Holograms bring efficiency

In recent years, the Geberit plant in Ozorków (PL) has been testing out the new hologram technology – with some impressive results.

Digital technologies seemingly launch every day. Putting them through their paces in everyday work is usually the only way of finding out which ones are useful. The Polish plant in Ozorków has introduced one of these “digital facilitators”. Its name is HoloLens.

HoloLens is a type of monitor that is worn on the head of the operator. At the front is a pair of glasses with a special coating that makes holograms appear as if by magic. These holograms can be seen by the operator, but are invisible to others. By moving their hands, the operator can move, click on and enlarge the holograms – similar to when using a touchscreen. The actual surroundings remain visible at all times.

Service by remote control

This technology is extremely practical at a plant like Ozorków. A malfunctioning machine needs to be looked at by a service technician. However, instead of making the journey to the plant, they can see things digitally thanks to HoloLens. A member of staff puts on the glasses and calls the technician via Microsoft Teams. The technician sees the same things on screen as the person on site. This then allows the specialist to guide the on-site staff through the maintenance process remotely.

Przemysław Skwierczyński, Senior Technology Engineer in Ozorków, comments: “This type of service was absolutely critical during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Poland temporarily closed its borders, meaning service technicians from abroad were unable to enter the country.

Fewer journeys, lower costs

The technology is now paying off. According to Przemysław Skwierczyński, the majority of maintenance work on three machines from Western Europe is currently being carried out using HoloLens. An expensive on-site visit by technicians can then often be dispensed with. “Maintenance work is usually carried out digitally at our plant – this is the future.”