The water industry is one of the industries that is constantly faced with the challenge of doing more with less. The industry needs to extend the lifecycle of the infrastructure, overcome the sourcing and demand forecasting difficulties created by the shifting climate while adhering to the increasingly stringent regulations. All of this on top of placing a greater focus on sustainability.

Singapore’s national water agency Public Utilities Board (PUB) recently launched a five-year roadmap to digitalise the country’s water system. This roadmap leverages technology to boost efficiency and productivity. Examples we’ve seen from the agency include the robot swans and self-piloting boats that monitor the water quality in our reservoirs and surrounding seas, respectively.

A leader in leveraging technology in the environment and environmental services sector, Schneider Electric uses the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve the sustainability of water and wastewater plants. Schneider Electric believes that through technology, an ecosystem can be built to help customers reduce their own energy consumption by 30 per cent.

EcoStruxure Augmented Operator Advisor augmented-reality (AR) software is the latest addition to Schneider Electric’s software portfolio. It brings together real life and virtual objects to increase operational efficiency, reduce costs and improve proactive maintenance. EcoStruxure Augmented Operator Advisor provides information for mobile users via an intuitive tablet interface that superimposes real-time data and virtual objects onto cabinets or machines, giving operators immediate access to relevant machine and process information.

“Engineers who maintain control panels and machines often spend up to half their time searching for technical data in assorted software, databases, activity logs and even old-fashioned filing cabinets,” said Simone Gianotti, EcoStruxure Industry business development manager at Schneider Electric. “With EcoStruxure Augmented Operator Advisor, engineers gain instant access to the information they need, meaning they can speed up operations, improve proactive maintenance and reduce human errors commonly associated with traditional maintenance procedures.” 

Other benefits of the software include reduced downtime, faster operation and maintenance with a reduced risk of human error. With EcoStruxure Augmented Operator Advisor, operators can virtually open cabinet doors to troubleshoot an issue with machine components without having to halt or shut down operations, quickly find information with immediate access in the field. Moreover, the software locates the right equipment and guides operators step by step through the complete maintenance schedule, allowing for significantly reduced risk for errors.

EcoStruxure Augmented Operator Advisor can be utilised in a variety of industries and ultimately be adapted for any industrial domain including mining, minerals and metals, water and wastewater, food and beverage and infrastructure. EcoStruxure Augmented Operator Advisor can be customised by Schneider Electric’s experts who collaborate with customers to identify individual requirements and develop custom augmented reality applications for their specific applications and needs.