Remote Automation Support Becomes Available Online

Rockwell Automation has reconfigured its Techconnect remote support service to provide improved troubleshooting and easier programming and product configuration, for improved plant-wide optimisation. The remote support is available at four different levels: Self-assist Support, Product Support, System Support and Application Support. In addition, users can now add 'a la carte' options to their standard support level, allowing for customisation.

Rockwell Automation has added several new capabilities to its support offerings, including the opportunity for Techconnect subscribers to receive support via email, online chat and interactive user forums. A forthcoming smart-phone solution will allow access to support offerings and chat via mobile web. The four new services replace the previous Econnect, Directconnect, Priorityconnect and Insite offerings, but users with existing contracts will not experience any disruption in service. Customers will continue to access Rockwell Automation technical support engineers at multiple regional support centres worldwide, who are available 24/7 to provide support in more than 20 languages.

For experienced customers with a deep understanding of Rockwell Automation products and a preference for addressing their own support needs, the Self-assist Support contract offers downloadable software updates and access to the Rockwell Automation Knowledgebase, the online database containing thousands of technical solutions developed by Rockwell Automation technical support engineers. In addition, Self-assist Support users can address service questions via email through the Knowledgebase platform.

Customers requiring support specific to Rockwell Automation products will benefit from a Product Support contract. At this level, customers receive real-time engineering support via phone or online options for specified products, as well as remote-desktop capability and software media shipments. For customers with a complete automated system from Rockwell Automation, like the Plantpax process automation system or the Integrated Architecture system, a System Support contract provides access to engineers who are trained specialists in Rockwell Automation control systems.

A System Support contract also provides a timely response and a dedicated service technician for each service call. With an Application Support contract, Rockwell Automation engineers visit the customer's manufacturing facility to gain a comprehensive understanding of the specific application within the context of their entire enterprise. These engineers are then on call to provide technical account management as an extension of the company's in-house stuff, helping to develop and execute on production goals and provide scheduled consulting time whenever needed.

A-la-carte options, which can be added to most of these contract offerings, include: continuous monitoring, trending and archiving for as many as 10,000 data points by Rockwell Automation engineers; secure remote connection to a customer's system via VPN; surveillance and alarming for critical systems; system virtualisation and testing in a safe, non-production environment; control documentation management; and a customisable Knowledgebase of the customer's own questions and solutions, as well as the products used in their manufacturing facility.

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