MTS helps research institute boost operational efficiency

MTS Systems has completed the installation of the MTS Echo remote lab monitoring technology in the Civil Engineering Structural and Materials Laboratory at Rio de Janeiro’s Pontifícia Universidade Católica (PUC-Rio).

The University deployed MTS Echo Intelligent Lab to help improve lab efficiency. Under the supervision of Dr. Flavio de Andrade Silva, PUC-Rio contracts with many of Brazil’s foremost engineering companies to design and conduct a wide array of mechanical tests to better understand the performance and durability characteristics of construction materials, techniques, and structures. Now with the latest technology from MTS incorporated into the laboratory, the staff and students have far greater visibility to ongoing test system performance and overall system health. Authorised personnel can remotely access detailed information about their test systems from an Android or iOS compatible device (smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc.). The university is consequently able to maximise testing efficiency, and can preemptively identify equipment problems that could delay testing results.

Facing more demanding schedules, many modern test facilities are often expected to run around the clock, and unscheduled disruptions can affect multiple projects. Through the Echo Equipment Monitoring offering, MTS addresses the growing need to improve productivity by providing real-time remote access to test status and equipment performance data. In addition, the Echo Health Monitoring functionality helps extend test system service life, enabling early detection and remedy of potential issues before they damage equipment or interrupt tests.

“There is a longstanding and deep-rooted cooperative relationship between PUC-Rio and MTS. With the implementation of the Echo solution, we’re able to know what is happening in the lab even when we are not there, giving us the assurance that we are operating efficiently,” states Dr. Flavio de Andrade Silva of PUC-Rio’s Civil Engineering Department. “This solution helps us to manage lab operations and improve productivity.”    

“The ‘internet of things’ continues to grow, and MTS is at the forefront of applying this connectivity technology to the testing environment,” said Dr. Jeffrey Graves, MTS President and CEO. “MTS appreciates our customers’ need to access information about their tests – anytime, anywhere. With a real-time understanding of test status and equipment health, customers can better optimise their resources and improve their operations.”