Wind turbine technicians at Siemens Energy-Wind Service are working to help transform the wind energy industry.
“Our technicians really believe in what they’re doing,” says Jennifer Dillon, Siemens manager of business improvement . “They’re on the front line, and they’re helping to change the way energy is generated.” And iPad is changing the way they do their work.
Before iPad, technicians needed multiple binders, service manuals, and electrical plans — over a thousand pages of materials — craned up to them before they could begin maintenance or repairs. And that didn’t include laptops or additional supporting materials they might need.
Now iPad puts every document in a portable device that’s easy for the technicians to access in their tight workspace. iPad also streamlines their workflow, allowing them to take photos, email questions, and troubleshoot on the spot. And it lets them track fast-moving weather and quickly adjust their work in the field.
Siemens wind service technicians also provide valuable feedback from the field, where they work on both onshore and offshore wind turbines, often in remote locations. The information they collect helps engineers better understand the environment and make improvements to turbine technology. “What wind service technicians do is critically important to the wind power industry,” says Dillon . “We want to make their work as effective and as easy as we can. iPad helps us do that.”
Source: Apple, December 17, 2013; Image: Apple