced errors and equipment downtime. But with so many possible use cases, how can field service organizations easily get started? Field Service Managers are looking for gaining competitive advantages by deploying AR, MR and VR solutions to improve key service metrics, such as first-time fix rates, average repair time, SLAs compliance, and equipment downtime.
BENEFITS
The value of AR in the workplace is not just claimed, but proven thanks to longitudinal data coming from actual deployments. At OverIT, thanks to the SPACE1 Extended Field Solution, we have seen our customers increase productivity by as much as 43% and decrease their error rates by as much as 30%. Benefits can be seen in terms of:Knowledge Transfer
Experienced technicians with decades of institutional knowledge are reaching retirement age and many industries are coping with a lack of younger employees.The support of a remote expert through Virtual Collaboration can therefore facilitate and accelerate the process of transferring knowledge and know-how.
Increase in efficiency and productivity
Field Service technicians and engineers frequently need to consult technical documents and manuals. Allowing them to visualize pertinent information hands-free during all phases of the work order debriefing is a key element leading to a huge increase in productivity.
Increase in first-time fix
The availability of digital and work-related information allows the user to have immediate access to the documentation needed to solve the problem, both reducing the time required to access it and increasing first-time fix rate.
Lower disassembly time
Thanks to the ability to display Digital Twins and the related animations, the user can efficiently disassemble any assets. Error minimization - The availability of work instructions guiding the user step by step drastically reduces errors.
Accident prevention
For industrial operators performing complex tasks with both hands, the need for a hands-free experience is paramount. Visualizing workflows supporting them in the execution prevents accidents resulting from unnecessary and potentially dangerous activities. By viewing assets in 3D and configuring animations, enterprises are able to organize training sessions for employees in a safe environment. SPACE1 – Extended Field Solution goes beyond the conventional Field Service concept improving the efficiency of technicians by:
• Positively impacting recruitment, training, procedure documentation, knowledge management, resource allocation, and much more;
• Efficiently capturing and transferring service knowledge;
• Building and enhancing field operators’ knowledge and skills.
CHALLENGES
Although AR has proven benefits as well as an undiscussed potential across a wide variety of industries, there are still challenges to be addressed.
Hardware
Despite successful application, hardware volatility characterizes the AR market as new hardware emerges. Partnering with a provider who follows a hardware agnostic approach will empower your company to immediately deploy AR applications on the devices currently used.
Digital Content
In order to make the most of the full potential of AR, lots of digital content is required. The ideal product has easy-to-author workflows accessing data and content from existing integrated systems, as well as easy-tonavigate instructions allowing the video guidance and/or the remote mentor assistance. It captures the metadata related to the workflow execution, such as the technician who performed a step, the time when the step was performed and its duration, making such information accessible for Analytics and for measuring the execution compliance.
Integration
Choosing an integrated platform which is flexible and easy to connect with existing systems, such as ERP and IoT, will allow you to quickly get up and running with AR applications to start reaping the benefits such technology can offer. In order to successfully implement this game-changing technology, companies should rely on providers showing already valuable use cases and customers in their portfolio. Moreover, an experienced AR partner will always provide customers with features that are always in step with the latest technological innovations, safeguarding their investments.
THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE
AR, MR, VR are here to stay. Such technologies bring information to life and enable users in remote locations to feel like they are interacting with experts on the scene, thus helping field service companies to drive improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.
OverIT is the pioneer of enterprise-class Augmented Reality, revolutionizing the way field service companies work and collaborate thanks to an integrated AR product providing more effective and efficient knowledge-sharing to conduct complex remote tasks, employee training, product and equipment assembly, maintenance and repair, field and customer support, and much more. Leading enterprises like Cobo Group, Nice, ABS, to name just a few are employing SPACE1 to quickly scale their use of AR
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