Written by Christine Benz, Director of Truservices, TRUMPF INC.
October, 2024: Shop managers fear a call alerting them to a machine that’s gone down and dread the news that equipment has come to a grinding halt during the day. New technology, however, can allow fabricators to either get ahead of these unpleasant surprises or keep them from happening at all.
Unplanned downtime is not only an inconvenience but also costs manufacturers an estimated $50 billion per year. The National Institute of Technology defines reactive maintenance as running the machinery until it breaks down. NIST found this creates significant losses from both the downtime itself and the resulting higher rates of defects, lost sales due to delays, flaws and inventory increases. Fortunately, a different mindset toward maintenance offers the key to avoiding such costly pitfalls.
Modern technology creates convenience and control at the touch of a button. This is the same approach TRUMPF took in developing technology to decrease unplanned downtime for customers, designing the MyTRUMPF customer service portal as an informative solution that’s quick and intuitive for individual businesses to use. MyTRUMPF gives manufacturers immediate access and an overview of resources in one location. Customers can find their machine and programming data, software updates, conveniently access training courses and safety videos, easily order spare parts from an e-shop that anticipates their needs and tracks all their orders, access easy fix-it-yourself advice, and track service cases when advanced support is needed.
ABILITY TO REACT
The only thing more frustrating than a machine going down is having to wait for help to get it back online. As they say, time is money, and the faster the machine is fixed, the sooner it returns to generating income. Wouldn’t it be great to have an onsite machine expert who could immediately fix any problem? Of course, but not every shop can find or afford such employees.

The MyTRUMPF customer service portal builds on an extensive database of machine knowledge to give manufacturers 24/7 access to the expertise they need to quickly solve most problems. Since no one likes to wait in an emergency, the MyTRUMPF service app enables manufacturers to take immediate action and gain more control over outcomes.
Direct help, online reporting and service monitoring are all coordinated via MyTRUMPF. The easiest scenario involves a quick fix done by production employees since a machine problem can be quickly resolved by an onsite operator 85 percent of the time. The operator just enters the error code into the service app and instantly receives troubleshooting instructions and technical guides with proven solutions. If a service technician needs to be called in, this request can be made directly from the production floor and the technician can provide direct feedback and photo exchange via the Service App.
In addition, the system can harness artificial intelligence to identify spare parts. Sometimes wear and tear can make it impossible to read material numbers on parts or tooling, but this process is no longer necessary. Machine operators just need a cell phone photo and the Easy Order app to identify and order parts in a matter of seconds. Using the portal to order tools or spare parts is akin to using a store’s selfcheckout counter.
BE PROACTIVE
Making the dream of zero unplanned downtime a reality is only possible if we tackle machine issues before the machine operator even realizes there is a potential problem. Condition Monitoring enables customers to benefit from active monitoring of their machine by TRUMPF’s Predictive Service Team to avoid unplanned downtime. If allowed to complete status analyses of customers’ machines, our Predictive Service Team can inform customers immediately of any abnormalities. Early error detection, combined with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions on how to take care of a smaller problem before it becomes a bigger one prevents high service-related costs and keeps the machine in production.
The costs of unplanned downtime are preventable losses. Digital technology makes it possible to take control over the processes that can minimize or prevent downtime. They say a clear conscience makes a good pillow, but a clear picture and command over the things that keep machines running is probably just as useful for a good night’s sleep.
TRUMPF Inc., 860/255-6000, trumpf.com.