Having the right information in the right place increases operational efficiency and saves energy and money.
In a rapidly-changing world, product development is indispensable. It allows companies to improve business profitability, ensure future growth, and enhance competitiveness. Oilon R&D steers the company towards wider know-how, improved technological capability, and better products – towards the best possible sustainable energy technology.
The goal of product development is to manage and improve new and existing products and our core competence through inventions and innovations. We are constantly mapping out development needs from various sources. Our efforts focus on customer needs, new technologies, and research as well as market and regulatory requirements.
The key areas in our product development are energy efficiency, the environment, usability, product appearance as well as production and maintenance considerations. Our R&D activities are handled by Oilon Technology Oy, a firm within the Oilon group.
Oilon products are developed in close co-operation with experts from different stakeholder groups. A big part of our development process is computer-assisted simulation and digital twin modeling, which allows our specialists to optimize the properties of products and systems before extensive prototyping and testing.
With these methods, we can optimize our products and create the best possible service solutions. The bulk of our experimental work takes place in our product development center in Lahti, Finland, and at separate test stations in our production plants. These facilities are equipped with precise measurement systems for verifying product properties, such as the heating or cooling provided as well as other properties such as emissions, power consumption, and noise and vibration levels. Factory testing is a major contributor to product development, as each product delivered to a customer undergoes a strict inspection and test process at the factory.
An important part of our R&D is the development of digital solutions: digital tools, IoT systems, automation, and user-friendly user interfaces. The majority of our digital development is handled in house by our own experts. A good example is Oilon Selection Tool, which allows users to set up a correctly-sized overall system already at the planning stage. The application covers Oilon’s entire range of burner, industrial heat pump, and ground source heat pump products.
IoT solutions provide remote monitoring and management capabilities
For years now, IoT-based solutions have been a key area in Oilon’s product development. Already today, the majority of heat pumps delivered by Oilon are IoT-enabled. Our customers have the option to monitor and manage devices over a remote connection and generate reports covering device utilization, energy output, and the cost savings generated. We are currently working on similar systems for burners as well as AI based solutions that would automatically assess equipment performance, supporting both optimization and preventive maintenance.
What are IoT, OGM, and OST?
IoT, or, Internet of Things, refers to automatic data transfer and remote control of devices over the internet.
OGM, or, Oilon Global Monitor, is a service that allows users to monitor and manage heating and cooling equipment and systems connected to a data network through the cloud.
OST, or, Oilon selection Tool, is a calculation application that allows users to select an optimal product and its accessories from Oilon’s extensive selection of burners and heat pumps.
The Oilon Global Monitor service monitors system operation
Oilon Global Monitor (OGM) is an IoT service intended for performance optimization and smart monitoring of equipment condition. Advanced reporting and real-time monitoring support preventive maintenance, improving the reliability and performance of Oilon products.
Better energy efficiency and lower emissions
Poorly-functioning devices are easy to identify, making it easy to diagnose the cause of performance drops and determine how to fix the problem.
Better overview of operational data
When the right people get the right information in real time, it is easier to make the right decisions.
Smooth service and lower maintenance costs
In preventive maintenance, maintenance schedules are no longer based on historical data; instead, maintenance needs are determined based on data analysis and smart indicators.
Fewer outages
Analyzed data and smart indicators protect against unplanned outages. Indicators allow users to identify problems immediately after there is a performance drop, allowing the problem to be solved quickly and minimizing potential downtime.
Appropriate data analysis provides real-time information about the product’s true quality and provides suggestions to improve performance.
“OGM, OST, and IoT are at the heart of Oilon research and development,” says Juha Aaltola, Oilon’s R&D director for heat pumps.
Download Oilon Selection Tool here.