Page 13 - Automated 14 - Maintenance matters

MAINTENANCE MATTERS
This plan can then be used alongside the budget to more resource-heavy, it does give plant managers
produce a realistic maintenance plan, including what level of preventative maintenance can be employed. For some manufacturers, this will mean regular equipment checks, such as once a month for a section of plant, or daily for more volatile machinery.
“The first step a plant manager should take when implementing any preventative maintenance schedule is to gather as much data as possible”
Data
If true predictive maintenance is chosen, data such as temperature, pressure and vibration is collected by sensors and will be continually integrated, stored and analysed. The next question for them is how to make the most of these valuable, but large, data sets.
Once the data has been collected, the next step to make the most of its potential is to begin analysis. One popular option for data analysis is a cloud analytics service. Here, raw data is transmitted to the cloud, where it can both be stored and analysed for trends that can predict an event including a breakdown. Many services also incorporate an alert system and warnings of impending breakdowns can be sent via a web portal, app, e-mail or text message to relevant personnel.
Other manufacturers, perhaps concerned about cybersecurity, the long-term stability of data stored in the cloud, or lag between data collection and analysis, will choose to undertake the analysis of raw data in-house. Although this is often significantly
complete control over their data.
Obsolescence
Regardless of which system is implemented, predictive maintenance can be used to manage obsolescence, in addition to reducing downtime and improving process efficiency.
This means parts can be ordered at the correct time to suit the maintenance schedule. Traditionally, manufacturers would have to keep a stock of parts that may need replacing, which take up valuable space on the plant floor that can instead be used for operations. Spare parts can also be bulky and produce a health and safety hazard, including trip or fire hazards, if stored on the plant floor.
Instead, manufacturers can choose to order in replacement parts only when necessary, maximising the space and resources they have available to them. With suppliers such as EU Automation able to ship obsolescent parts worldwide within 24 hours, there is now no need to store parts on site, or to suffer extended periods of downtime waitingfor them to arrive.
Preventative maintenance is essential for manufacturers to reduce downtime and the vast amounts of data now being produced by plants can be effectively used to for predictive maintenance. When predictive maintenance is employed, the data collected can also be used for other purposes, such as increasing process efficiency and ensuring replacement parts are ordered in plenty of time. Therefore, proper collection and analysis of this data is essential to maximise its potential and this will only become more important each year as the quantity of data increases.
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