# Remote Technologies as Common Practice in Industrial Maintenance: What Do Experts Say?
## 4 Results
### Category System
#### 4.1.2 Category 2--Performance Requirements  
This category describes, with the help of five subcategories, the necessary performance requirements on the aspects of technology and methodology, digital competence, demographics, personnel development as well as communication skills needed by employees in the maintenance process via remote maintenance. * Subcategory 2.1 _Technical and Methodological Competence_ describes all statements on required expertise on maintenance, processes and concrete machines. From the core statements of the category, the following can be summarised: Machine operators are not sufficiently qualified to carry out service, inspection or repairs on their own due to their existing work tasks. Technical expertise or special training is required to carry out these various maintenance tasks. Machine operators are only able to perform sub-tasks with low complexity, such as localisation of a malfunction in the superficial machine area. In order to be able to transfer tasks from the different areas of maintenance by means of remote technologies, it must be checked individually whether these can be carried out without further special knowledge available on site (Interview H), for example by classifying the tasks according to difficulty levels (Interview G). * Subcategory 2.2 _Digital Competence_ contains statements about required technical knowledge and confidence in the use of remote technologies. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l l} \hline \hline
**Main Category** & **Subcategory** \\ \hline
**C1** & Physical Safety \\ \hline
**C2** & Performance Requirements & **C2a** Technical and Methodological Competence \\ \cline{2-3}  & **C2b** Digital Competence \\ \cline{2-3}  & **C2c** Demography and Technology \\ \cline{2-3}  & **C2d** Human Resource Development \\ \cline{2-3}  & **C2e** Communication Skills \\ \hline
**C3** & Employee Acceptance (trust/scepticism) \\ \hline
**C4** & IT Infrastructure \\ \hline
**C5** & Remote Technologies \\ \hline
**C6** & IT Security \\ \hline
**C7** & Organisation and framework conditions & **C7a** Customer Dependency \\ \cline{2-3}  & **C7b** Sustainability \\ \hline
**C8** & Costs/Benefits \\ \hline
**C9** & Potential use cases \\ \hline
**C10** & Remaining Category \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 1: Category System. Machine operators need to have the ability to set up the remote-technologies as well as the necessary software and secure connection as a basis for successful remote support. The correct handling and operation of the hardware is a challenge for the efficient use of new technologies (Interview A). In the Future, this will have a higher relevance for new positions in smart manufacturing (Interview F). * Subcategory 2.3 _Demography and Technology_, states all statements related to the use of technology or technical affinity and age. Acceptance of new technologies and process changes is more common among the younger generation of employees (Interview B), moreover, younger employees adapt to new technologies more quickly. Their ability to learn how to use technologies is also higher than that of older employees. * Subcategory 2.4 _Human Resources Development_ includes all statements related to needed training and education of employees due to the use of remote technologies. When introducing new technologies, training is urgently needed so that employees understand the new processes in detail and work safety can be guaranteed. With additional training and education as well as individual case assessment, machine operators could take over simple maintenance tasks (Interview G). The use of data glasses and AR technologies alone requires extensive training and practice (Interview G). It is assumed that due to the increase in automation in manufacturing, there will be fewer machine operators on site in the future. The demands on the remaining workers will therefore be higher in the future and further qualification in the area of maintenance and technology will be necessary (Interview F).