Digital Solutions Service Suite Strengthens Industry 4.0 Manufacturing

To meet the digitalization challenges of Industry 4.0, United Grinding Digital Solutions is said to enhance manufacturing productivity and production availability while easing process tasks. Built as a modular suite of services, the company presents its Digital Solutions to strengthen manufacturing's transformation to data-driven efficiency with featured solutions including remote service, service monitor, production monitor, customer cockpit and IT security.

According to United Grinding, Digital Solutions' remote service minimizes downtime with single-click access to prompt system-specific remote analysis and expert troubleshooting via a secure communication platform and certified VPN connection. In turn, this certified VPN connection integrates easily into a shop's existing IT infrastructure (LAN). With each service request, the system automatically transmits essential data, including machine condition, alarm and error log files, while a digital logbook documents every connection.

The service monitor feature maps the current state of machines and provides structured maintenance planning that reflects machine operating hours, along with online access to service documentation and order suggestions for wear and spare parts. A traffic-light system indicates when connected machines will need service and itemizes each machine's status information, as well as the tools, parts and instructions required for service. As shops complete procedures, the system documents ongoing service history.

United Grinding contend that its production monitor solution provides 24/7/365 access to status updates on all connected machines globally via a smartphone app. Machine information helps shops spot production backlogs, with full itemization of timings — cycles, auxiliary, malfunctions — and production quantities. If a failure occurs, shops can report it through a service request to Remote Service.

Customer cockpit centralizes management of machines, users, authorizations and software updates through a digital hub that links together and provides the basis for all aspects of the Digital Solutions service suite.

Finally, IT Security is added to assure that Digital Solutions functions directly and exclusively through a secure, encrypted connection between the shop facility and United Grinding, with timeouts to limit connection duration. For added security, each exchange begins only when the customer initiates it, so shops do not need to adjust their in-house security parameters or drop their firewalls to use the service.