- Job: Program Leader, Connectivity, Power Technique Service
- Specialist Subject: Digital Twin technology
Five years ago, Jeremy was working at another company with a different focus, but he felt drawn to the idea that machines could communicate with each other to solve problems that humans might not spot.
“One of the things that led me to switch positions was the impact of the data itself,” he says.
“Everything is becoming more and more data driven. We can collect and analyze data and effectively create intelligence. I knew little about the Internet of Things, but I saw the vacancy at Atlas Copco Group and applied.”
Machines that live in the cloud
Jeremy is now responsible for managing Atlas Copco Power Techniques’ 30 000-strong network of digital assets – machines that live in the cloud but are exact replicas of real compressors, generators and pumps. Millions of data points flow from the physical machines to the digital twins every second, enabling engineers to monitor the equipment as if they were in the same room. This is transforming our ability to anticipate maintenance interventions and foreseeing possible problems.
“From a distance, we are now able to monitor a machine as if we are standing next to it,” Jeremy says.
Easy-to-manage and actionable data
Jeremy visualizes incoming data via a fleet management portal called Fleet Link. The FleetLink connection hardware is built into and connected to the controller of the latest machines. The hardware, known as a SmartBox or CoreBox, retrieves data from the equipment and sends it directly to the dashboard, where it is converted into actionable data that is easy to process and manage.
It is not just the engineers that use the data. All relevant information is fed back to our sales teams, enabling them to provide tailored product suggestions, which results in better customer satisfaction in the long run.
“When we’re talking with customers about new equipment, we can look back at their old utilization data,” Jeremy says.
“We can then say, ‘the product that you would like to purchase is probably not the right one, we would recommend to buy this type of machine rather than the other one, because it's more suited to your application.’”
But it does not stop there. The Fleet Link technology is enabling the team to see new patterns all the time, effectively making it possible to see further into the future.
