The Evolution of Mobile Machine Buying
Beyond Quality
In today's market, the acquisition of mobile machines is no longer just about high quality or individual machine functions. The modern buyer seeks a comprehensive digital package that promises a gain in efficiency alongside top-notch performance.
Securing Competitiveness through Digitalization
Machine manufacturers can benefit from a strong telematics solution as well. Embracing digitalization isn't merely about meeting customer demands but also about securing their competitive edge. By integrating digital solutions, manufacturers can streamline services, reduce costs, and bolster their market position.
The Case of Bulmor and TTControl
The collaboration between Bulmor and TTControl exemplifies how digital solutions can be seamlessly integrated without significant investment. Their partnership showcases the feasibility and benefits of incorporating digital offerings into premium machines. Let's delve into the example of Bulmor and TTControl, showing that a telematics solution doesn't have to break the bank.
Implementing Self-Diagnostic Solutions
Austria-based Bulmor, renowned for its multi-way side loaders, was looking for a telematics solution that seamlessly integrates into its machinery without extensive technical effort: a simple integration that would be feasible without additional programming or highly qualified personnel.
Thomas Jakowiak, CEO of Bulmor, envisioned a self-diagnostic system capable of autonomously detecting and notifying issues, ensuring prompt maintenance regardless of location.
Empowering Machines with Self-Diagnostic Capabilities
Bulmor's pursuit of a telematics solution highlights the industry's shift towards predictive maintenance. By enabling machines to detect problems autonomously and notify users and technicians, manufacturers enhance maintenance efficiency and customer satisfaction.
“Our goal was to create a machine that independently detects problems, malfunctions and alerts users when maintenance is due,” says Thomas Jakowiak, CEO of Bulmor. “This information would then be sent to both our technician and the customer automatically regardless of location.”
Meeting Customer Demands
"Self-Diagnostics" is the focus keyword to meet Bulmor's requirements. It is important that the machine is able to actively transmit its telemetry data as well as status changes at any time and any location. Bulmor also required the capability to install product improvements over-the-air on machines already deployed in the field.
This feature aims to substantially lower service costs for both customers and machine manufacturers by minimizing the need for on-site service technicians. Furthermore, establishing a cloud connection enhances the machine's readability and assessment-friendliness, facilitating ongoing improvements to the machines used by customers.
Offering the right solution
“Our constant communication with mobile machine and off-highway manufacturers keeps us well abreast of current market trends,” says Valentin Ecker, IoT Product Manager at TTControl. “This is why we were able to offer Bulmor an extended range of services in good faith, which offers great added value both to its customers and to the company itself.”
“Together with our technology partner TTControl, we decided not only to set up a remote maintenance system for Bulmor machines, but also to create a digital offer for machine users for our customers,” says Peter Schweitzer, Technical Manager at Bulmor. “We quickly decided on the TTConnect Cloud Services turnkey solution.”
The TTConnect Cloud Service Management platform can be integrated via a plug-and-play feature and offers many advantages to machine manufacturer customers. This means that vehicles and fleets can be monitored with little effort. Because of the high level of integration of the robust TTConnect Wave telematic gateway, TTConnect Cloud Service enables full machine management beyond traditional device monitoring.
Overcoming Technical Hurdles
The integration of self-diagnostic features posed technical challenges, including the advanced machine architecture and the very tight timeline. Communication via Ethernet was necessary in addition to communication within the machine: from the telematics module to the ECU and display via CAN.
“Our experience with highly complex vehicle structures helped in developing a suitable solution for Bulmor in time,” says Valentin Ecker, IoT Product Manager at TTControl. “Through intensive exchanges of information with the Bulmor team during the development process, we were able to assimilate additional customer requirements at an early stage and incorporate them into the development planning. It was a major technical challenge to implement the desired functionality set quickly and safely.”
Collaborative efforts between Bulmor and TTControl were crucial in overcoming these hurdles and ensuring the successful implementation of the solution. “Immediate and uncomplicated communication with TTControl’s development team regarding hardware and applications has promoted rapid development,” says Peter Schweitzer, Technical Manager at Bulmor. “The ongoing exchange has helped to co-opt changing or new requirements and thus avoid undesirable developments.”
Streamlining Remote Maintenance
At Bulmor’s request, TTControl developed a special CODESYS VPN feature as part of the telematics solution. This innovative feature enables remote access to both the CODESYS software display and ECU data, allowing complex programming tasks to be carried out from any location.
Consequently, developers no longer need to travel to customer sites, significantly reducing the high time expenditure and travelling costs. The specifically developed CODESYS software feature is now also available for customers from other segments.
Customer-Centric Digital Offerings
Enhancing Customer Experience with Digital Solutions
The self-diagnosis function allows Bulmor technicians to inspect the machine digitally before the first service appointment. This means that they have the right spare parts at hand at the appointment time and get the machine back on the market more quickly. This not only saves the customer maintenance costs, but also significantly increases the operating time of the machines.
Because of the automated notifications, customers no longer have to worry about regular services, as the machine will automatically submit a report at the set time, well ahead of the next upcoming service period. A retroactive analysis of the machine can be carried out in the long-term using stored machine data.
Introducing myBulmor: A Digital Ecosystem
The cutting-edge digital solution empowers customers continuous, real-time monitoring of their machines, regardless of location, thanks to GPS integration. Machines can be navigated via a user-friendly fleet management tool and automatically inform users of location changes.
This not only protects against theft but is also useful for coordinating the machines on company premises. Equipped with sensors capable of measuring impacts, myBulmor actively notifies fleet managers, facilitating proactive maintenance. At myBulmor data protection is a top priority. In order to protect machine-related data from unwanted or unauthorized access, access rights can be assigned in a targeted manner.
Customers also have the freedom to decide which functions of myBulmor they want to activate: the hardware is installed as standard in the series of premium machines from Bulmor and can be subsequently activated at any time. This gives customers the full flexibility and control of the system.
Moreover, the versatility of myBulmor allows the integration of additional features to meet individual customer needs in the future.
Cloud Integration Task Force: Driving Innovation
Similar to projects involving TTControl's ECU or HMI data, Bulmor was assigend its own development support team for the integration into TTControl's cloud solution. “This allowed us to fine-tune the otherwise turnkey solution and specifically respond to specific customer requirements. The customized presentation in the cloud, adapted to the corporate identity of Bulmor, guarantees an optimal representation of the in-house brand under myBulmor.”
“With myBulmor, we offer our customers real added value,” says Thomas Jakowiak, CEO of Bulmor. “Through the use of good communication at all levels, we were able to complete the project quickly in a coordinated manner.”
“We were able to focus on the essentials in our development performance. Although we worked with an external team, thanks to the direct communication, we did not lose unnecessary time in communication loops and the result is a product that meets the highest standards in both hardware and application development.”
By collaborating closely with Bulmor, TTControl ensures seamless integration and customization, ultimately delivering a superior digital experience tailored to customer preferences.
