Plant & Works Engineering November 2022

16 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk November 2022 Maintenance Matters Focus on: Maintenance 4.0 A rtificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) are fundamentally redesigning the manufacturing landscape by equipping manufacturers to reassess their current processes and build long-term competitive advantages that enables them to adapt to current and future challenges. When considering potential areas for operational improvement and productive efficiency gains, manufacturers shouldn’t underestimate the impact of their machinery and internal equipment – particularly with regards to maintenance and malfunctions. Not only does infrequent routine maintenance and the inability to put operations back online cause an immediate and frustrating end to productivity, but it also creates time- consuming and costly delays that create the potential for competitors to bypass the manufacturer in question. With the technicians and repairmen that are tasked with fixing machinery faults often being The manufacturing industry is facing a plethora of external challenges: supply chain disruptions, labour shortages and vast globalisation are amongst those at the top of many lists. Against the backdrop of vast international competition, these external factors have undoubtedly created heightened pressures for manufacturers to outperform their counterparts. Colin Crow, managing director of Nexer UK, reports. Manufacturing field service productivity: could AI and AR be the solution? told the incorrect factory location, being relocated from one site to another and attending sites without cause, manufacturers should look to implement the concept of connected field service as a solution to these damaging inconsistencies. Connected field service Connected field service is powered by the Internet of Things and the cloud. When manufacturers choose to utilise the benefits of this technology, connected devices send information directly to the service providers about the live condition of machinery and equipment. As a result, technicians are able to determine any potential repair requirements without the manufacturer needing to have made contact. The benefits of AI and AR Time-efficient repairs Usually, when a technician arrives on site to conduct the relevant machinery repairs, they must use outdated, jargon-heavy manuals to infer the necessary information to correctly identify the issue. After returning to the depot, attempting to locate the essential parts, collecting the equipment, and returning to the client site to begin completing the repair work, a vast amount of valuable time has been wasted – even then, the technician may have to revisit the site to finish the work if parts were unavailable. For a process that could take days – even weeks – to resolve, these inefficiencies could create a damaging impact for manufacturers. Competitive advantages are paramount, and that’s where AI thrives. The unlimited access to machine details and data shared between connected devices enables field workers to systematically prepare for the necessary course of action prior to arrival, providing a welcome exchange to the usually delayed process. What is predictive maintenance? In practice, connected equipment will be fitted