KHS has expanded the capabilities of ConnectApp Guide, a digital tool supporting beverage producers in machine servicing and maintenance. Available as a standalone application, the solution has been used since its launch in March 2024 to digitalize daily CILT tasks, routine activities related to cleaning, inspection, lubrication and tightening of components. Instead of previous Excel lists and PDF files, the app reminds personnel about required tasks and guides the user through the individual steps like a task manager. According to KHS, this is intended to support long-term line availability. The latest version of the application has been expanded with further functions designed to streamline maintenance management. These include the integration of bills of materials and dynamic maintenance intervals based on actual machine usage. The aim of these changes is to align service activities more closely with the actual level of system wear, which is expected to save time, conserve resources and optimize spare parts inventory management.
According to KHS, the further development of ConnectApp Guide is also intended to reduce total cost of ownership. The manufacturer points to less downtime, maintenance performed according to actual needs and more efficient operating processes. The company emphasizes that the solution is part of its holistic line concept, in which individual processes are coordinated with each other to ensure high system availability and optimize costs across the entire lifecycle of the installation. As Deniz Ulutürk, digital products manager at KHS, stated, "The app's intuitive operation received very positive ratings in our pilot projects. Beverage producers reported training periods being shortened by up to 80%."
Maintenance based on actual operation
One of the most important changes in the latest version of the app is the expanded approach to managing service tasks. Previously, the software scheduled maintenance activities based on time, setting fixed intervals, for example every two days or every two weeks, regardless of whether the machine was running at full capacity or remained idle. The new dynamic task function, by contrast, links maintenance to the actual number of operating hours. As Ulutürk explains, "Time-based planning has become the standard, yet demand-based management further optimizes this process considerably. If a machine is shut down for a week, components that wear only during operation do not need to be inspected unnecessarily." According to KHS, this approach is intended both to protect the system and reduce resource consumption.
From a technical perspective, the solution is based on the interaction of several system elements. New KHS machines leave the factory equipped with an edge device, a compact industrial computer that logs production data directly on the machine. This data is then transmitted to the system via the secure KHS ConnectApp Access cloud connection. ConnectApp Guide analyzes it in real time. When a defined operating hour threshold is reached, the relevant maintenance task automatically appears on the employee's mobile device and on the production manager's web platform. This is intended to enable precise coordination of maintenance activities across the entire line according to current demand, without overlooking any element of the production chain. Customers can also independently add third-party machines and equipment to the system.
Digital bill of materials database
The second new element of the app is the full integration of bills of materials uploaded at the factory directly to the machine. In this way, KHS combines digital task management with the technical "memory" of a specific machine. Customers receive lines preconfigured with a complete list of spare parts and the corresponding identification numbers.
As Ulutürk states, "By including bills of materials, we save customers from having to search for information themselves. Employees have access to complete and up-to-date service data at all times. This means fewer queries and a high, reproducible quality of execution." This solution is complemented by a direct link between the app and the KHS Connect shop. This makes it possible to identify required parts already during maintenance work and immediately flag them for purchase.
Right where it is needed, KHS ConnectApp Guide guides personnel through all maintenance tasks on mobile devices
