Remote AR assistance is a tool helping equipment vendors more quickly and efficiently conduct Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) with customers. The FAT validation process ensures that newly manufactured and packaged equipment does what the end user needs it to do. All functional issues and other problems can be addressed before the product leaves the manufacturer’s facility. This benefits both the customer and vendor. Leveraging the dynamic capabilities of Augmented Reality (AR) tools, manufacturers are able to more effectively bring customers into a virtual FAT environment remotely. This enables FAT to be done quickly, while also offering customers a high touch experience from anywhere.
Remote AR Assistance for FAT Planning Through to Testing
FAT always occurs at the vendor’s facility. It can face delays if all required stakeholders on the customer’s team cannot be available for onsite testing. On the manufacturer’s side, FAT can be costly if equipment does not meet customer criteria. Especially if it ends up requiring additional time and manual labor. Help Lightning’s remote AR assistance platform enables everyone from project managers and operators to plant engineers and maintenance personnel to conduct FAT virtually onsite, no matter where everyone is located.
Help Lightning’s merged video stream and AR view allows all participants to virtually reach into the vendor’s setting. Communication, collaboration, training, demonstrations, and answers to complex questions occur as if the entire group were in the same room together.
What Remote AR Assistance Looks Like Using Help Lightning
Remote visual assistance technology allows users to engage in a merged reality where both sides see the same view on their desktop or mobile device. This translates to fast and efficient FAT cycles, from planning through to testing.
All personnel have the ability to reach into the screen. They can also make annotations and drawings overlaid onto the shared view, and even include tools and parts in the view.
An Example for Factory Acceptance Testing
- A design-build manufacturer of industrial cold storage facilities has designed facilities specific to the needs of a frozen fruit and vegetable distributor with locations throughout the United States.
- The manufacturer and the distributor arrange a Help Lightning call to conduct FAT. This will include the meeting of customer and regulatory specifications. Including a complete overview of electrical, procedures for shutdown and maintenance, confirming correct calibration, checking that software behaves correctly, demonstrating reset and alarm functions, and much more.
- The manufacturer demonstrates first, and then has their customer reach into the screen to mimic the manufacturer’s actions.
- Notes and drawings are overlaid onto the screen from the original planning session. This confirms to the customer that all requirements have been met as they go through each portion of the FAT. As if they were all in the same room.
- The customer gets ‘hands-on’ responses to questions and can confirm their cold storage facility meets their exact requirements.
- The manufacturer is approved to distribute to all of the customer’s locations.
With Help Lightning’s visual AR assistance, manufacturers can engage with customers remotely in the same way they can in person. This saves massive amounts of time and money related to travel and managing complex scheduling.
Faster and More Efficient Factory Acceptance Testing
The ability to merge video screens and collaborate remotely enables quick communication, making adjustments or fixing problems in real time. Punch list items and corrective actions are all validated prior to delivery. This allows for seamless interactions between manufacturers and their customers.
Remote visual assistance technology supports several Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for companies needing to qualify a new supplier:
The KPIs Help Lightning Customers Experience Using Remote AR Assistance for FAT Include:
- Faster ship dates
- On-time delivery
- Verified order specifications
- Faster start up time
Interested in learning about more use cases and how other companies are using remote visual assistance? Review our full list of 20 remote assistance use cases. You can also download our remote assistance use case guide.
Contact Help Lightning to Learn What Remote AR Assistance Can Do for Your Company
Help Lightning helps medical, manufacturing, construction & engineering, food & beverage companies effectively conduct FAT remotely. This supports fast communication, enhances training capabilities for customers using new equipment, and allows for unparalleled dynamic engagement between clients and customers.
Contact us for a free, no obligation demo of Help Lightning.
Our team is waiting to show you exactly how Help Lightning’s remote visual assistance software can help your company’s specific business needs.
