Included in this role is maintaining the database of all machines, ensuring they are all connected and accurately reporting their operational and positional data, as well as keeping the local Komatsu service teams involved in the monitoring of machines in their regions.
Karl is well qualified for this role. Although he’s only been with Komatsu Australia since early July, he had 22 years as an air traffic controller with Britain’s Royal Air Force – the last nine years in Search and Rescue.
"In that job, we were constantly utilising satellite technology with locator beacons, both marine and aviation, and that’s certainly given me a good understanding of how the Komtrax technology works," he said.
"Komtrax is enormously powerful technology for both our customers and our service capabilities".
"On our service side, it’s allowing us to be far more pro-active in supporting our customers".
"Not only can we get a good idea as to how a machine’s performing – and alert owners by email or SMS immediately if there’s a potential problem – but we are able to ensure we have parts available as machine hours build up, or we can remind owners that their machine is due for a service," said Karl.
"And as machines move from one region to another, we’re able to keep tabs on it, and ensure that our support teams in other regions are properly equipped to provide the required levels of service, parts and support."
Another powerful capability of Komtrax is in machine security.
A concept known as "geofencing" allows a machine owner to notify Komatsu that a machine should not be operated outside a certain area. If it is, the next time it is shut down, it won’t be able to be restarted.
This capability also extends to making a machine inoperable outside certain hours – so for example, at night, vandals or joy riders can’t make off with a machine.
"Owners can also monitor unauthorised use of a machine; for example if an employee’s using it to do some extra work that he shouldn’t be – or in the case of a plant hire machine, ensuring it’s not being used for additional hours," Karl said.
"My role is to assist owners with setting up these capabilities, so they have total control over what a machine is doing, and when.
"And if a machine is ever stolen, the on-board GPS will eventually let us know where it is – plus we are able to disable it so it can’t be operated without our authorisation."
Karl said that owners are finding ever-more uses for the Komtrax technology in monitoring and looking after their equipment.
"It also helps identify operator abuse, or poor practices; for example, operating an excavator on full power mode when it’s only doing light work, or if the machine’s being overloaded, or even if it’s being operated unsafely.
"For all our subscribers, we send out monthly summary reports on each Komtrax machine – and 90% of the information in those reports is available for viewing online at any time.