New Digital Solutions for Customer Success

Oberkochen/Germany | 24 April 2018 | Industrial Metrology

With new and enhanced products, ZEISS is offering its customers digital solutions to further advance machine and quality data networking, including the metrology software solutions ZEISS PiWeb cloud and ZEISS IVY, the ZEISS Smart Services and the ZEISS Metrology Portal. ZEISS will present these to the public at the Control trade fair in Stuttgart, Germany from 24-27 April 2018.

"For many manufacturing companies, the efficient capture and analysis of all quality data as well as the ability to quickly exchange the information acquired have become indispensable success factors. The new digital solutions from ZEISS are customized for the particular machine technology and the specific customer group," says Christoph Grieser, Head of the Software & Quality Intelligence business unit at the ZEISS Industrial Metrology (IMT) business group. The measuring technician at the machine, the quality manager walking around the factory and the production manager on the go can all take advantage of this. All solutions provide customer information in a manner that is quick, simple and easy to understand, whether measuring, machine or process data.

With its tried-and-tested ZEISS PiWeb software, ZEISS offers a solution for visualizing, evaluating and analyzing measurement data. ZEISS PiWeb cloud is a new, digital solution for simple, economical and reliable data storage intended for metrologists as well as quality and production managers. Small, mid-sized and large companies all benefit from reduced IT expenses since the storage capacity can be quickly scaled in the cloud. Access rights can be configured in line with the particular customer's requirements. ZEISS PiWeb cloud makes it possible to smoothly exchange measurement data between different companies as needed.

The new software ZEISS IVY networks the machines within a customer's own network, visualizing and documenting machine data and measurement results – even across global sites. The software offers users three primary benefits: it increases efficiency in quality management, reduces workflow errors and just one click is required for stress-free audits. At Control, the two modules "Device Insight" and "Protocol Archive" will be available for metrologists and quality managers, with additional modules for simplifying quality assurance workflows to follow.

"Smart Services" refer to all those ZEISS solutions that not only make it easier for customers to operate their machines, but also increase uptime. ZEISS uses real-time data acquired with a managed connectivity solution developed together with CISCO. "At Control, visitors will be able to check out how the ZEISS Measurement Capability app can show a measuring lab manager if the systems are currently ready to measure, or if a serious stylus collision, temperature fluctuation or an overdue calibration is limiting their capabilities – all via a smartphone," says Holger Blum, Digital Product Owner for Smart Services at ZEISS. If technical support is needed, the customer can create a digital ticket. All relevant machine data are then transferred automatically, shortening reaction times. "The customer ultimately benefits from the reduced time and costs. On top of this, fewer manual entries means fewer mistakes," adds Blum. Customers can also request immediate technical assistance from ZEISS Service by using the Remote Expert Solution. "By being connected directly to our technical experts, our customers enjoy shorter wait and repair times," says Blum.

All ZEISS services are networked on the ZEISS Metrology Portal, enabling users to access the entire array of digital ZEISS services with just a single login. "The goal of the customer platform is to offer our customers outstanding, easy-to-use services and solutions, including continuous availability, easy operation and automated processes," says Fabian Peschel, Digital Product Owner for the ZEISS Metrology Portal. The customer can monitor their system fleet and software and find all relevant information quickly and easily – all in one place. A new customer forum will also be available in time for Control, replacing the existing one. Here users can sign up for topic-specific updates and send private messages. They can also submit maintenance and service requests online to those technicians available. And with the customized configuration, customers can opt to receive a message when new software is available.

A few months ago, ZEISS established the joint venture ADAMOS (ADAptive Manufacturing Open Solutions) with its partners DMG MORI, Dürr, Software AG and ASM PT. This is a strategic alliance focused on Smart Production and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). In the future, all machines and solutions from the ADAMOS partners will be able to speak the same language, enabling totally barrier-free, connective and manufacturer-independent machine-to-machine interaction. At Control, ZEISS will present a new monitoring solution for ADAMOS technology for computed tomography. This will make it possible to monitor important operating parameters and conditions for all CT scanners at a company. These data will be available on a wide variety of different systems, including smartphones – all in real time. By using ADAMOS in the cloud, it will be possible to seamlessly integrate the solution with monitoring solutions from other ADAMOS partners.