Expert advice via data glasses LindeGO helps plant operators

Industrial plants are found around the globe - and are often located in regions that are difficult to access. If industrial processes at a large plant come to a halt, solving the problem can overstretch the expertise of on-site technicians. “When that happens, they can ask our specialists for advice over the phone or by e mail,” says Christian Bartsch, Business Development Manager at Linde’s Digital Base Camp. Should more complex problems arise, however, an expert often needs to inspect the plant in person. Several days can pass before specialists arrive – because Linde’s Engineering Division has also built plants in the most remote regions of the world, from the desert to the Arctic. Dispatching experienced specialists can result in high costs for the affected plant.

To provide plant operators with the necessary specialist knowledge quickly and easily, Linde engineers want to use data glasses. LindeGO is the name of this digitalisation project by Linde Engineering. Such data glasses are already being used at a number of sites. The on-site technicians are equipped with a case containing the requisite hardware: this includes smart glasses, headphones, a microphone and a mobile router to establish an Internet connection. Depending on the extent of travel and accommodation costs for the expert, the investment in the equipment may be recouped the very first time it is used. This is particularly true in the event of extended downtime while the expert waits for a travel visa, for instance.

The camera integrated in the smart glasses transmits the local employee’s field of vision to the Linde Engineering expert’s screen. “The remote expert can then see exactly what the technician sees at the plant. Specific instructions can be shared through the headset, camera and heads-up display, and useful data such as circuit diagrams can be exchanged,” explains Thomas Daffner, Product Manager for Linde’s LINDE PLANTSERV™ offering. 

The use of Smart Glasses makes the technician an extended arm of the remotely operating plant specialist. For this purpose, important information such as drawings, plans and photos are mirrored into the local employee's field of vision, which helps with the work to be carried out. Using LindeGO, plant experts can assist with repairs, inspections, or breakdowns anywhere in the world without having to travel to the site themselves.