SpixForCheck for heavy vehicle inspection

The maintenance of large equipment or structures (trains, dams, mining machines, aircraft, etc.) is carried out by experienced operators. They work on the move, in complex environments and often off-grid. Maintenance and repair procedures can be complex, time-consuming, and often critical.

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The challenge of heavy equipment daily inspection

Among the standards associated with inspections of construction machinery are the ISO 15882 standard for inspections and technical checks, as well as the specific standards established by the manufacturers of the machinery.

National and industry standards can also define the criteria and procedures to be followed when inspecting construction machinery to ensure its safety and compliance.

Typical situation where the worker needs to turn around a heavy (even very heavy) equipment for the morning inspection. If nice and clean on the picture, the field operations can be rough and hazardous: the use of digital tools like a table or smartphone can be challenging.

Moving around a heavy equipment can be hazardous and requires the field inspector to be focused on his own safety and on his environment. The use of digital equipment like a smartphone or a tablet is not recommended.

For traceability reasons, the demand for more comprehensive intervention reports in the construction industry is high. Traditionally, reports are generated once back “in the office”, or in an environment conducive to writing. However, the quality of traceability depends strongly on the “moment” when the data was reported by the operator.

The morning inspection are conducted for few very important reasons:

Field operators can encounter several difficulties during morning inspections of heavy machinery. Here are some of the common challenges they may face, and the way it can be addressed by the introduction of Voice Assistance functions thanks to SpixForCheck.

• Time constraints: Morning inspections should typically be completed before site activities begin, which can put pressure on operators to complete checks quickly. Time constraints can make it difficult to complete a thorough and thorough inspection.

–> The voice assistance functions of SpixForCheck can help them to gain time on the checklist completion, to avoid coming twice to the same location of the machine due to missed data (non-quality). This time can be used to focus on the safety of the operator while walking around the machine (improved safety).

• Weather: Adverse weather conditions, such as rain, snow, wind, or cold, can make morning inspections more difficult. These conditions can affect visibility, equipment handling, and verification accuracy.

–> The NoTouch-NoScreen voice interface implemented in SpixForCheck can help the operator to focus on the verification, avoid exposing the digital equipment to bad weather conditions, and perform his inspection in due time. The smartphone or tablet can be kept in the backpack.

• Restricted Access: Some construction equipment may be in hard-to-reach areas, which can make inspection difficult for operators. Tight spaces, obstacles, or hard-to-reach terrain can make it more difficult.

–> In such difficult access conditions, the use of a NoTouch-NoScreen voice interface of SpixForCheck enables to continue to report the necessary data, while keeping the digital equipment in a safe place and avoid carrying it. They do not need to walk back to the tablet to record the relevant data (improved working conditions and safety).

• Documentation and reporting: “After” the morning inspection, operators often must fill out inspection reports, record the results of the checks and report any anomalies. Documentation management can be a “tedious task” for overworked operators.

–> The introduction of a SpixForCheck on the field removes the “after” from this statement, as the report is generated in real-time close to the machine. The “tedious task” is also removed by a Voice Assistant (low value-added time).

• Fatigue and stress: Morning inspections require concentration and vigilance from operators, which can be difficult to maintain early in the morning. Accumulated fatigue or stress can affect the quality of the inspection and increase the risk of errors.

–> SpixForCheck with its embedded Smart Voce Assistant can help the inspector, reminding the critical points of inspection, or the missing data while still close to the machinery. This function helps the inspector to reduce the number of errors (reduction of mistakes and non-quality).

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SpixForCheck: a disruptive innovation for the inspection

SpixForCheck brings together three types of complementary technologies for the deployment of a real NoTouch-NoScreen voice interface to digital tools for the field inspectors:

The idea behind this disruptive SpixForCheck innovation is to radically change the user experience of industrial inspectors, reconcile them with their digital environment, and help them comply with the norms and standards ruling their jobs. This innovation and its implementation in an industrial environment meet the ambitions of the Industry5.0 program from the EC.

For inspectors and quality controllers to work effectively with the help of a NoTouch-NoScreen voice interface, and for it to be “intelligent” in their work context, it must have characteristics specific to industrial applications:

This list of features is subject to evolutions as function of the version of SpixForCheck.

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NoTouch-NoScreen : for what purpose?

The integration of a voice assistant into the daily life of industrial field operators can bring multiple benefits and facilitate their tasks. Moreover, it may overcome the dependence on the screen and free theirs hands.

A Voice Assistant enables the field operators to use digital tools releasing the constraints of the screen and releasing their hands. The NoTouch-NoScreen innovation is a breakthrough in the use of digital tools while on the move in industrial environments.

• Real-Time completion of information: A voice assistant allows the operator to complete the requested information (measurement, visual inspection, defects, …) in real-time during the operations. This is a major improvement, compared to paper or traditional digital tools. It helps to comply with the norms and standards by drastically improving the quality and accuracy of the collected data.

• More accurate documentation: The voice assistant can allow operators to dictate inspection reports, observations, recommendations, comments, description, and actions already taken, directly in the field, making it easier to document inspection and quality control activities. A more complete documentation helps to strengthen the compliance with the norms, as the documentation is completer and more accurate.

• Enhanced Safety: By allowing operators to keep their hands free and focus on their work environment, a voice assistant with its NoTouch-NoScreen capability helps increase safety during field operations. Removing the constraints of the gloves avoids creating a safety breach, hence improving the compliance to the QHSE and OSHA norms and standards.

The integration of a Smart Voice Assistant that implements the NoTouch-NoScreen principles for industrial field operators can offer them a practical, efficient, and versatile tool to improve their performance, efficiency, and comfort at work.

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Conclusion

The need from the industry to strengthen the quality process leads to more sophisticated norms and standards. Consequently, checklists and forms associated to quality controls and inspections become more complex and their quality and completeness more critical.

This generates a particular pressure on the field operators in charge of the inspection tasks and quality controls to complete the checklists and forms as precisely as possible, in real-time and without any missing data. The digital transformation and the introduction of tablets and smartphones pursue this objective.

The digital equipment might be difficult to use by field inspectors or quality controllers to complete their checklists and forms in real-time: hands are busy, tablets are heavy, smartphones too small.

SPIX industry introduces SpixForCheck a breakthrough solution dedicated to inspectors and quality controllers to help them in their digital interactions while working on the field. The key added value of SpixForCheck with its NoTouch-NoScreen voice interface consists in:

For the first time with SpixForCheck and its NoTouch-NoScreen voice interface, the constraint of the digital screen is removed. Field operators can complete checklists and forms by voice in real-time, hence drastically improving the quality of the collected data. They can keep their hands free, hence improving their safety at work. checklists and forms by voice in real-time, hence drastically improving the quality of the collected data. They can keep their hands free, hence improving their safety at work.

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Press contacts
André JOLY – Managing Director
Phone. : +33 (0)6 25 17 27 94
Email: andre.joly@spix-industry.com

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