36 AdvancedManufacturing.org | September 2015

Cloud-Based Field Service Apps Cut Downtime

Manufacturing Engineering: How important is the soft-

ware element in handling field service operations for discrete

manufacturers?

Mike Pandl: Field service software plays an increasingly

important role for discrete manufacturers and their custom-

ers, particularly for those whose products, equipment or

machinery are mission-critical. Because field service sys-

tems are the central mechanism by which customer service

interaction takes place, including calls and other com-

munications, schedules, work history, customer, product

and personnel data, their importance can’t be overstated.

Whether it’s medical, construction or any other type of

capital equipment, repairs requiring downtime come at a

high cost for customers and manufacturers. Further, leading

manufacturers are innovating with servitization—incorporat-

ing service as a central component of their product offer-

ing—an approach which amplifies the importance of service

performance and visibility.

Also common are scenarios where a manufacturer’s field

services are delivered through a dealer network. In these

cases, software can help manufacturers and their dealers

collaborate to deliver a consistent, high-quality customer

experience that brings mutual benefit.

ME: Your company recently released a new cloud-based

application, Service Pro for NetSuite ERP. Describe this new

MSI app. What does it offer manufacturing and distributors?

Pandl: Service Pro for NetSuite is a new ‘Built for Net-

Suite’ SuiteApp that offers manufacturers and distributors

servicing equipment and machinery assets with a complete,

integrated cloud suite for managing their field service work,

including repair, preventive maintenance, installations and

inspections. Manufacturers and distributors place a high

importance on connectedness between their field service

and ERP systems, and MSI has responded to this need by

building integrations with industry-leading ERP providers,

including NetSuite and Sage.

For distributors, the Service Pro for NetSuite partnership

gives them a robust system before and after a product sale.

NetSuite for Distributors helps them manage the sale, while

Service Pro’s field service management integration handles

the post-sale field service and support aspects, so distribu-

tors can benefit from long-term customer engagement

throughout the life of their product.

ME: How critical is using cloud-based applications for

field service management?

Pandl: For service organizations performing work in the

field, the cloud’s importance has increased dramatically

as a connective element for each of the rapidly-advancing

technologies that surround a field service operation. Today, a

field service management system needs to be able to com-

municate automatically with a variety of external technologies

such as apps on mobile devices in the hands of technicians,

vehicles for GPS location and third-party business systems

such as ERP systems for important integrations. Cloud-

based systems greatly simplify these efforts.

ME: What manufacturing companies are best at imple-

menting such service apps, and how can this technology

boost productivity and extend machinery life?

sSoftware update

Mike PandlVice President, Marketing

MSI Data Mequon, WI

www.msidata.com

news about digital manufacturing tools and software

“Today, a field service system needs to communicate automatically with external technologies such as apps on mobile devices in the hands of technicians,

vehicles for GPS location, and business systems such as ERP systems.”

38 AdvancedManufacturing.org | September 2015

Pandl: The companies that are best at implementing and

using service apps have strong teams with both a vision for im-

proving the customer’s service experience, and the organization-

al commitment to lead internal service transformation initiatives.

These companies know that major gains in productivity

and machinery life are available through ‘connected’ field

service systems. The first and most important connec-

tion manufacturers are tackling is a centralized field service

system that’s always connected to the

field—continuously communicating with

field technicians the information they

need to complete their work, whether

it’s repair, inspection, preventive mainte-

nance or installation, on the first visit.

The second main need manufactur-

ers have is a tight integration between

their primary system of record—typical-

ly their ERP system—and field service

for seamless transition of customer,

parts/inventory and invoicing data.

And, the most exciting connection

manufacturers see is that of a field

service system to usage, performance

and maintenance information generated

by their own machines through telemat-

Software update

The new Service Pro for NetSuite offers

manufacturers and distributors cloud-

based access to vital field service data on

equipment and machinery assets.

imag

e co

urte

sy m

si d

ata

September 2015 | AdvancedManufacturing.org 39

ics. Customers and manufacturers both prefer preventive

maintenance ‘before failure’ to repair ‘after failure,’ and as

machines become smarter, manufacturers plan to utilize that

information to become more proactive, helping customers

avoid downtime.

Many large manufacturers, like

Caterpillar, are taking big steps to

improve product support across their

dealer network. With the right service

technology connecting their business,

dealers can use big data to anticipate

problems, schedule preventive and

predictive maintenance, and help cus-

tomers manage their equipment fleets

more efficiently.

ME: What manufacturing industries

are implementing this class of field

service software, and how widespread

are these deployments to date?

Pandl: Manufacturers across

a wide spectrum of industries are

implementing transformative field

service technologies with systems

like Service Pro from MSI. While it is

not uncommon for manufacturers to

have back-office legacy systems in

place that track core aspects of field

service, such as customers, inventory

and assets, far less common are those

manufacturers that have fully mod-

ernized their service operation, from

mobile and scheduling to back office

and IoT [Internet of Things].

We are still in the early stages of field

service adoption [only about 25% of

companies have adopted an IoT solution

to help them manage service]. We see

this as an area of huge growth for manu-

facturing industries. Just like mobile was

an ignitor four to five years ago, IoT will

drive the next round of growth. Thanks

to maturation and affordability of key

technologies like mobile apps, devices,

sensors and cloud, manufacturers we

speak with are very excited that they can

make their service vision a reality.

Acquisitions Jabez Technologies (Laurent, Quebec, Canada), devel-

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40 AdvancedManufacturing.org | September 2015

July 30 by Hypertherm (Hanover, NH), manufacturer of

plasma, waterjet, and laser machining systems. The transac-

tion was structured as a purchase of substantially all assets

of Jabez Technologies. Financial terms are undisclosed.

With the acquisition, Hypertherm will combine its cutting

expertise with Jabez’s software engineering to develop better

robotic programming solutions. Hypertherm said it plans no

major changes to Jabez’s operations, leadership structure, or

distribution channels, and Chahe Bakmazjian, founder and

president of privately held Jabez, will continue to lead his team

as part of Hypertherm’s newly established Robotic Software

group. Jabez’s current offices in the Montreal area will remain

intact, with no consolidations or reductions planned.

Jabez Technologies specializes in simplifying complex

robotic programming for 3D shapes, particularly in high-mix

manufacturing environments. With the ability to program many

different robots across multiple processes, and by providing

tools for easy cell setup and configuration, its Robotmaster

software delivers the flexibility required to support a wide vari-

ety of robotic applications. The software offers built-in simula-

tion tools, on-the-fly calculation capabilities and optimization

and collision avoidance tools allow quick robotic programming.

New Releases ModuleWorks GmbH (Munich), a supplier of CAD/CAM

components for multiaxis toolpath generation and simulation,

announced on July 2 the availability of Simulation for hybrid

additive/subtractive manufacturing applications.

The new simulation module can be used in applications

where additive manufacturing builds a part from a pow-

dered material, as opposed to the traditional subtractive

process where material is removed to create the final part.

While relatively new, the technology has seen significant

growth and machine tool builders have introduced a new

generation of machines that combine additive and subtrac-

tive technologies in a hybrid approach. Typically the part

is built using additive technology and then finished using

subtractive machining techniques.

ModuleWorks Simulation, which is found in many of

leading CAD/CAM products and also on many machine tool

controls, now offers the ability to simulate the additive pro-

cess and combines it with the subtractive process to provide

complete simulation of the manufacturing process. Full stock

material addition and removal is provided along with full kine-

matic machine simulation.

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Software update

September 2015 | AdvancedManufacturing.org 41

“We’ve seen an increasing number of requests for

simulation for the additive manufacturing process from our

partners and prospects around the world, so we have en-

gineered our simulation technology to offer this capability,”

ModuleWorks Technical Director David

Plater said in a statement. “We’re

now able to produce a realistic hybrid

simulation and the results have been

well received by our partners.”

CAD/CAM software developer

Delcam (Birmingham, UK) has updated

its PowerInspect metrology software

with the 2015 R2 release that makes

it easier to complete fast and accurate

inspection of complex assemblies. The

new version includes more options for

automation of inspection sequences,

including automated probe changes, au-

tomatic feature extraction for point-cloud

batch inspection, and greater control

over collision-checking.

Partnerships PLM developer Aras (Andover, MA,

and Munich) announced July 27 that

the Rail Control Solutions (RCS) division

of Bombardier (Montréal, Canada),

manufacturer of aircraft and trains, has

selected the Aras Innovator PLM suite.

RCS will use Aras to streamline con-

figuration management and compliance

across the supply chain.

Kubotek USA (Marlborough, MA)

and Synergis Software (Quakertown,

PA) announced a partnership July 29

under which the companies will offer

the Synergis Adept PDM (product data

management) software to KeyCreator

Direct CAD customers through devel-

opment of an integrated plug-in. Adept

PDM for KeyCreator will be available in

late summer 2015. Many of Kubotek’s

larger contract manufacturer customers

have requested a PDM solution to help

ensure accurate drawing revisions and

engineering change control throughout their entire design-to-

manufacture process.

Software Update is edited by Senior Editor

Patrick Waurzyniak; pwaurzyniak@sme.org.

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