How Ponsse, Caterpillar, and Volvo Construction Equipment made breakthroughs in their industries with AR
In#nbsp;the world of#nbsp;modern technology and innovation, industry breakthroughs have become a#nbsp;crucial key to#nbsp;successful competitiveness. Three industrial giants—Ponsse, Caterpillar, and Volvo Construction Equipment—revolutionised their sectors by#nbsp;embracing augmented reality (AR) technologies. They not only overcame the challenges they faced in#nbsp;sales, expert support, and production but also achieved significant improvements in#nbsp;efficiency, product quality, and training. Let’s explore how these companies leveraged the potential of#nbsp;AR to#nbsp;overcome obstacles and reach new heights.
Ponsse
Ponsse is#nbsp;a#nbsp;company based in#nbsp;Finland that operates in#nbsp;more than 40 countries. In#nbsp;2022 alone, the company’s net sales revenue reached €#nbsp;755.1 million.
In#nbsp;terms of#nbsp;sales, in#nbsp;addition to#nbsp;its own sales representatives, Ponsse relies on#nbsp;a#nbsp;vast network of#nbsp;partners. The company actively expands its product line, making it#nbsp;a#nbsp;top priority to#nbsp;equip its partners with the necessary technical knowledge to#nbsp;effectively communicate with customers. To#nbsp;solve the challenge of#nbsp;rapidly and effectively training personnel at#nbsp;dealer centers worldwide, Ponsse implemented#nbsp;AR technology into its processes.
Issue:
The need to#nbsp;provide a#nbsp;wide network of#nbsp;partners worldwide with knowledge about the technical aspects of#nbsp;the products to#nbsp;ensure successful interactions with customers.
Solution:
Implementation of#nbsp;an#nbsp;augmented reality platform to#nbsp;support and train sales department employees at#nbsp;all Ponsse dealer centers worldwide using smart devices such as#nbsp;tablets and smartphones. This technology enables sales representatives to#nbsp;access up-to-date materials about the equipment 24/7, including during customer negotiations.
Impact:
Acceleration of#nbsp;the training process for dealer center sales representatives.
The ability to#nbsp;quickly and conveniently share data about the equipment.
The ability to#nbsp;visually demonstrate equipment, individual components, interactive 3D content, images, and videos to#nbsp;present the product during meetings.
Increased customer interest and loyalty.
Caterpillar
Caterpillar is#nbsp;an#nbsp;American company, the world’s largest manufacturer of#nbsp;construction and mining equipment, natural gas engines for industrial applications, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives, among other products.
The company has been in#nbsp;existence for nearly 100 years, continuously growing and expanding production to#nbsp;provide users with a#nbsp;high-quality equipment experience. Today, it#nbsp;has over 480 branches in#nbsp;50 countries across five continents. With a#nbsp;wide network of#nbsp;dealers worldwide, Caterpillar aims to#nbsp;provide dealer center employees and partner networks with the necessary knowledge for equipment repairs and the ability to#nbsp;interact with remote experts in#nbsp;real-time. To#nbsp;achieve this goal, the company utilises augmented reality.
Issue:
The need to#nbsp;provide dealers with effective real-time expert support to#nbsp;improve service quality.
Solution:
Implementation of#nbsp;an#nbsp;augmented reality-based remote support platform for the construction and heavy industry, accessible to#nbsp;over 160 CAT dealers, users, and other individuals operating under the Cat brand worldwide. The platform enables remote connections with experts, sending necessary materials, ensuring precise execution by#nbsp;workers, and documenting the process for accountability, performance assessment, and knowledge retention.
Impact:
CAT dealer center employees and partner network staff can receive real-time expertise from the manufacturer, access schematics, repair manuals, and instructions, as#nbsp;well as#nbsp;receive live guidance directly from product experts.
Data on#nbsp;performed repair work is#nbsp;recorded in#nbsp;the Caterpillar cloud platform, which collects and summarises telematics data from machines and data from worksites across all equipment. The platform is#nbsp;accessible to#nbsp;all equipment users, numbering over 1.2 million people.
Volvo Construction Equipment
Volvo is#nbsp;a#nbsp;global manufacturer of#nbsp;trucks and industrial engines with more than 100,000 employees across production sites in#nbsp;18 countries.
Volvo creates high-quality, complex products with unique configurations. For example, each produced engine undergoes 40 checks and 200 quality control points that must be#nbsp;completed at#nbsp;stations in#nbsp;just eight minutes.
To#nbsp;optimise processes related to#nbsp;the development, creation, and quality control of#nbsp;new products, accelerate the training of#nbsp;new employees, and improve communication between performers at#nbsp;different production stages, augmented reality technology was implemented. The primary requirement for the platform was the ability to#nbsp;scale and integrate with applications and processes used within the company.