Festo’s digital maintenance software, AX Smartenance, is transforming the way Herrenknecht tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are serviced on the High Speed Two (HS2) project — the UK’s ambitious rail link between London and the Midlands.
Seven Herrenknecht TBMs, some measuring up to 150 meters long and 17 meters in diameter, are carving through the ground to create HS2’s tunnels. These giant machines, packed with hydraulic and electrical systems, face enormous mechanical stress. Regular, precise maintenance is critical to keep operations on track, but until recently, downtime and cumbersome paper documentation were major obstacles.
“Maintenance work often resulted in excessively long and expensive downtimes, and paper documentation was slow, laborious, and complex,” explained Maximilian Vollmer, System Engineer IoT at Herrenknecht. “We could not be satisfied with this and therefore looked for digital solutions that would optimally support our customers in maintenance and repair management.”
Digital Maintenance in Action
During its search, Herrenknecht adopted AX Smartenance, Festo’s cloud-based CMMS (computerized maintenance management system). The platform enables fully digital, paperless maintenance scheduling and tracking. Tasks can be created, duplicated, and evaluated with ease — helping operators respond to issues faster.
Crucially, Festo integrated AX Smartenance directly into Herrenknecht.Connected, the company’s digital portal. This platform provides construction teams with real-time insights into everything from tunnel boring machines to water treatment plants. Web-based dashboards and analysis tools deliver data straight to machine operators’ cockpit displays, ensuring project managers can monitor operations remotely and in real time.
Tangible Benefits
Since implementation, AX Smartenance has:
- Reduced downtime by streamlining maintenance planning.
- Cut costs through faster responses and more efficient repairs.
- Improved collaboration between on-site teams and project managers.
- Centralized documentation, giving technicians instant access to schematics and drawings.
For Herrenknecht, the software also opens new opportunities in software-as-a-service business models, while providing richer insights into machine health and enabling remote support.
On site, the feedback has been positive. “Maintenance technicians and mechanics on the machine also benefit from AX Smartenance,” said Carlos Plata from Herrenknecht Field Service. “Teams can now process, report, and track tasks directly via the CMMS. With all relevant documents in one place, the work is much easier — and productivity increases.”
Smarter Tunnelling Ahead
By combining Festo’s AX Smartenance with Herrenknecht’s digital portal, HS2’s tunnelling operations are now supported by a robust, data-driven maintenance strategy. The result is higher reliability, lower costs, and greater efficiency — essential factors in one of Europe’s largest and most complex infrastructure projects.
