Use Things Support
in Service Case

Use Things Support
in Service Case

Here we show you how, as a machine operator, you can use Things Support to handle a service case together with the machine manufacturer's service technician via remote maintenance.

Necessary requirements

Ready for Operation

The machine and the gateway must be switched on and ready for operation.

Machines by Bole

The Things app Things Support is currently only available for Bole machines. Would you also like to use remote maintenance for your machine? Then contact your manufacturer. They can activate it for you.

Installed Gateway

The Hilscher Compact Edge Gateway must be installed.

Necessary requirements

Things OS License

You need a valid Things OS license. Order your Try and Buy package if you don't have one yet.

Active OPC UA Server

Make sure that your machine has a valid OPC UA server license and that the OPC UA server is installed on the machine. If this has not yet been done, please speak to your manufacturer.

Machines by Bole

If you have purchased a BOLE machine that was delivered outside of China in January 2024 or later, the Things OS license is included free of charge as standard ex works. You only need to activate it here. The OPC UA server license and the installation of the OPC UA server are also included free of charge. Talk to your BOLE support if the installation is still outstanding.

Powering the Gateway

Provide a power supply for the gateway: +8 ... +36 V DC IN, typically +24 V DC.

01

Start remote maintenance Things Support

If you, as the machine operator, have a problem with your machine, call your machine manufacturer's service technician. He will then launch Things Support on his side and initiate the VPN activation (click on "Activate VPN").

As a machine operator, please provide your machine's serial number to the service technician over the phone. He will then enter it into Things Support for authentication purpose.

02

Secure establishment of the VPN connection

The service technician now initiates the TCP handshake with a click on "Start TCP" to establish a secure connection for remote support.

As the machine operator, you will now be asked for the hostname (IP address) of your machine by phone. You can find this in the machine's HMI under the machine settings.

Please deactivate the checkbox under “Cloud Server Connection” and “Change control IP” if the checkmark is set.

If your hostname matches the one your service technician has, you can click "Connect" on your machine's control panel. The service technician will then receive a corresponding response on their side and he clicks on "Start VNC" to initiate the secure remote connection.

Your displayed hostname does not match the information provided by the service technician?

Gateway power consumption

Is the LAN port of your machine already in use?

Finally, as machine operator, please click on "Confirm VNC" to allow remote access. Only then will the full connection be established. The HMI screen will be mirrored to the service technician, and he can assist you in solving your problem.

For security reasons, the connection will be disconnected after a maximum of 1 hour.

As soon as you, the machine operator, click "Disconnect" on the HMI, the VPN connection - and therefore the remote maintenance session - is securely terminated. No further external access is possible afterward.