Remote Access for Original Equipment Manufacturer's

Submitted by Tom Trinh & Corey Foster || Valin Corporation

Looking for ways to support your systems more easily, more safely, and more quickly for your customers?  Perhaps you are wondering what remote access technology is for industrial control systems.

OEMs face increasing pressures to look for ways to support their industrial control systems remotely.  Flying people around the country, not to mention the world, is expensive both financially and timewise.  Given today's challenges, traveling has become almost a non-starter.  Then what happens when they need a new part or don't have access to the system?  Being stuck onsite for a week waiting for a part is stressful for everybody involved!  The technology to support systems remotely for many companies has been available for decades.  However, it could be complicated, expensive, insecure, and require a high level of effort from their customers.  Variations from machine to machine further complicate these solutions.

Valin's Tom Trinh, a Sr. Application Engineer, shows in the video below how simple and cost-effective secure industrial remote access routers have become, even for older serial-based equipment.  With one additional piece of electronics on the system, Tom shows how his customer can remotely access any combination of two different Omron HMIs, two different Omron PLCs, and an Omron temperature controller with a couple of those devices being over ethernet, a couple over serial and the last being via USB.
 

Video 

Once this solution is in place, the OEM can access the controls on the machine remotely without needing the customer to do anything.  Of course, the system can be arranged for the customer to have to give permission to the OEM before they gain access.  This same solution can be used with any variety of existing industrial controls that customers may be using, even on existing machines.  The access may be over ethernet, WiFi, or cellular which provides flexibility for the situation.

Imagine your customer reaching out to you and you being able to gain access right away rather than needing to hop on an airplane.  Imagine your customers getting the help they need right away without having to wait.

If this is so easy, why aren't all the OEMs and integrators doing it?  Quite frankly, I'm not sure.  Habits die hard... especially when one isn't sure of how to make it all work.  Given the Shelter-in-Place environment, these habits are being forced to change.  We can help you to change them and get over the unknowns to make it all work.  We've already done the hard work.  Now let us make your work easier, safer, and more effective for both you and your customers so you can focus on what you do best!