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Internet of Things Success Stories Series #3 Device Exploitation Monitoring Solution 1. Problem Polish manufacturer of special purposes ground vehicles requested a pilot solution that would be able to respond to their needs in achieving operational effectiveness by improving risk management and reducing product and service cost. The needs are justified by following pain points: • High cost of spare parts • Difficulties in spare parts availability (especially for older constructions) • High cost of unexpected downtime • High cost of service provided by qualified staff The most important use-case for this value driver was real-time asset monitoring focused on maximizing operational readiness of the vehicles and their utilization rate by minimizing the downtime and avoiding potential equipment failures. Such a detailed monitoring of product usage (meaning critical equipment conditions and operating parameters) would then enable the manufacturer to identify and prevent potential warranty compliance issues and, in effect reduce warranty cost related to unjustified warranty claims. The second business driver was related to establish a strategic differentiation by offering and IoT installation as a value-added kit mounted on vehicles depending on user requirements and enabling significant improvement of user experience in the area of user self-service, usage and performance dashboard and streamlining the development of operators’ skillset and analysis of their performance. In a long-term period (after the full, production deployment), the manufacturer wants to observe the improvements in following indicators: • Reduced product failure rate (measured i.e. in MTBF) • Improved failure resolution time, measured in MTTR • Reduced warranty cost and increased service revenue or margin • Increased service contract renewal rate 2. Solution To validate the solution and technology, an existing vehicle was chosen to act as a test-bed for the pilot project. The concept of the solution assumes the use of existing diagnostic systems and enriching the installation with optional diagnostic sensors that communicate with a locally mounted data logger that acts as a «black box» acquiring and storing operational parameters, and communicating with the computer system on an ongoing basis, periodically or when one connects the vehicle to the network at a service station after the vehicle comes back to the depot. Data acquisition The system is responsible for registering the exploitation data using following components: new sensors which were enriching existing vehicle equipment, existing internal data bus and new on-board rugged industrial computer which archives the data locally and pushed them to the server according to chosen communication model. Among the measured values we can list: steering system components positions (brake, clutch, control column, gearbox), tensions, pressures, temperatures, liquid levels (coolants, fuel, oil), voltages, current, velocity, location and TBO (Time Between Overhaul) of selected components. Figure 1 Data recorder Internet of Things • Success Stories 18 SERIES #3 - November 2015
Internet of Things Success Stories Series #3 Device Exploitation Monitoring Solution Hardware configurations The system uses an on-board computer that meets EN50155 standard and featuring additional use features like: • GPS with external antenna • GSM modem with an external antenna • Protection against surges on-board network of the vehicle • Low power consumption • Lack of moving parts As for a retro-fit installation some of the sensors required a specific set of mechanical fasteners which were were delivered in cooperation with the vehicle manufacturer. The sensors, I/O and communication modules were integrated using MODBUS protocol. For the purposes of ensuring the continuity of data transmission and data security, the data recorder hardware along with its software component are configured to meet following communication requirements. Figure 2. Communication requirements Software configurations Important part of the solution is the server-side component built on top of ThingWorx – a platform for rapid prototyping of IoT applications. It is responsible not only for accepting the vehicle data, storing it in a central repository but also for hosting the application for the end-users and at the same time for being a web-based rapid development environment for the value enabling application as the Device Exploitation and Monitoring Solution is by itself. Figure 3. ThingWorx platform Internet of Things • Success Stories 19 SERIES #3 - November 2015
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Page 67: Series 3 November 2015 Editor : Phi

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