Caterpillar 2015 Annual Report Download - page 13

13
2015 YEAR IN REVIEW
DATA AND INNOVATION
SOLAR™ INSIGHT SYSTEM™
TURNS DATA INTO ACTION
Marco Leon pulls out his phone. In a matter of touches, Marco, Development Manager – Connected Product, is
analyzing the terabytes upon terabytes of data on Solar Turbines’ more than 1,500 connected units in 56 countries.
At Solar Turbines, a Caterpillar subsidiary and manufacturer of mid-sized industrial gas turbines, folks like Marco Leon
are focused on the data that drives decision-making in machine health, product development and customer support.
They have to be, because it’s an important business for customers who operate some of the world’s largest oil
and gas companies: If the equipment isn’t working, then they’re not making money.
“The data is like gold,” said Leon. “If you just become a commodity provider, forget it, you’re out of the game.
You have to figure out how to turn the data into action.”
Helping customers succeed by turning data into action was Solar’s goal when creating the Solar™ InSight System™, a
predictive analytics platform with 28 different capabilities. It was purposely built for equipment health management. Using
data collected since 2003, Solar™ InSight System™ provides a huge volume of information to design better equipment
and improve the ability to detect and solve customers’ operational and product issues faster. (Continued on page 14)
Caterpillar is challenging everyday processes throughout our
entire pipeline, from product design to service in the field, with
a view to doing things better. Some of the emerging technologies
helping to differentiate Caterpillar and delight customers and
employees alike include:
3D Printing – If a part goes wrong on the line, a 3D Printing team
can quickly produce a temporary tool that keeps the line up and
running and serves as a working prototype for a permanent solution.
Advancements in the technology will soon make it possible for
Caterpillar to 3D print a part right on the job site as a permanent
solution or until a production part is available.
Augmented Reality (AR) – To help equipment owners maximize
utilization, Caterpillar engineers continue to explore emerging tech-
nologies, such as augmented reality. Like smart phones, AR glasses
are constantly evolving, becoming more advanced, smaller, lighter,
faster and more affordable. These shifts have not gone unnoticed
by our engineers, who are looking at ways to equip customers with
these cutting-edge tools in the future to improve safety, speed and
quality. Right now, our teams are testing AR technology with the aim
of giving machine service technicians access to rapid, hands-free
technical information, voice commands and even service specialists
while they conduct safety inspections, perform maintenance and order
parts. As platforms and connectivity evolve, Caterpillar’s solution
engineers are committed to leveraging today’s technology to boost
technician confidence and enhance customers’ bottom lines. Find out
more here.
Emerging technologies like AR and 3D Printing are part of Caterpillar’s
push to drive innovation and redefine what it means to be a relationship
business in the digital age.
Big Data Analytics and Uptake – Caterpillar’s commitment to digital
transformation includes an investment in big data and analytics. We
already have highly capable analytics teams working on solving our
customers’ most pressing problems. But we’re also working with external
experts, like Uptake Technologies – Forbes magazine’s hottest startup
of 2015. Customers use our sophisticated technology solutions today
to monitor their fleets, track fuel efficiency, idle times, location and to
proactively predict required equipment maintenance prior to component
failure. Our existing solutions are effective, but we’re working to take
them to the next level, expanding what we’re known for to change the
fortunes of our customers worldwide. Our relationship with Uptake
will combine Caterpillar’s world-class product engineering and design
capabilities with Uptake’s software, application and data analytics
expertise. As a result, Caterpillar will be able to transform the massive
amount of incoming data we receive every day into even more useful
information to feed back to our customers for on-the-spot decisions
and planning purposes to further reduce owning and operating costs.
TRANSFORMATIVE TECHNOLOGIES