IMC-2020 Presentation 27:48 Minutes

by Kay Murphy, IBM Global Partner

Across all industries and geographies, maintenance and IoT strategies range far and wide, and with varying levels of success. Some still have a significant reliance on calendar-based maintenance, which is costly and consumes precious labor hours. Others have been making progress with predictive analytics applied to IoT sensor data to gain insight into their equipment. But there is tremendous value in having a broad mindset of how to leverage what is in place today and integrate it with new sources of data, then drive that information routinely into the hands of engineers, planners, schedulers and technicians.

A comprehensive asset optimization strategy will map how data needs to transform and flow intelligently through the various component systems to get to where it is needed. That strategy should take into account the existing investments made in tools like plant historians, gateways, sensors, predictive maintenance/analytics and EAM systems. The goal is not necessarily to replace all of these systems, but to complement them with intelligent workflows that can incorporate advanced technology, like AI and Automation, to drive efficiency and agility. By doing this, organizations create rivers of information that flow to the people that need it in ways that are meaningful and actionable.

By developing a strategic roadmap, we can identify gaps where additional capabilities need to be added, upgraded or integrated. A project plan to address the gaps and drive the flow of data can then be developed that aligns to the budget and priorities of the maintenance organization. In this way, OT can influence and leverage the capabilities of IT for the benefit of the broader enterprise.