Shannon® - the operative shop floor assistance

Turn Your Plant Operators into Experts: Shannon provides information on the causes of malfunctions along with context-specific solutions, thereby reducing downtime through intelligent knowledge management.

Advantages

Reduce downtime during every shift—with Shannon®

Shannon assists plant operators with their work on the shop floor. This helps them become experts in troubleshooting.

Respond quickly and correctly to faults

Shannon continuously notifies plant operators of any malfunctions occurring in production lines and machines and suggests solutions. A prioritization system is used so that operators can focus only on relevant events.

  • Precise localization and prioritization of error causes
  • Step-by-Step Instructions for Troubleshooting
  • Create complex rules for notifications

= Reduction in downtime (MTTR) due to shorter fault detection and resolution times

Use interactive troubleshooting guides

Collect expert troubleshooting knowledge in interactive step-by-step instructions and make them available to all plant operators. This way, even inexperienced employees quickly become experts.

  • Step by step instructions with photos and videos
  • Easy creation of guide with smartphone or in browser
  • Automated Translation for International Locations

= Knowledge management for troubleshooting against the shortage of skilled workers

Receive meaningful shift documentation

A meaningful overview of downtimes that have occurred and their causes is the basis for a sustainable reduction of downtimes.

Shannon automatically generates shift reports with downtime documentation. Causes for downtime are determined automatically.

  • Detailed downtime documentation per production shift
  • Semi-automated assignment of downtime reasons
  • Complete database for shop floor meetings and shift handovers

= Documentation as starting point for sustainable reduction of downtimes

Impact

The Value of Shannon®

5-15%

Increase OEE by reducing downtime (MTTR)

Up to 30%

Reduction of average OEE variations between shifts

10-30%

Shortening the start-up and relocation phase

Shannon® solves these production problems

  • Output losses due to downtime with high unit costs
  • Downtime due to unplanned machine malfunctions
  • Lack of expert knowledge about technical problems and their causes
  • High fluctuation in the workforce
  • Inefficient start-up of new or relocated machines / production lines
Features

All Shannon® Features

Event notification

Precise localization of error causes
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Event notification

Shannon® continuously informs you about occurring faults and other events in production lines and machines and suggests solutions. Prioritization is used so that you can focus only on relevant events.

You can configure notifications in detail and also create your own notifications based on complex rules.

Prioritization of causal disorders

Identification of the causative disorders
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Prioritization of causal disorders

If a fault occurs in a complicated production system, it is often not trivial to find the cause. This is aggravated by the fact that a lot of information has to be processed by the machine operator due to subsequent faults or alarms.

Shannon® prioritizes occurring events so that only causal faults are displayed. Subsequent faults or similar are hidden.

Step-by-step instructions

Situational instructions for troubleshooting
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Step-by-step instructions

Collect expert troubleshooting knowledge in interactive step-by-step instructions and make them available to all plant operators. This way, even inexperienced employees quickly become experts.

  • Step by step instructions with photos and videos
  • Easy creation of guide with smartphone or in browser
  • Automatic translation makes instructions available at international locations

Automated translations

No language barriers for events and instructions
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Automated translations

Shannon® automatically translates events and instructions into different languages.

This makes it easy to make knowledge available internationally - be it transferring it to similar production lines and machines in different countries or relocating production lines and machines abroad.

Documentation of production shifts

Supported creation of downtime documentation
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Documentation of production shifts

A meaningful overview of downtimes that have occurred and their causes is the basis for a sustainable reduction of downtimes.

Shannon automatically generates shift reports with downtime documentation. Causes for downtime are determined automatically.

  • Detailed downtime documentation per production shift
  • Semi-automated assignment of downtime reasons
  • Complete database for shop floor meetings and shift handovers

Events configuration

Creation of complex rules for notifications
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Events configuration

Create your own events to be notified about specific situations. With the help of various functions, they can interactively create any complicated rules for notifications.

Downtime statistics

Statistics on downtimes and their causes
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Downtime statistics

In order to optimize a production line in a targeted manner, you need good information at hand that clearly identifies problem areas.

To do this, use the statistics on faults to understand which faults caused how much downtime over time. Get detailed statistics to understand the disturbance behavior in detail.

Event forwarding

Forwarding of events to maintenance personnel
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Event forwarding

If, for example, the machine operator cannot rectify a fault, it is possible to forward it to another person. A maintenance technician, for example, can then be informed, who will then rectify the fault.

You can forward events directly in the app and thus achieve a fast response time.

AI Assistant

Responses in the Event of a Malfunction — Based on Shannon's Theory
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AI Assistant

Get answers when a machine is down.

If a problem occurs on the “ shop floor ,” the team asks the assistant directly instead of sifting through folders full of documentation. The assistant draws on the knowledge available in Shannon—machine manuals, existing work instructions, and documented malfunctions—and provides an answer in the appropriate context. The team uploads additional documents, making their content immediately available.

Interface

API
Apple Watch App
Android app
iOS App
Browser

Security

Encrypted TLS Communication
All communication is encrypted with TLS
Role-based access control (RBAC)
User management with dedicated roles and permissions management
Single sign-on
Single sign-on with Microsoft 365

Add-ons

System integrations (ETL)
Integration into system landscape through ETL processes
On-Premise Deployment
Optional on-premise deployment
Success Stories

What our customers & partners say

Shannon® at KIEFEL

“Shannon meets the expectations our customers have today for intelligent solutions: Expert knowledge is directly accessible via a digital assistant and supports commissioning, service, and application engineering. At the same time, the system allows customers to contribute their own expert knowledge and continuously expand it—this creates a high degree of flexibility and additional leeway for individual requirements. Thanks to the agile collaboration with plus10, the implementation of Shannon as part of our test took less than four months—from the initial planning to productive use with live-generated solution recommendations.”

Anja Voglmaier, Project Management Engineer at Kiefel

Products used:

Expert knowledge available as needed and continuously expandable

Shannon® at ZAHORANSKY Automation & Molds

“ZAHORANSKY uses all three intelligent plus10 tools on fully automated systems to support fast and seamless commissioning as well as maximum productivity in our customers’ day-to-day production operations. Customers in both the medical technology and consumer goods sectors are now using this context-aware assistance worldwide!”

Products used:

Quick commissioning, less remote support

Shannon® at ZAHORANSKY

“Shannon is exactly what we need to make up for the shortage of skilled workers. It allows us to share situational solutions and guidance more quickly on-site during commissioning with the customer’s production team across all shifts, thereby ensuring stable processes. Even less experienced colleagues on the customer side can be trained more quickly and deployed productively with Shannon—resulting in fewer follow-up questions, less remote support, and ultimately more satisfied customers.”

Products used:

Quick commissioning, less remote support

Shannon® & Darwin at M10 Solar Equipment

  • Virtual commissioning of a fully automated solar module production plant with plus10 tools (hardware-in-the-loop simulation) with seven newly developed processes
  • Full transparency regarding system behavior and optimization potential in terms of availability and performance
  • Faster start-up and smooth handover to operating personnel thanks to virtually trained plus10 tools

Impact: Rapid ramp-up and full transparency into system performance

Shannon® at AUMOVIO

  • Problem: Brief stoppages, unplanned downtime, and a lack of real-time visibility on highly automated display final assemblylines‍
  • Solution: AI-powered shop floor Assistant with plus10-Shannon‍
  • Scope: Implementation on 40+ highly automated display final assembly lines in more than 4 plants
  • Result: up to 5% higher availability through data-driven, proactive production optimization
Learn more
Products used:

Impact: +5% OEE, -6% MTTR (Mean Time To Repair)

Shannon® at Vetter Pharma

“For us, plus10 Shannon is a solution for state-of-the-art plant and machine systems, as it automatically breaks down complex and interlinked plant states into easy-to-manage troubleshooting tasks for the operator. It thus represents an essential step toward simplifying modern plant systems for the operator.”

Dr. Uwe Remminghorst Vice President Production, VETTER Pharma

Products used:

Impact: reduced complexity through automated, user-friendly troubleshooting tasks

Integration of Shannon® at Roche Kaiseraugst

“In just three months, we successfully implemented Shannon’s IT/OT integration—including the required risk assessment—at our pharmaceutical secondary packaging facility in Kaiseraugst. I was impressed by the speed and professionalism of the plus10 team!”

Gerrit Börner, Unit Lead Data Analytics & Deployment @ F. Hoffmann-La Roche

Products used:

Time to Value < 3 Monate

Shannon® at Boehringer Ingelheim

“The decision to partner with plus10 has proven to be a promising project from day one. The company’s focus on solutions is reflected in our collaboration as well as in the Shannon product— shop floor-friendly tool for implementing knowledge management solutions in production. Increasing the robustness of our highly automated packaging machines relies on the successful interaction between our machines and our employees. Shannon provides us with a unique interface in this regard.”

Daniel Kind Head of Packaging Inhalation Products

Products used:

Impact: Robust Packaging Machines Thanks to Efficient Human-Machine Interaction

Shannon® at YPSOMED

“The Shannon worker assistance system was implemented by plus10 at the machine manufacturer’s highly automated assembly line even before the FAT. By using the software, we were able to obtain valuable and detailed information about any malfunctions that occurred—including their exact duration and number—even during the FAT and commissioning. Shannon thus enabled a significantly more transparent and effective commissioning of the system.”

Mathias Hollop-Wünschkowski, Industrial Engineer & Optimization

Products used:

Impact: transparent and efficient plant ramp-up

Shannon® at Freudenberg Filtration Technologies

  • Fully automated production line for automotive cabin air filters, consisting of 21 processes
  • 80 situational solution suggestions generated during the initial test phase and actively used for operational troubleshooting
  • 22 quantified and prioritized technical optimization measures for medium-term optimization and maintenance measures
Products used:

Impact = Transparency about short stops with technical cause assignment, which in total cost 9% of the production time

Darwin at Schwarzkopf

  • Fully automated and interlinked filling and packaging line for consumer goods (0.17 sec. cycle time)
  • Detailed transparency of downtime per shift at station level for effective shift handover and basis for conceptual optimization
  • Faster root cause identification in the optimization process and in the event of downtimes thanks to visualization of the signal behavior
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Impact = up to 17% potential for throughput increase identified

Shannon® at Peri

  • Fully automated production line for safety-critical scaffold decking consisting of 34 process steps with 11 second cycle time
  • Implementation and Operation of Shannon in Multilayer Mode
  • High-frequency connection of all machine controllers involved (various PLCs, RC, motion, welding and test controllers) as a fused live data basis
  • Generation of over 50 solutions during the implementation phase for situational problem-solving with Shannon
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Products used:

Impact = data-based transparency on all relevant machine faults including localization and prioritization

Shannon® at ebm-papst St. Georgen

  • Automated production line for assembling mechatronic automotive components with 14 stations and 15 controllers
  • Real-time Fault Detection via Shannon Smartphones for Line Operators​
  • Real-time notifications regarding material needs for frontline logistics staff via Shannon @ Smartwatches
Learn more
Products used:

Detailed analysis at station level -> Reduction in cycle time

Shannon® at Schott Schweiz AG

  • Fully automated production line for syringes (GMP-compliant medical environment)
  • Shorter wait times to see specialists for more complicated problems
  • Transparency about the frequency of problems and solutions used, e.g. to measure the effectiveness of remedial measures for recurring faults
Learn more
Products used:

Impact = 6%. more OEE and reduction of productivity variation by 30%.

Contact now

  • Personal Product Presentation with Live Demo
  • Initial Assessment of Your Use Case
  • Help with Calculating Your ROI
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FAQ

Do you have questions? We have answers.

And if you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us.

How is expert knowledge about machine behavior and the typical causes of certain events integrated into the Shannon® app?

The knowledge and experience of employees (maintenance, operators, process experts, etc.) is collected "on the fly" via smartphone/smartwatch/tablet in order to link their expert knowledge as new solutions for dedicated problems. In this way, solutions can be suggested when the relevant cause occurs. Operators can add text, images with markers or short videos to the solution via the smartphone or smartwatch.

Can I combine the plus10 tools with my existing MES or ERP system?

The plus10 software tools offer bidirectional interfaces, either by sharing a database or through native protocols with adjacent IT systems. For example, we can continuously exchange calculated KPIs on performance and root causes and update your planned, actual, and target figures in real time and objectively. Your production planning and control become significantly more precise thanks to feedback from Darwin, Hopper, and Shannon®.

We currently support various PLC/NC types. Find out here about the controllers we support or ask us about compatibility with your MES/ERP system.

On which end devices is Shannon® available?

Shannon® is available for the following devices and operating systems:

  • Android smartphones via Google Playstore
  • iOS smartphones or iPods via App Store
  • Apple Watch (watchOS) via App Store
  • Web browser

The Shannon® app can either be downloaded to individual devices or centrally managed via mobile device management (MDM).

How does the data acquisition work?

plus10 collects the data directly from all integrated machine controllers (PLC, NC), robot controllers (RC), etc. of a production machine or from all controllers integrated in a production line. To do this, we use our plus10 DataCollector to acquire high frequency data from all PLCs, NC and/or RC involved. So far we can collect high frequency machine data with different manufacturer specific PLC protocols and we are continuously adding more controllers. Find out more about the controllers we support here or ask us about compatibility with your specific controller type.

If you already have a powerful IT infrastructure installed in your factory, we also offer the connection to your middleware.

What data is used by the software tools?

Basically plus10 collects and processes all data of the machine control (PLC) of the production machines or the production line in high frequency. The high sampling rate (we are talking about milliseconds) is necessary to detect and assign the causes of problems and not only their consequences. In some cases the RC and NC data of e.g. handling robots are additionally required. In the standard case, no additional sensors or cameras need to be installed.

What are the requirements for the IT infrastructure in production? Do I need to set up a cloud environment in my production network?

The plus10 software tools are flexible in terms of IT infrastructure. Data acquisition and preprocessing run continuously on-premises, for example, on an industrial edge device or a virtual machine within the machine control network. For the next processing step, plus10 adapts to your preferred solution: We can provide a cloud environment for our software tools, or they can run on a virtual machine on-premises in your existing in-house data center. Both options are possible, and we have experience with both.

Where can Shannon®, Hopper or Darwin be installed?

Shannon®, Hopper and Darwin are available as software-as-a-service and hosted on Microsoft Azure in a plus10 subscription. In addition, our software can be run in a customized cloud infrastructure or as an on-premise solution.

Apps for Shannon® are available for Android and iOS (incl. watchOS).

Is support for international production sites included?

Our annual license fee includes standard support and software updates to the latest version of the ordered software service(s). With a plus10 software license for Darwin, Hopper, or Shannon®, we guarantee you the latest, most efficient, and most user-friendly version of our optimization software. We provide support worldwide for production facilities where our software tools are installed.

Can the initial installation and configuration be done remotely or is an on-site visit to the factory floor required?

This depends on the type of machine controller (PLC) and the existing IT infrastructure. If connectivity to all PLCs exists and you provide the computing infrastructure (either as a local virtual machine or a dedicated server), installation and configuration can be done remotely. In this case, operator training on Shannon®, Hopper or Darwin is still performed on-site, but can be virtualized as video training, even in the case of pandemic closures or access restrictions.

What are the economic requirements for using Shannon®, Darwin and Hopper?

All plus10 software tools are designed to manage the high level of complexity in production during multi-shift operations.

Depending on your needs, you can select an appropriate plus10 tool to address your specific production problems:

  • Shannon® helps you resolve malfunctions and technical failures, thereby optimizing technical availability.
  • Darwin continuously detects performance optimization potential during operation - either in interlinked and automated process chains or for at least 6 identical individual machines. These machines or production lines can also be located in different plants around the world.
  • Hopper lowers your scrap rate in combination with cycle time. This means Hopper helps to reduce high scrap rates or conformity costs and thus optimizes quality.
What are the technical requirements for using Shannon®, Darwin and Hopper?

All plus10 software tools can only be used on fully automated production machines or production/assembly lines, as automatic data input from each process step is required. Operators typically perform logistical and support tasks, such as loading or unloading materials, as well as conducting statistical process controls and troubleshooting in the event of problems.