August 1, 2005 -- A remote press diagnosis system from MAN Roland that automates key aspects of press repair and maintenance has won a 2005 InterTech Technology Award from PIA/GATF. Called TelePresence, the device works on all Printnet PECOM-equipped ROLAND presses, allowing a printer to notify MAN Roland of a service need without even picking up a telephone. The system will be demonstrated at PRINT 05 in September. “TelePresence does for press service and maintenance what our Printnet PECOM system does for press operation,” says Jon Surch, Vice President of MAN Roland's Sheetfed Service Operations. “It accelerates and streamlines the process. We salute the InterTech judges for recognizing how important that benefit is in increasing vital uptime for printers.” In operation, TelePresence functions as a trouble-shooting tool that enables MAN Roland's expert technicians to virtually examine and analyze any press that is experiencing technical difficulties through its Internet-based remote diagnostic tool. The innovation allows them to monitor the system's vital signs in real time and utilize troubleshooting programs. It also provides detailed error reports that map out the historical performance of the press, so technicians can determine how a problem evolved. Using that knowledge, the MAN Roland technician can direct the press crew, via telephone or private chat room, how to perform the necessary repairs. “This is a true 24/7 service,” said one TelePresence user who nominated the device for the award. An InterTech judge agreed: “This technology puts the remote diagnostician right in the pressroom, shoulder to shoulder, with the press operator.” TelePresence empowers the press operator to perform repairs with the assistance of MAN Roland remote support. As a result, downtime is reduced significantly and the time and expense of a traditional service call are eliminated. That boosts a plant's overall productivity. MAN Roland reports that over eighty percent of all support calls are successfully resolved through the TelePresence interface. That benefit was cited by PIA/GATF Executive Vice President and COO George Ryan in describing this year's batch of 17 InterTech winners out of a record 52 nominees. “Vendors have responded to the industry's emphasis on increasing throughput while improving productivity,” he said. Meanwhile, TelePresence is becoming a more powerful productivity enhancer. A maintenance function soon will be added to the software, providing in-depth operating statistics. It will ensure that routine maintenance is performed at precisely the intervals in which it is required, based on how the machine is actually used. The system also promotes more effective preventive maintenance, flagging when key components should be replaced before they adversely affect the performance of the press. TelePresence is also a pressroom performance analyzer. It is capable of operational status of every important assembly in the press, from feeder to delivery — over days, months or even years. Armed with that data, MAN Roland master technicians can provide performance analyses on any TelePresence-equipped press. TelePresence goes beyond the notion of remote diagnosis to automate support and service functions. That makes them an integral part of the workflow, always accessible through the press' Printnet PECOM operating system. The result: having TelePresence on-board is like having a factory-certified master technician stationed in the pressroom — 24/7.