High-tech field service management system

Designed to benefit Elcome’s service organisation, engineers, shipping companies and OEM partners, the system harnesses disruptive technologies like mixed reality, artificial intelligence (AI), holographic computing, cloud-based Internet of Things (IoT), collaborative databases and knowledge-based software tools.

“The new Elcome Onboard 365 field service platform will create a paradigm shift in the maritime industry,” said Jimmy Grewal, Elcome’s executive director. “This revolutionary suite of service management tools will provide greater transparency, improve efficiency, reduce errors, speed up repairs, lower operational costs and minimise downtime to a degree never before possible in this industry.”

Elcome aims to achieve a near-perfect first-time fix rate to improve on its current 96% score, said Mr Grewal.

Cloud interconnectivity

Developed for Elcome by Hitachi Solutions and built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 software, integrated with the Microsoft HoloLens wearable mixed reality technology, the software solution uses cloud-based interconnectivity to automate and streamline all facets of managing service

This includes initial service request, scheduling the service call, assigning the most appropriate service engineer for a specific job, ensuring the proper service kit with the right spares and tools, performing and documenting the repairs, logging man hours, testing, recertifying and following up.

As part of the implementation of the new service program, Elcome is digitizing its service files to construct a searchable library using Big Data and AI tools that is expected to provide insights into many types of equipment failures, repetitions, fault symptoms and remedies.

According to Grewal, the Microsoft HoloLens technology brings a totally new dimension to field service. A combination of virtual reality and holographic computing, the HoloLens headset gives the service engineer hands-free access to vital data, including equipment history, diagnostics, schematic drawings, technical manuals and even remote face-to-face consultations with experts, all superimposed holographically in a 1:1 image over the real-world view. The built-in camera can also be used to document the repair and record the repair work in the job report.

“We plan to deploy the HoloLens headsets to all service engineers as part of their standard kit,” said Grewal. “We will also make them available to ships covered by Elcome annual service plans. This will enable the ship’s crew to communicate with Elcome’s service center to diagnose the problem, so our technicians can help the crew to troubleshoot it before sending a service engineer onboard and to prepare the service kit of parts and tools tailored for the job before boarding the ship.”