IDA Universal

Dale Tutt: I love that comment about not being digital just to be digital and really looking at how it's helping benefit the business. Many of the topics you've talked about, like new business models, are driving business transformation. Even if they're not looking at new business models, there's still a demand to go faster, increase the velocity of processes, and innovate to address sustainability challenges like pesticide use and soil tillage. Digital transformation helps companies transition their business models to adapt more quickly in an ever-changing en- vironment. Companies are trying to solve business challenges and go faster. Many are finding value in the comprehensive digital twin, understanding product perfor- mance, operations, and manufac- turing. Connecting these func- tions within the company, from engineering to manufacturing and service, allows for automation. With the foundation of the digital twin and digital thread, compa- nies can apply new technologies like AI more effectively. Digital transformation is imperative for companies to survive and thrive, moving faster and adapting to new business models. Let's talk about how digital automating processes, elimi- nating non-value-added tasks, and leveraging technologies like design exploration. Every- one has different priorities on the digital enterprise journey, but it's a top priority in engi- neering, manufacturing, and service. The service business offers new possibilities for continuous revenue streams, and this is top of mind for everyone in agriculture and heavy equipment. Trends and Tidbits Continued from page 23 transformation comes into play in maintenance and servicing of equipment. You mentioned engineering and manufacturing, but time lost to a malfunctioning piece of equipment can be very costly. Companies need to get into the field when the weather allows. If it's too muddy, they can't go in, and the last thing they need is equipment not working during those critical days. Are companies using digital tools to prevent downtimes or limit them when things break? What are you seeing in this area, Hendrik? Hendrik Lange: Unplanned downtime is a no-go in our indus- try. New digital technologies en- able heavy equipment manufac- turers to be much closer to their machines in the field. We see dig- ital platforms transforming heavy equipment manufacturers into solution partners rather than just machine vendors. is change is important commercially because margins are low with original equipment sales. A digital plat- form in maintenance and service provides steady revenue, which is crucial in a typically cyclic busi- ness. Being closer to end users and serving them well protects their brand. ere's a huge dealer network in many countries, and it coexists with this transformation. e question is how manufactur- ers can differentiate themselves and provide additional value to end customers, maximizing uptime, reducing total cost of ownership, and increasing pro- ductivity throughout the equip- ment's lifecycle. Heavy equipment OEMs have an advantage over the dealer network by creating specific service information down to the serial number and cou- pling it with the creation process and design definition. ey get a lot of information from the field, which circles back into the upfront process, helping define the next generation of machines based on real use cases. is precise definition of spare parts, service needs, and support for equipment in the field is unique and not something a dealer can do. is feedback loop offers new possibilities, improves the product, provides new reve- nue streams, and gives the end customer a better total cost of ownership. is is a huge topic for everyone and for very good reasons. As you talked about solution providers, not machine ven- dors, it highlights the change in the business model. Agriculture as a service really changes the equation. Being able to take all this information and feed it back into your process, having the digital twin, and the abili- ty to look at that information and turn it into useful insights allows you to make changes. Another hot topic we're seeing in other industries is over-the- air updates. With soware-de- fined products, you can update the soware and provide more capability in the future. In service and maintenance in agriculture and heavy equip- ment, much like in automotive and aerospace, and even in smartphones and electron- ics, you're constantly getting updates and more functionality without changing the physical product, but by changing the soware. Solutions that analyze changes in soil conditions or field conditions, or when using pesticides, can be updated over time to become more efficient. Early releases might signifi- cantly reduce pesticide use, but over time, you can continue to reduce the amount of pesticide used. It's exciting what can be done, but you need the foun- dation of digital tools and the Story continued on pg 28 IDA Universal Aug - Sept 2025 24

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