“We have been working closely [with SymphonyAI] since 2014 to implement informed reality technology in our operations. Using a wearable device, such as Glass, assisted reality keeps users in their current environment but puts critical information directly in their line of sight.”
Peggy Gulick, Director Digital Transformation, Global Manufacturing
AGCO
AGCO is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural solutions and supports more productive farming through its full line of equipment and related services. AGCO products are sold through five core brands, Challenger®, Fendt®, GSI®, Massey Ferguson®, and Valtra®, supported by Fuse® precision technologies and farm optimization services, and are distributed globally through a combination of more than 3,000 independent dealers and distributors in more than 150 countries.
Challenge
After conducting internal tests, engineers at AGCO noticed that many shop floor operators took longer than expected to perform tasks. Not having work instructions readily available appeared to be the main culprit. It was measured that walking back and forth to computer terminals to consult instructions took up to one hour per day. When a process calls for real-time input of data in order to provide timely information to prevent quality issues, even a few seconds to find a misplaced tablet or walk to a terminal to input results is too long.
Solution
AGCO first experimented with tablets for assembly instructions. This was not the ideal hardware device. Tablets can easily be misplaced and, worst case scenario, they fell on the ground from a 12-foot tractor. Enter Google Glass. By providing operators with work instructions in their line of sight and allowing them to work hands-free they could work and consult information in the same place. The Proceedix platform from SymphonyAI offered the much-needed flexibility to handle a highly complex, low-volume manufacturing environment. Entire work instructions are now directly sent to the operators when they need them through the Proceedix integration API. This means that the work instructions are not created on the Proceedix platform, but are managed in a third-party application.
Results
The deployment of Proceedix on Google Glass resulted in a staggering 25 to 35% decrease in process time, as operators no longer had to walk back and forth to a computer terminal to access instructions and input data. Additionally, the learning curve duration was reduced by 50%. Newly recruited operators can hit the floor quicker, as they have their digital work instructions at their fingertips.