Case Study

Predictive maintenance for washing machines

The maintenance of washing machines is traditionally time-consuming and cost-intensive. A new AWS-based IoT solution for Schulthess enables data aggregation for washing machines and thus also predictive maintenance.

Contact us

PRIVACY

Je déclare avoir lu et pleinement compris la note d'information sur la protection des données personnelles Privacy Notice et j'exprime par la présente mon consentement au traitement de mes données personnelles par Reply SpA à des fins de marketing, en particulier pour recevoir des communications promotionnelles et commerciales ou des informations concernant des événements ou des webinaires de l'entreprise, en utilisant des moyens de contact automatisés (par exemple, SMS, MMS, fax, e-mail et applications web) ou des méthodes traditionnelles (par exemple, appels téléphoniques et courrier papier).

Something went wrong with the form submit. Try again.

#smart home
#connected washing machine
#IoT

Picture

Avoid downtime using IoT

With the serviceMaster, Schulthess and Concept Reply deliver an IoT solution for washing machines that detects problems before they arise.

The scenario

Avoid cost-intensive downtime

Schulthess has been the leading Swiss supplier in the field of washing technology since 1845. The company has a long tradition of developing high-quality machines and system solutions for private and commercial customers. The maintenance of washing machines is traditionally time-consuming and cost-intensive, both for the manufacturer and the customer. The machines are either serviced at set intervals or only when a breakdown has already occurred. Both situations result in additional downtime, which must be avoided. After all, in the case of commercially used machines, these usually mean immediate economic losses.

Picture

The vision

Identify potential problems at an early stage

To counteract this risk of traditional washing machine maintenance, Schulthess wanted to create the conditions for predictive maintenance with a new solution: the serviceMaster. The aim was to continuously record the machine's operating data and compare it with the defined target state. In this way, abnormalities can be detected at an early stage and upcoming problems can be responded to well in advance.

The solution

Data aggregation thanks to IoT connectivity

Thanks to the support of Concept Reply's IoT backend experts, this vision became reality. As a development partner, Concept Reply has designed an AWS-based state-of-the-art solution for the serviceMaster that extends the functionality of Schulthess' washing machines to include data aggregation capabilities.

Behind this is a serverless architecture. At the heart of this is the AWS IoT Core. On the device side, a special microcontroller as an edge device and the firmware developed by Concept Reply for this purpose are the basis for the WiFi-based connection of the machines. Communication between these two components takes place via MQTT, a protocol that allows a robust and reliable connection and the efficient transmission of the extracted sensor data in real time. With IoT rules, the data is aggregated accordingly and stored in a time series database.

The Result

Smart home and personalization

With the serviceMaster, Concept Reply and Schulthess were able to create the foundation for predictive maintenance. Furthermore, the IoT connection of the washing machines can also be utilized for other use cases in the SmartHome area in the future:

Picture

Installation of over-the-air updates by the manufacturer

Picture

Evaluation of water and energy consumption as well as machine capacity utilization

Picture

Control and monitoring of the washing process via smartphone

Picture

Operation of the appliance via Amazon Alexa or Apple HomePod

Schulthess

Picture

Schulthess has been the leading Swiss group of companies in washing technology since 1845 and stands for innovation in laundry care. As a pioneer, Schulthess is breaking new ground with the aim of simplifying everyday life. The long-established Swiss company develops and produces high-quality machines, equipment and system solutions for private, commercial and industrial customers. National and international sales are complemented by professional services. Schulthess equipment stands out for its high functionality, performance and durability, and represents Swiss premium quality.

Concept Reply

Picture

Concept Reply is an IoT software developer specializing in the research, development and validation of innovative solutions and supports its customers in the automotive, manufacturing, smart infrastructure and other industries in all matters relating to the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing. The goal is to offer end-to-end solutions along the entire value chain: from the definition of an IoT strategy, through testing and quality assurance, to the implementation of a concrete solution.