WANTS MORE TEST USERS

– We would like to have it tested to see whether it really works in everyday use. That is why we would like to offer all technicians free access, Sten Schroll of Aswo tells the trade magazine Elektronikkbransjen.

Euras is a technical knowledge database and repair platform from spare parts distributor Aswo. The system functions as a European network for service technicians in consumer electronics and white goods, providing access to repair tips, fault codes, documentation and the exchange of experience between thousands of technicians. The aim is to make troubleshooting faster and improve accuracy in repair work.

– Auras is a system that is around 40 years old and was widely used by radio/TV technicians in the past, where the technician could enter their model and specify what was wrong with the product. The system would then provide tips on how to repair it. In recent years, we have developed this and adapted it for white goods, says Schroll.

Testing in practice

According to Schroll, the system is particularly useful when the technician encounters products or faults they are not familiar with.

– You can enter the fault code to find out what needs to be replaced. It may also be that the product is behaving strangely and you do not quite know what to look for. The system will then tell you how to proceed, he says.

When the user enters the symptoms for a specific model, the system shows which components are statistically most often the cause of the fault.

– With Euras, you find the fault more quickly, because the system has access to more than one million fault-finding tips. When you enter the symptom, the system will tell you that in such-and-such a percentage of cases, this was the part that needed replacing. In a smaller percentage of cases, another component is the cause, says Schroll.

Built on experience

The database is populated both with information from manufacturers and experiences from technicians who use the system.

– This is also a form of self-help. The technicians help each other within the system and report back on what they have experienced. This enables us to compile statistics on which tips have been used, he says.

The ability to collect so much data is linked to Aswo's network of manufacturers and repairers throughout Europe.

– The combination is that we are connected to all manufacturers and, for the most part, also all repairers across Europe. This provides an enormous network that enables us to bring a great deal of information into the system, says Schroll.

Few in Norway

The system was originally established as a separate subsidiary under Aswo, but has now been incorporated into the company. Despite the extensive database, the system currently has very limited reach in Norway.

– We hope more people will realise that Euras can make them more efficient in their day-to-day work, says Schroll.