An Australiasian-based company is putting “boots on the ground” to ensure its customers have the right support for its automated packaging systems.
Aurora Process Solutions’ machinery is the lifeblood of many manufacturing businesses.
The company specialises in helping businesses get started with automated technologies, providing machines that can bag, box, palletise, wrap and more without human intervention.
Braden Goddin, sales and marketing manager at Aurora Process Solutions’, told ABHR that if things go wrong, customers need support as soon as possible.
“A lot of our clients are in rural areas,” he said. “Our production lines are vital – if they stop, it’s a problem. It means product that can’t be sent out the door, invoices that can’t be posted, customers that will be let down, and cash that’s not coming in.”
“Downtime needs to be rectified. Every minute is costing someone. That’s why we focus on having a rapid response.”
The company has set up service centres in Albury and Sydney and has a service manager based in Melbourne to support its regional clients. The service team goes through a “rigorous” onboarding process. Technicians have a wide variety of skills, from electrical to automation engineering, and take advantage of the company’s institutional knowledge that has been built up over time.
Aurora services multiple brands including its own, meaning its service technicians have a significant amount of knowledge to pass on to new employees.
In addition, part of the onboarding process requires international travel. Technicians visit the company’s supply partners in, the Unites States, Spain, Italy, Japan, and go through rigorous training with their engineers.
Goddin said the end result is a technician who is an expert in the field who can get equipment up and running fast.
“It may seem simple, but it’s pretty surprising the levels of service the industry is accustomed to,” he said.
“We focus on both speed and quality of response, getting boots on the ground to provide the best support for our customers possible.
“There’s only so much you can do for a customer remotely, and it’s often better for troubleshooting to have someone there on site.”
While it isn’t always possible to get a technician to site, Aurora provides the next best thing through the use of augmented reality glasses. Customers are provided with a Hololens headset which allows technicians from Australia, New Zealand, and Europe to provide support as if they were standing there with the client.
The system was originally designed for military applications, providing soldiers in the field with easy access to support when needing to repair highly technical equipment, such as generators, GPS, or vehicles.
In addition, the company is always available to answer smaller questions over the phone or through a video call.
Goddin said the company tries to reduce the need for support by organising regular preventative maintenance programs.
“Our scheduled maintenance happens once a quarter. We will run our clients through any machine optimisation and handle small fixes before they can escalate into something much worse,” he said.
“This could be through a range of things. Pallet wrapping equipment may go through tension adjustment calibrations if the client is using more wrap than they should be, or if stack patterns have changed.
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“It could also be making sure bagging equipment is adjusted if there has been a change in operating conditions to ensure they are accurately filling bags.”
During these visits, the company can also provide training for client staff. It aims to build up internal knowledge within its customer’s teams, upskilling workers to ensure they are operating the machines as effectively as possible.
Aurora works closely with its customers to ensure the automated equipment will provide the right return on investment, often sitting down with the company’s accountant to find the right tool for the job.
In many situations, the benefits of automating a pallet-stacking or bag-filling process can be surprising. Less time, effort and money are needed compared to manual labour and its associated costs – such as recruitment, management, superannuation, leave and rework.
Goddin said the scheduled maintenance program provides customers with peace of mind.
“It’s one worry we can take away for our clients,” he said. “They’re busy running a business and are looking for a reliable team of technicians that can help when equipment needs attention.
“We’re extending our service capabilities. We’re set up to service across the east coast of Australia, Tasmania and throughout New Zealand. We’re increasingly servicing a broader range of automated equipment, and onboarding more personnel with a wider range of expertise.
“We’re growing at a rate of knots and have moved our head office in Hamilton, NZ. That’s given us the space to do larger commissioning and assembly work, which will, in turn, shorten lead times and improve service.”