“We are going through an industrial renaissance, an industrial change, faster than we’ve done before. iPhones and iPads give us a real opportunity to make even more change going forward.”
Tom Johnstone, SKF CEO
The Connectivity Room. Where great ideas transform into great apps.
SKF deployed a dedicated team of innovators, called The Connectivity Room, to build iOS apps that transform how work gets done — on the factory floor, by mobile sales and service teams, and by enterprise customers who rely on SKF’s products.
“With iOS, we can bring an app from concept to realization and put it into practice in a much shorter time than ever before.”
Christoffer Malm, Head of The Connectivity Room, SKF
The Connectivity Room was created to operate outside the org chart for speed and efficiency. But team members work closely with IT and individual lines of business to create tailored apps for factory operators and customer-facing teams in marketing, sales, and services. The results: more than 30 custom apps that streamline workflows, tap into complex legacy systems, and provide instant access to critical corporate data from anywhere in the world.
The apps take advantage of the best features of iPhone and iPad. A virtual-reality app uses the camera to identify a factory machine and trigger a 3D overlay of the SKF parts it contains. Location-based services enable SKF to automate processes. With the release of Swift, The Connectivity Room has begun writing mission‑critical apps in this new programming language. And new features like Touch ID give its critical in‑house apps even more security and ease of use.
Custom in-house apps.
Everyday operations go mobile.
SKF’s custom apps make factories run more efficiently, sales more seamless, and service calls more productive. An emphasis on good design and continuous feedback from users allows the company to continually improve the app experience.
iPhone and iPad connect operators and machines.
The MOST app gives factory operators real-time connectivity to some of SKF’s factory production lines. The app taps into the back-end systems running the machinery, and gives operators key data in a simple, elegant interface. Using MOST, operators can communicate with managers and each other through secure chat, update maintenance logs, and track products in real time as they make their way through the factory line.
Data collection, direct to iPad.
Shaft Align is a sensor-driven app used by SKF service teams and customers in the field. The app connects via Bluetooth sensors to a motor-driven fan, for example, to ensure the drive shaft is running in proper alignment. If not, the app generates step-by-step instructions — complete with a 3D rendering — to outline the process of manually aligning the motor. Then it checks the work and generates a report.
Instant access to the SKF global knowledge base.
SKF’s Shelf app gives sales engineers and customers on-demand access to more than 5000 pieces of product literature, catalogs, product specs, and interactive marketing materials. Users always have the most up-to-date information, and can download files for offline viewing. The app enables sales teams to create custom “shelves” to organize, annotate, and share materials with customers right from iPhone or iPad.
Engineering calculators help find the right products.
SKF offers thousands of bearings and related products and solutions for dozens of industries. So finding the right product for a specific task means sifting through a vast product database. The SKF Bearings Calculator is one of several custom apps that uses engineering calculations to determine the right SKF products for the application.
More apps from SKF.
Empowered employees. iPad brings critical data into the field.
SKF employees have instant access to critical business data where they need it, when they need it. Having the right tools frees up employees to focus on doing great work.
“In the past, after making a big sales call, I had a laundry list of things I had to do, things I had to follow up on. But now, with iPad, I'm taking care of those things while in front of the customer.”
Kurt Kohler, SKF Sales Engineer
SKF auditors perform roughly 60 audits per year — and each audit used to take more than a month to complete. With the SKF Data Collect app, auditors can collect data using iPad and present customers with detailed reports instantly.
Thanks to iPhone, iPad, and the SKF Shelf app, the company’s 3500 sales engineers save as much as 25 minutes each day on processes and paperwork, giving them more time in the field support customers. That time saved is equivalent to 200 more sales engineers in the field.