Member Spotlight: WPR Services

July’s member spotlight is WPR Services, a member of the IoT Lab since 2018 and founded in 2016 by Chris Harris. They specialize in data gathering and analytics to empower business within manufacturing and Industry 4.0. Over the past few years, we have seen exciting growth for both WPR as a business with new offerings and Chris as CEO. Most recently, WPR services completed the gBeta accelerator through Gener8tor, as well as being selected to pitch at the Innovation Showcase through the Venture Club of Indiana. 

The latest innovation from WPR is their powTALK platform, which has been awarded a patent for the technology. powTALK is a scalable, patented platform designed for quick installation. It analyzes and responds to video, audio, machinery feedback, employee communications, and ambient conditions. This secure platform generates animated dashboards and databases, and delivers augmented reality data, aiming to enhance safety, increase productivity, and optimize maintenance activities in today’s digital landscape.

Enhancing manufacturing transparency can improve employee cohesion by identifying root causes and success factors. “Our products consist of hardware and software modules that are fully configured and installed, available as standalone components, or combined for enhanced performance with various monitoring levels,” Harris said.

“With many skilled technical employees retiring in the next five years, challenges arise as tribal knowledge and unique analytics leave the workforce. Now is the opportune moment for manufacturers to address these challenges with powTALK™. This platform leverages machine learning to offer a comprehensive manufacturing learning platform that facilitates prescriptive actions.”

WPR Services’ powTALK™ is indeed a significant innovation in the manufacturing industry, especially considering the substantial costs associated with machinery downtime, where costs can reach over $260,000 per hour in some cases. The platform’s ability to predict and react to unrecorded events through predictive maintenance aligns with the growing need for smarter, more proactive maintenance strategies.

Predictive maintenance is a proactive approach that utilizes data analysis and machine learning to predict potential equipment failures before they occur. This method can help manufacturers shift from the costly reactive maintenance model to a more cost-effective and efficient predictive model. By doing so, companies can potentially save a significant portion of the $50 billion lost to downtime each year.

Moreover, the integration of ergo-metrics and ambient condition monitoring ensures that the human aspect of manufacturing is not overlooked. This is crucial because the success of a manufacturing facility extends beyond machine performance to include the well-being and efficiency of frontline workers.

Get in touch with WPR and learn more about their services at www.wprservices.net