Smart intralogistics via an app

The innovative, high-performance web portal is designed to optimise industrial truck fleets, and sets new standards regarding accessibility, availability, transparency, operator friendliness and visualisation. Whereas fleet analysis in the past still needed the laborious compilation of numerous data sets from a wide variety of departments and areas, neXXt fleet now assembles these components at lightning speed to form an overall structure. All the relevant information – commercial and technical data from SAP combined with data directly from the truck – are now focused into a single data world so the customer can analyse their fleet precisely and comprehensively. STILL neXXt fleet consists of a large number of web applications (apps) that can be called up easily and conveniently from anywhere and can be used to collate data for quick analysis and optimisation measures. That means STILL neXXt fleet will replace the STILLReport and STILL FleetManager applications in the medium-term future.

All that is needed to allow neXXt fleet to be used is Internet access and a web browser, neXXt fleet can then be accessed from a variety of terminal devices, e.g. laptops, tablets or smartphones. The highlight of this application is it’s responsive design that automatically adapts the contents being displayed to the output format of the display. STILL uses the performance of SAP HANA (SAP High-Performance Analytic Appliance) technology to present the multitude of data and modern visualisations at maximum speed. Dynamic data from the trucks are sent in encrypted form by GSM mobile telephony to the company’s own STILL server, where they are collected and combined with other data. Data security is guaranteed by modern IT security systems.

The benefit to the customer is the fact that all the fleet data, – including from third party trucks – can now be collected together and analysed in a single data base. Alerts – optionally via a system message or E-mail – will in future remind the customer automatically when defined cost values or deadlines, for example, have been exceeded.

The system monitors the data autonomously and notifies the customer only when necessary. Thus the customer can concentrate entirely on their core business while still being confident that they will not miss any important information or deadlines. Access to neXXt fleet, including the “Fleet Overview” app, is free of charge for every STILL customer. There is then the option to subscribe to various web applications. Billing is on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis. All the apps can be tested for 30 days. In the test phase the apps run with the customer’s real data, and their full functionality can be used.

In addition to the “Fleet Overview” entry level app, STILL will present eight other apps at the CeMAT trade fair. The “Fleet Overview” application gives the customer a very good overview of their truck fleet. Helpful information, e.g. truck type, year of manufacture, ownership status, serial number, fleet membership and the respective current location, are all available immediately for all trucks, and the most important truck documents can be called up quickly and easily.

The eight other apps include, among others, the “Cost Reporting” application, which enables a detailed overview of all the servicing and finance costs. An extensive transfer of data via Excel allows this information to be used for the company’s own reporting tools. Fleet-related invoice documents, e.g. maintenance and repair costs, are also made available quickly and smartly. The “Maintenance Control” app supplies an overview of upcoming maintenance and test dates, documents these appropriately and sends appointment notifications automatically. The “Fleet Usage” application assesses collected data such as truck use, driving operation and lift/lower processes from the GSM box and compares them on request with other trucks on an inter-site basis. This allows potential savings to be identified, and the customer can be informed automatically at a specified workload limit. The “Operating Hours” app provides an overview of the current and historic operating hours to allow maintenance intervals and fleet capacity utilisation to be optimised.

The “KPI Monitor” application enables key figures worldwide to be evaluated and presented visually. Potentials can be revealed by comparing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across several locations with freely selectable periods of time, and performance and costs can be assessed. The “Truck Life Analysis” app offers an opportunity to collate all truck-specific events such as maintenance and test dates orimpact incidents that have occurred, and to analyse them on a vehicle-related basis.

The “Data Plus” application allows customers to enter more detailed customised truck data, including for example internal cost centres, shift systems or attachments. It is also possible to specify which machines should be assessed and which are uninteresting and should be filtered out beforehand. The costs of external service providers and trucks from other manufacturers can also be entered. Use of this app also allows the leasing or service rates of third party companies to be compared with STILL’s costs.

The “Service Report Plus” application provides an opportunity to enter service reports and service invoices from non-STILL service providers and to document them or print them out. These data are also supplemented in the “Cost Reporting” and “Maintenance Control” apps.

For all the apps there are overarching functions such as a dashboard, the notification centre, a web-shop, a help area and a search function that give this tool a smart, easily understood design. Further apps are already at the planning stage and will follow in the first quarter of 2017.