German university is looking for companies willing to engage in application-oriented research in the digitalisation of industrial services.

Short summary A research group from a German university working on digitalisation in industrial services with focus on remote augmented reality in field services, business models for Industry 4.0 and predictive maintenance is seeking industrial companies from the mechanical and plant engineering sector for research and development cooperation agreements.

Full description The research group located at a German University of Applied Sciences is focused on the digitalization of industrial service business. A key area of focus is on the use of augmented reality technology in industrial service. The group conducts cooperative research with a UK university. The research is funded by the University of Applied Sciences and external industry funding. Digitalisation is a key challenge for European SMEs, further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital transformation and Industry 4.0 are still challenging for the industry. For example: Day-long equipment downtimes and cost-intensive deployments of field service technicians all around the world: this situation is not unusual in industrial field services. The research project aims to find solutions together with industrial companies which have the potential to make industrial service more efficient and sustainable. The group has several research areas including: 1. Remote Augmented Reality in Field Service, which aims to make industrial service more efficient and sustainable through the use of real-time collaboration and augmented reality technologies. 2. Business models, which explores ways for machinery and equipment manufacturers to maintain high-profit business in the face of technological and organizational changes brought about by digitalization and Industry 4.0. 3. Predictive Maintenance, which uses machine learning to analyze sensor and control data from machines in order to determine when maintenance is necessary and study the resulting business models. They are seeking industrial companies from the mechanical and plant engineering sector for research and development cooperation agreements. Together with the companies, they want to conduct application-oriented research in industrial after sales service. More specifically, they are looking for companies that are interested in implementing augmented reality remote service. In addition to that, the research group is also in search of companies that are in the middle of implementation or have already implemented.

Advantages and innovations

• The research group is focussed on the digitisation of the industrial service business, mainly in augmented reality in fiels service, industrial augmented reality business models and machine learning for predictive maintenance.
• The benefits and incentives for cooperating companies are:
• - The university research group is offering a theoretical approach: when it is useful/necessary for a company to step into business models of augmented reality, etc.
• - Checking of business models
• - The companies will get access to state-of-the-art research results and technology developments, eg. for augmented reality in fiels service, etc.
• - The companies will get support with implementing new technologies.
• - The companies will get into contact with future high-skilled staff if needed.

Contact / source: NEXT EEN Widgets (europa.eu)