Avoid equipment downtime

Maximizing equipment availability is a consistent goal in the manufacturing industry. Machine manufacturers can support this with digital tools. Also based on machine and condition monitoring, all relevant process parameters are available and can be presented in a user-friendly manner. Algorithms built on this data can accordingly detect wear on machine parts or tools and operational anomalies at an early stage. Hence, you can proactively plan the necessary maintenance. This approach is generally called predictive maintenance.

The result is consistent production and overall improved Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) without interruptions.

Service without travel costs

Through remote maintenance, manufacturers can significantly reduce their service travel costs. Instead of sending technicians to the customer for every diagnosis, the fault analysis is performed remotely. Less travel means lower expenses, reduced downtime for the customer, and a smaller service-related CO₂ footprint. Remote diagnosis and repair also drastically shorten response times. Service technicians can access the machine within minutes. You can often resolve issues while the machine is still running, or identify the exact spare parts required in advance.

The customer benefits from minimal downtime and prompt solutions.

Retrofit 4.0 – Digitally retrofit old machines

By retrofitting sensors, controllers, likewise edge devices, existing machines and equipments can be integrated into the world of Industry 4.0. For this reason companies do not need to purchase all new equipment — a retrofit brings many older systems up to date in terms of data connectivity. This also enables the optimizations and measures familiar from new equipment. Connectors play a central role in this process.

With Retrofit 4.0, even existing factories (brownfield sites) can take advantage of digitalization without interrupting ongoing operations. This allows manufacturers to help their customers modernize their installed base and remain competitive.

Avoid spare parts chaos at the end of the lifecycle

A digital lifecycle management system keeps track of the status of all machines and their installed components. If a supplier discontinues a component, the manufacturer notifies the operator early, allowing them to plan appropriate stocking. With fter, you will avoid unplanned machine downtime caused by missing spare parts.

Proactive obsolescence management makes the selection of spare parts transparent and secure. This provides the operator with higher operational reliability and drastically reduces repair times.

Global software roll-out

With centrally controlled software distribution, machines worldwide can be brought to the latest or desired software version simultaneously — without on-site intervention. New features, optimizations, or security-relevant improvements are simply deployed “over-the-air.” Instead of updating each machine manually, which can take weeks and involves many risks, manufacturers can ensure a globally uniform version within hours.

This also provides traceability of which machine has which software version, fulfilling compliance requirements. With fter software, you minimize on-site interventions, reduce the required resources, and implement agile improvement cycles with minimal effort Additionally, manufacturers can respond more quickly to operator feedback.

Complete documentation of machines

A digital machine record documents the entire lifecycle of a machine or plant — from commissioning to end-of-life — without gaps. All maintenance, repairs, modifications, or malfunctions are recorded centrally, making all information readily available at any time. Knowledge is not confined to individual minds but is made transparent and permanently secured. Recurring problems (“We’ve had this issue before…”) can be quickly identified and sustainably resolved.

New employees at the manufacturer or operator benefit from the machine’s knowledge database and can get up to speed faster. Accordingly a well-maintained digital machine record also enhances legal security, as it demonstrates that the operator is fulfilling their due diligence obligations.

Compliance at a click: CE reporting 4.0

The machine record can also be supplemented with CE-relevant information. Modern CE software solutions make it possible to automatically generate complete declarations of conformity and technical documentation. Also instead of manually searching through dozens of documents, the system creates a uniform, formatted final document from stored data (i.e. risk assessments, standards lists, test protocols). The standards-compliant documentation of the development is added to and maintained within the machine record.

This saves significant time and reduces errors. CE reporting 4.0 means: maintain the data once, and then automatically generate reports as often as needed — whether for the machine itself, an installation declaration for subsystems, or country-specific certifications.