Also this year, the Service Days of IMA Schelling Group took place – due to the current situation, however, not live on site, but for the first time online as “Service-Tage@home”. The one-day event on 6 November 2020 focused on the IMA Schelling Hotline, the new edge testing module for in-process recording and control of relevant joining parameters, the IIoT and service platform “Zimba” with its possibilities, and the IMA Schelling Group Academy. As guest speaker at the “Service-Tage@home”, Prof. (FH) DI Dr. Robert Merz, head of the “Digital Factory Vorarlberg” research center, spoke about the digitalization of production.

Numerous participants took the opportunity to learn more about the services and innovations of Ima Schelling Service from their home or office. As a novelty, the artist Dennis de Jonge from Schwarzenberg (A) accompanied the event and captured the essence of the lectures in drawings. Following the presented topics, questions could be asked via a chat function. This resulted in a lively and interesting exchange of information. Some participants already praised the event in this context.

Currently, more than 25,000 machines are supported by 16 technicians from six specialist areas. Support is provided from the three company locations Lübbecke (D), Schwarzach (A) and Micheldorf (A). In the event of a service call, the machine experts can call up all machine functions via “Zimba” and also provide customers with mobile and digital support. In the future, all customers will be able to reach the hotline via a uniform group-wide telephone number.

The recording and monitoring of relevant joining parameters under production conditions simplifies troubleshooting and the running-in of new materials by means of temperature measurement. In addition, the wireless test module, which can be used on stationary and continuous machines as well as gluing and laser units, enables the system settings to be adjusted across machines and locations.

The IIoT and service platform “Zimba” provides well-founded insights into the process data of the machines and systems. Customers benefit from full transparency and better planning options. Ima Schelling can use the data to derive targeted recommendations for action to ensure efficient operation and, in the event of servicing, view all machine functions. In this way, “Zimba” helps customers achieve maximum productivity throughout the entire life cycle of the machines.

The Ima Schelling Group Academy centrally develops and organizes training modules for customers and employees. The various modules can be individually adapted to the respective requirements. The training courses are held at IMA Schelling locations, at the customer’s site or online.

Prof. (FH) DI Dr. Robert Merz impressed the participants of the event with his review of the current situation and the trends in digital production. He showed the possibilities and opportunities of digitalization, compared expectations with the state of the art and explained the factors that promote and inhibit digitalization in the field of industrial production.