Siemens starts remote services for automation

Simatic Remote Support Services are available at three service levels, ranging from reactive troubleshooting to full analyses and adjustments by an assigned contact and on to preventive inspection services. Siemens makes the point that on distributed plants, or plants scattered over a wide area, service tasks generate high maintenance and repair costs. It is also increasingly difficult for plants to provide experts on-site for their automation systems. The company also suggests that remote access – via the Internet or by mobile wireless communication – is in many cases more cost effective, faster and more flexible than an on-site service. The new approach is based on Siemens Remote Service (SRS), a secure and remote platform already used in medical engineering and the energy sector. This platform is certified with ISO/IEC 27001 and uses field-proven security.