What is the Smart Ecol application and what problems does it solve?

→ what is the Smart Ecol app and what problems does it solve?

Katarzyna Paryż, Sales Office Manager of Diagnostic Services of Ecol Oil Analysis Laboratory:
The application was designed and developed to make it easier to manage oil testing (lubrication management) for those who deal directly with it, i.e. maintenance department employees.

The application is simple, intuitive and clear. When entering the interface, it is very easy to find your way around. The capabilities of the Smart Ecol application can be divided into three subgroups:

1. 1. Device information – in this section of the application we will find all devices that have ever been tested in our laboratory.

Important: Devices should be named the same way each time, and thus labeled with the same ID. Consistency in naming is key, as it allows you to associate a given test/sample with a given device, thus tracking changes and proper diagnosis.

2. 2. Sample registration – The application allows us to register a sample. In this case, we no longer use paper forms where we filled in all the key information – we do it in the app.
3. 3. Diagnostic Report – After clicking on this box and selecting the device, we will check when a particular test was performed. We will also be able to download the report in .pdf format – the same one that the customer receives to his email address after the testing is completed. So, thanks to the Smart Ecol application, we have access to all the reports we have ever received in cooperation with Ecol Oil Analysis Laboratory.

→ Who is the app aimed at and how can it help users?

The Smart Ecol application is designed for all Ecol Laboratory customers, but it will work best for regular tests for a certain number of machines. The list of machines is not entered by the customer, but by our diagnostic team. If a new machine is added, the customer must report it to our team, which will handle its registration. Only after this step will the device appear in the application.

From our experience, we know that the application works very well in industries such as:

Importantly, the application also works offline. When we don’t have access to the Internet, we can quietly enter data. When the connection is restored, all we have to do is click “synchronize data” and everything will be updated in the system. Thus, the Smart Ecol app is also made to work in difficult conditions.

→ how does device identification work in Smart Ecol? What technologies are used for this purpose?

Identification of devices can be done in two ways:

• Through RFID tags located on the device.
• By selecting a device from the list.

RFID tags are, in short, identification by radio waves, which enables the automatic reading and processing of information on special tags, or “tags.”

How identification works: After launching the Smart Ecol application, you can scan the RFID tag that was previously assigned and mounted to the device (or lubrication point). If for some reason it is not possible to place the tag on a particular device, simply select it from the list of available devices.

→ What is the process of registering an oil sample for testing? Does the user receive any guidance on how to take the sample?

Sample registration is done in two ways, depending on whether or not our smart point has an RFID tag.

In case we have a RFID tag:

1. We scan it with the app – then we immediately have information about which lubrication point it refers to.
2. We then scan the QR code that we have stuck on the sampling container – this way the system knows that under a given QR code we have a sample taken from a particular device (lubrication point), marked with a specific tag.

Once the information about the grease point and the associated QR code is entered into the system, the relevant data will be loaded:

• Collection date – is always set as the current date on the day of collection. However, if we took the sample yesterday and are recording it today, the date can be changed without any problem.
• Research scope – identical to the research scope presented to you in the offer.
• Reason for the study – automatically completed as a “routine check.” It can also be “failure” or, for example, “reference sample.”
• Lubricant – is automatically assigned the lubricant that was previously used at the lubricant point. If there has been a change of agent, it is possible to edit this field or select a new agent from the list.
• Method and place of collection – to be completed. A historical data is automatically prompted, such as “at a standstill”, “valve”.
• Labor information – include data on work since the last replacement, total work time and refills, i.e. the amount of refills since the last replacement. This information is extremely important from the perspective of diagnosticians’ work – the more precise the data, the more accurate the diagnosis.

After registering the sample, we click “add to cart”. At this stage, we can add another sample to the test or finish and send the data to our system.

When not using RFID tags, the sample is registered by selecting the device (smart point) from the list, and then, as with the RFID tag, scan the QR code, fill in all the data and add it to the shopping cart.

The final step is to deliver the collected sample of oil or grease, with the appropriate marking (sticker with QR code on the container) to our laboratory.

→ how fast can the user receive the test results and what information does the diagnostic report contain?

Timing issues are usually agreed with the customer at the contract stage. The standard turnaround time is 4 working days. We also carry out some of the tests in express mode. In this case, the client receives the results within 24 hours of delivering the sample to the laboratory.

Such short deadlines are not always possible. Some tests, according to the standards, require longer lead times. The diagnostic report, available in the app, is the same report the customer receives from our diagnosticians after the tests are completed by email.

what types of defects or hazards can be detected through regular oil tests recorded in Smart Ecol app?

A good analogy for diagnostic testing of oils and lubricants is blood testing. Blood is a carrier of information about what is happening in our body. The same is true of the oil system and oil – as it flows through the machine, the oil collects information. Our job is to extract this information during the test.

For example, we can test the tightness of an oil system. By identifying contaminants, we can verify whether the system is leaky or not. Whether water or contaminants, such as dust, are getting into the system, for example.

In addition, we diagnose possible wear processes. Based on the results of the test, correlating them with the knowledge of the metallurgy of the device, the diagnosticians can indicate which components of the oil system are worth paying attention to in the next shutdown or overhaul.

Oil diagnostics plays a key role in predictive maintenance – it is one of the first ways to predict potential failures.

→ what is the process of implementing the application in the company? Does it require specialized training?

The process is very simple. If a potential client wants to establish cooperation, it is best to start by contacting the sales department of our laboratory. During the conversation (and often a meeting), we determine in detail the needs of the client, collecting all the information necessary to prepare an offer, such as the scope of testing, the number of samples, the type of lubricants – whether they are oils (e.g. hydraulic, gear, transformer), greases or coolants.

After such consultations, the customer receives an offer, and after its acceptance, an individual customer account is created, along with a login and password (important! The customer receives a link to change the password active for 24 hours). Using the same data, the customer can log in to the Smart Ecol application and to the customer panel on the analizyolejowe.pl website: https://oilanalysis.ecol.eu/#/login.

Determination of lubrication points most often happens at the stage of preparing a quotation. For each device (lubrication point), the customer is required to fill out a sample form (print), in which he provides all the information about this device (lubrication point). On this basis, the device is registered in our system, and immediately after this activity the device is visible in the Smart Ecol application. The final stage is the shipping of sample containers, QR code stickers and/or RFID tags to the customer – depending on the arrangements.

→ my company is in the system, I have containers and stickers with a QR code. What does the sample collection look like?

In most cases, clients take samples themselves. On the other hand, if requested by our clients, we are able to handle the sampling, providing a full professional service in accordance with all norms/recommendations/standards and best practices.

If we are dealing with a customer who has had no previous experience with oil diagnostics, we are able, together with our diagnostician, to show how to correctly take a sample for testing. A poorly taken sample is an unrepresentative sample, so all the information that results from its examination will be unreliable.

During this training/meeting, we are able to discuss how to use the Smart Ecol application and record samples, so that further use of the application is simply enjoyable.