Title: E-maintenance for household and similar appliances

Authors: Roberto Lazzarini; Cesare Stefanelli; Mauro Tortonesi; Giovanni Virgilli

Addresses: R&D Department, Carpigiani Group, Via Emilia 45, 40011 Anzola dell'Emilia (BO), Italy ' Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara (FE), Italy ' Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara (FE), Italy ' R&D Department, Carpigiani Group, Via Emilia 45, 40011 Anzola dell'Emilia (BO), Italy

Abstract: E-maintenance aims to automate management operations, like diagnostics and prognostics, by exploiting information and communication technologies (ICT) for the remote monitoring and control of manufacturing devices. E-maintenance has initially interested large plant machinery, but recent ICT advances are making it affordable also for mass-produced equipment such as household and similar appliances. This paper presents some general guidelines to consider when designing and building e-maintenance platforms for this class of machines, discussing both the functional requirements that the platform should provide and the most suitable models, architectures, and software engineering principles for its realisation. As a case study the paper presents the Carpigiani e-maintenance solution for high-duty ice cream making machines that provide remote monitoring, self-diagnostics and self-prognostics, and remote assistance interventions functions. The Carpigiani e-maintenance solution controls almost 2,000 machines installed all over the world and it is significantly improving the after-sale services provided to Carpigiani customers.

Keywords: e-maintenance; remote appliance assistance; innovative after-sales services; household appliances; electronic maintenance; remote maintenance; remote monitoring; ice cream making machines; self-diagnostics; self-prognostics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2013.055550

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2013 Vol.12 No.2, pp.141 - 160

Published online: 31 Mar 2014 *

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