An IoT platform monitors mobile gensets, and the associated app supports customer service. The solution enables real-time alerts in case of issues, targeted support, proactive maintenance, and effective theft protection. This leads to increased operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
The challenge: Reliable mobile power supply
Construction sites, airports, water treatment plants, hospitals, emergency response locations, or certain industrial facilities – these infrastructures require power and lighting far from the grid or need a reliable backup power supply. As one of the market leaders, POLYMA Energiesysteme GmbH is able to meet these demands. POLYMA units are used in a wide range of applications, from disaster relief and peak load coverage to supporting film productions.
The energy systems must be operated reliably and safely to meet the demands of various application areas. Continuous monitoring and evaluation of sensor data ensure the safe operation of the gensets. The aggregation and analysis of operating data, coordination of maintenance intervals, and quick response to faults ensure operational safety. To achieve this, POLYMA and its customers need an optimal overview of the condition and performance of the systems.
To address these challenges and establish an efficient communication channel for service requests, POLYMA recognized the need for a digital service app. For its development, POLYMA partnered with Smartsquare, a provider of software solutions for premium customer service in mechanical engineering.
The solution: Real-time monitoring with IoT platform and service app
Smartsquare developed a comprehensive IoT solution for POLYMA that addresses both technological and operational challenges. Smartsquare’s solution consists of a cloud platform with IoT connectivity and a service app. The mobile gensets are equipped with sensors that continuously transmit operating conditions such as voltage, temperature, fuel level, and other relevant metrics to the cloud.
All data in the service dashboard
The app provides a service dashboard that gives POLYMA’s customer service team an overview of all gensets. At the same time, customers receive a user dashboard with a detailed view of their generators. Locations and operating conditions are displayed on a map, enabling effective monitoring of gensets in mobile use. Historical sensor data is stored indefinitely and visualized graphically, making it easier to analyze and optimize operations.
This allows customers to better assess system performance. The platform enables alerts via push notification, email, and SMS when thresholds are exceeded. This way, alarms and malfunctions can be detected and resolved immediately.
Remote monitoring with location tracking
POLYMA’s remote monitoring and theft protection and tracking system enable real-time monitoring of gensets across various devices such as PCs, laptops, smartphones, or tablets. Thanks to integrated GPS, the systems can be located at any time. If a genset changes location without authorization, a silent alarm is triggered.
Additionally, maintenance needs are predicted, allowing for proactive planning of maintenance and repair appointments. To support this, the platform includes an integrated ticketing system that sends service requests and error reports — including photos — directly to POLYMA. Documents such as manuals, circuit diagrams, and maintenance instructions are centrally stored and can be accessed at any time.
For fast and easy service, the ticketing system features a chat function that supports text chats, voice and video messages, and video calls. These capabilities are especially useful for troubleshooting directly at the generator’s deployment site.
Platform benefits
Smartsquare’s IoT solution is industry-independent and can be easily adapted to different types of systems, requirements, and deployment scenarios. The only prerequisite is that the system is equipped with sensors capable of collecting relevant data. The platform itself collects, processes, and visualizes this data regardless of its source.
A major added value is the ability to optimize service processes. This reduces downtime and increases the reliability of connected systems. An integrated ticketing system also enables simple and direct communication between users and manufacturers, including the option to submit error reports with photos and videos.
Users of the platform benefit in several other significant ways. Time-consuming trips to the machines are no longer necessary. Warnings and error messages are automatically delivered via the mobile app or through SMS and email. The tracking function provides effective theft protection for mobile machinery and facilitates deployment and route planning for vehicles.
In this way, the platform enables the monitoring, analysis and optimization of processes. It offers an open ecosystem for integration with existing ERP, CRM or SCM systems. This interoperability ensures that companies can seamlessly integrate the IoT solution into their workflows.
The result: Greater operational efficiency and customer satisfaction through digital networking
The IoT platform and the service app offer both POLYMA and its customers numerous advantages.
Customers receive a convenient communication channel and fast support for all service requests. Time-consuming trips to the systems are no longer necessary as faults are automatically reported by SMS or e-mail. The anti-theft device with GPS tracking offers additional protection. The ticket system improves the service process and increases customer satisfaction.
POLYMA itself benefits from a clear service dashboard that provides an overview of all units and their current operating status. The ability to predict maintenance requirements and optimize service processes leads to greater operational efficiency. Storing and analyzing sensor data enables continuous product improvement and customer orientation. The customized solution from Smartsquare makes a decisive contribution to optimizing processes and increasing efficiency.
