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How do you provide fast and professional assistance in the event of complex system malfunctions in times like these, when contacts and travel are limited or are only possible with a great deal of time and effort? "Beam me up, Scotty!" would be the motto on Star Trek.
At the machine manufacturer Venjakob, the real-time support works up-to-date via an augmented reality solution.
Whoever operates a Venjakob machine should remain completely relaxed regarding machine availability, even in tense situations. This is why Venjakob relied on modern IT solutions in technical support at an early stage. For example, since 2002, the Remote Service has been used to remotely access the control system of the customer's machine. The latest achievement was finally presented to the public in spring 2019, at the Ligna trade show in Hanover: a dedicated AR-Service app.
The goal of the new augmented reality solution: When eliminating system malfunctions or providing additional assistance, the support provided by the service technician should function just as well as if he were on site. Language barriers or technical explanations by the system operator, such as those encountered during telephone support, no longer play a role with the AR-Service app. The company describes its "Digital Service" as follows: "By means of AR glasses, called Smart Glasses, a Smartphone or tablet, the service technician can follow the eyes of the system operator on site from a distance and guide him precisely.
Augmented reality is more than just a gimmick
How do Venjakob customers accept the AR-Service app? Christian Frenzel from the technical support: "The customers react positively to it because errors can be detected and processed faster. There were cautious reactions at first. But as soon as someone experiences how the app helps them, augmented reality is no longer dismissed as a gimmick".
Currently, the AR-Service app is not only used to correct system faults, but also to optimize process sequences or to provide assistance when the remote system cannot be accessed via the customer's PC. Venjakob is glad to have gained experience with this new technology. Due to the ongoing travel restrictions, the demand for the digital service is expected to increase rapidly.
