An established supplier of compactors, round balers and transport equipment has deployed RealWear assisted reality wearables across its business and dealer network.
By utilising this technology, Orkel Group, a Norwegian heavy machinery manufacturer, aims to:
- Provide real-time customer and product support;
- Eliminate wait times for in-person visits;
- Reduce costly downtime delays for farmers.
It will use its initial purchase of 40 units for remote after-sales maintenance, remote servicing, and remote commissioning of all its heavy agricultural machinery products.
This technology will provide technical expertise guidance during commissioning, if necessary, where Orkel staff cannot travel to a site.
How do RealWear wearables work?
The technology that Orkel is using is RealWear’s HMT-1. This is a head-mounted, voice-controlled wearable, which provides the user with a microdisplay that fits below their line of sight and views like a 7” tablet.
The solution allows Orkel to connect its customers to its service technicians without the need for unnecessary travel.
As part of its after-sales support offering, each client in need of commissioning or a technical service receives a kit consisting of the HMT-1, a branded Orkel hardhat, and mounting clips.
The customer simply puts on the device, contacts the Orkel technician using voice commands.
After connecting, the technician can immediately see exactly what the customer sees through the head-mounted camera and easy to use software – VSight.
The technician then solves the issue. Once resolved, the client may then choose to purchase the RealWear device for their own use or return it to Orkel.
Faster level of support
Magnus Nordås Lervik, project engineer, Orkel, said:
“We really adore this technology because as a research and development engineer, I can watch the work being done.”
“I am quickly learning better ways to design future machinery. I have seen first-hand the common issues that arise, and how they are fixed.”
“Using this technology enables our research and development team to look ahead to how we might design products in the future from an operator’s perspective.”
“Our customers really appreciate the value of the system because we are able to provide a much faster level of support when an issue arises.”
“All too often, our service technicians would travel for what turned out to be a quick fix.”
“Now, with RealWear, many hours of time and CO2 emissions are saved, and most importantly, customers’ machines are operational again quickly, which is imperative during the harvest season.”
The solution solved several pain points for Orkel. For instance, typically, the company required its service technicians to make an in-person customer trip. This involves travel time and environmental costs.
A delay in fixing the equipment also can impact the customers’ businesses.
‘A game-changer
Jon Arnold, vice-president of EMEA, RealWear INC, added:
“Orkel and its customers are achieving several benefits since deploying RealWear’s technology with VSight and Microsoft Teams.”
“When looking at the agricultural industry as a whole, machine downtime impacts productivity and efficiency. This is especially the case in shorter and shorter harvest seasons.”
“Remote assistance with RealWear is becoming a game-changer for the farming and agriculture industry when every second matters,” Arnold concluded.
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