The company TECHNONICOL is transitioning to equipment monitoring in augmented reality
TECHNONICOL Corporation is a leading international manufacturer of reliable and efficient building materials and systems. The company offers the market the latest technologies, combining developments from its own research centers and advanced global experience.
In 2023, TECHNONICOL launched a digital solution for industrial equipment inspection based on the domestic software platform IKSAR in combination with industrial-grade augmented reality glasses.
The implementation of equipment monitoring in augmented reality began at the "TECHNO Factory" in the "Mineral Insulation" division.
Production employees regularly perform visual inspections of the production lines and equipment. The list of verification technological operations includes a wide range of control measurements and operations. An employee physically moves around the production area and must carry out checks in strict accordance with the regulations.
Timely and accurate inspections allow for the necessary preventive and technical operations to ensure the uninterrupted operation of production lines and the release of finished products. Unplanned production stoppages due to the failure of individual components and units can lead to significant financial losses.
The innovation leaders within the company suggested to TECHNONICOL’s management to consider the possibility of using modern digital solutions to ensure the efficiency of the regulatory visual equipment inspection process.
Following the results of pilot testing, the IKSAR platform in combination with industrial-grade augmented reality glasses proved itself as a reliable and innovative solution that meets the high requirements of modern production.
In a short period of time, a joint team of the "TECHNO Factory" and the IKSAR product completed the project to implement the digital equipment inspection system.
Now, production employees conduct inspections while wearing monocular AR glasses following the IKSAR regulations, and specialised experts monitor the process in real-time.
The AR glasses display step-by-step graphical and text information about the required actions on specific equipment. After the visual inspection, the employee captures photos and videos of the current equipment condition. In case of non-compliance with planned specifications, an incident is recorded, which is immediately available to repair services for response strategy and resolution.
The completion of the inspection is accompanied by the creation of a detailed digital trail of all operations, including completed checklists and inspection parameters. The inspection report is automatically sent to the service manager.
The analytical module of the IKSAR platform provides detailed information from various perspectives, including people, equipment, time periods, incidents, and other relevant parameters for making management decisions.
IKSAR includes a video conferencing module and, in addition to the usual video conferencing functions, offers unique capabilities for connecting employees wearing AR glasses in group communication mode. This allows geographically distant participants to see the current state of equipment from a first-person perspective and provide on-site workers with advice on the necessary tasks for diagnostics and troubleshooting.
Remote experts, in a video conferencing mode, overlay graphical indicators in augmented reality on the live video stream, highlighting the necessary areas for the employee wearing AR glasses to take action according to their recommendations.
Such interactive interaction not only helps to address the problem here and now but also builds a knowledge base for the future, enabling the analysis of video recordings of troubleshooting for specific types of equipment. This knowledge base can be helpful for training and skill improvement of employees, as well as for handling warranty claims within the framework of warranty service.
TECHNONICOL Corporation is formulating a development plan for the created solution, including connecting the remaining four plants in the "Mineral Insulation" division to the digital ToIR system and using IKSAR for other types of "field" employees and production