Experts on demand

Teleportation has not been invented yet. But modern IT technology does make it possible to have a virtual presence almost anywhere in the world, an ability ANDRITZ has leveraged for its new Metris Performance Center. “This is a step beyond a simple hotline or service line as we can now digitally connect our experts all over the world with the operators working at plant,” says Gerhard Schiefer, Vice President of Global Automation at ANDRITZ. “With remote support we can see in real time what an operator sees on the distributed control system screen. By collaborating via this fast connection, we can troubleshoot, answer urgent questions on processes or equipment, or even make process adjustments on the fly.”

And there is more. Combining remote support with augmented reality and decision wall tools enables Metris Performance Center experts to be virtually inside the plant; close communication and interaction can take place as if the different parties were in the same room. The Metris Performance Center uses secure remote access to connect directly to a plant’s distributed control system (DCS) at one end and a Metris server at the other.

The Metris UX Platform is ANDRITZ’s solution for optimization and decision support. It collects data in a secure way from the mill, analyzes it and converts it into useful information. Visualizing this data then enables equipment and process experts to perform troubleshooting, optimization or upgrades so that a plant can operate more efficiently and profitably.

SAVING TIME AND MONEY

ANDRITZ wants to save customers time and money, although Gerhard Schiefer acknowledges that not everything is best handled remotely. “It is not our goal to replace the faceto- face relationship with each customer. But once the initial relationship is established, there are many occasions on which it makes sense to communicate remotely via a camera and shared visualization screens.”

Plant personnel such as operators, supervisors, or maintenance and technical workers can communicate directly with ANDRITZ experts at the Metris Performance Center. Many times, especially during a start-up, ANDRITZ start-up engineers on site can rely on technical backup from specialists at the Performance Center.

Klaus Blechinger, Vice President of the Tissue Group at ANDRITZ, cites a recent example during a tissue machine start-up at Vajda Papír in Hungary. “Following a question about drying performance, Performance Center personnel quickly located an ANDRITZ Yankee specialist at the company headquarters. Within a few minutes, the ANDRITZ start-up engineer on site was discussing data over a shared DCS screen with the in-house ANDRITZ process expert.”

FLEXIBILITY AS A SERVICE

This flexibility is a real benefit for both sides, as Mikhael Iaronka Menezes, a member of the Metris OPP team that provides process optimization for complete plants, explains. “Our experts can assist in starting up a new installation in China, for example, and diagnose a stockon, stock-off guiding issue with a mill in Brazil at the same time. All from a central location.”

“Strong service and customer support are critical,” adds Klaus Blechinger. “Paper and tissue mills are actively optimizing while reducing costs, which is a key benefit of digitalization. By providing digital support via the Metris Performance Center, we are offering a service to our customers exactly when and where they need it.”

The new Metris Performance Centers are available to each ANDRITZ customer worldwide. The network of plants is growing each week as operators learn about this latest offering in the area of digitalization and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions.

“Digitalization plays a major role in business today,” says Gerhard Schiefer.