Optimizing Industrial Operations: An In-Depth Exploration of Predictive Maintenance Strategies
Key Takeaways:
- Predictive maintenance can spot problems faster, so they can be addressed proactively
- Lower maintenance costs, reduced downtime and improved efficiency all boost the bottom line
- Clearly measurable ROI can help encourage stakeholder and workforce buy-in
- New technologies like AI are further expanding the potential for major gains
Predictive maintenance is changing the face of manufacturing and heavy industry all over the world. By using data analysis, and the help of artificial intelligence, businesses are able to spot potential defects, anomalies and problems before they occur, and take proactive measures in response.
As a result, these organizations can make their products - and their production - more reliable, efficient and cost-effective, with uptime maximized constantly. The evolution from reactive to predictive approaches represents a fundamental shift in how organizations approach equipment reliability and operational continuity. All of this makes a real difference to the bottom line, at a time when global competition in industry is fiercer than ever.
Amazon research has found that investment into predictive maintenance is increasing by 30% year-on-year. But how can you be sure your investment is right for your specific needs? This blog explores the best predictive maintenance strategies to explore.
Key Components of Effective Predictive Maintenance
First of all, it’s important to understand how predictive maintenance works in industrial operations optimization. Typically, many organizations will deploy it in three areas:
Implementation Challenges and Solutions
The benefits of making maintenance proactive and predictive are clear. But making it happen is often easier said than done, especially for organizations that already have long-standing maintenance strategies in place.
From our experience supporting manufacturers like you with their digital transformation, three common challenges arise:
Siloed Data
Often, data is tied to specific functions or lines of business, and isn’t made available for use elsewhere. This prevents the generation of the holistic, contextual insights that can inform predictive maintenance strategies.
Incompatible Legacy Systems
Existing systems often can’t be matched up with the smooth data flows, integrations and up-to-date infrastructure that predictive maintenance strategies demand. Gaining this compatibility can be complicated, time-consuming and expensive.
Resistance to Change
If the workforce has become used to maintenance strategies over a number of years, and they feel they work well, then they may struggle to buy into the idea of predictive maintenance. This may take training and education to resolve, and to reassure employees that the adoption of new technologies will not put their jobs at risk.
Measuring Success and ROI of Predictive Maintenance Strategies
Translating the level of success that predictive maintenance delivers is important to justifying the investment. Of course, what success looks like can vary substantially, according to the priorities of each manufacturer. Key metrics to track can include:
- Downtime Reduction: The decrease in unplanned downtime, which can either be measured in hours, or as a percentage of the reduction compared to pre-predictive maintenance levels. Research has found that downtime reductions of up to 50% are achievable through predictive maintenance.
- Cost Savings: The same research also placed the potential reduction in maintenance costs at up to 40%. Cost reduction in manufacturing through predictive maintenance can help reduce bills for emergency repairs, spare parts, and unplanned labor sourced at short notice.
- Efficiency Improvements: Both the increase in equipment uptime and the reduction of time spent on maintenance can be tracked as efficiency improvements. This has the knock-on effect of improving resource allocation, reducing waste and maximizing productivity.
Calculating the level of ROI means taking the initial investment into predictive maintenance (including technology, implementation, training and support), and comparing them to the total of cost savings, reduced downtime, reduced labor, extended equipment lifecycles, improved productivity, and better health and safety compliance.
Ciklum's Approach to Predictive Maintenance
At Ciklum, we’ve worked with countless manufacturers and heavy industry businesses just like yours. We’ve helped them navigate the key challenges and implemented predictive maintenance strategies with strong, measurable ROI that serves their specific operations. We do this through the winning combination of:
Assessment and Digital Readiness Evaluation
Our comprehensive infrastructure assessments identify existing sensor networks, storage capabilities and data collection methods to identify areas of improvement. We can work closely with your subject matter experts, and tailor the evaluation process to your unique challenges and requirements.
Custom Solution Architecture
We then apply that understanding to design predictive maintenance solutions and strategies, leveraging advanced analytics and machine learning models that integrate seamlessly with legacy systems. The end result is a flexible, modular design that can scale alongside your operations, so that you can expand your predictive capabilities in the long-term.
In Summary: The Future in Predictive Maintenance
The possibilities of predictive maintenance will only continue to grow in the months and years ahead. New developments in the pipeline include:
AI-Powered Autonomous Maintenance
Algorithms that can not only predict failures, but automatically take action to resolve issues without the need for human intervention or downtime.
Digital Twin Integration
Simulation of potential failures in a virtual environment to prove the viability of maintenance plans.
Extended Reality
Using augmented and virtual reality to equip technicians with visual guidance, remote assistance and performance data, in situ and in real time.
Such is the transformative potential of predictive maintenance that there’s no time to lose in getting started, if you haven’t done so already. By partnering with Ciklum, we can help you assess your current maintenance position, pinpoint ideal candidates for pilot projects, expertly implement predictive maintenance strategies, and gradually expand roll-out to achieve employee buy-in. This approach ensures that industrial efficiency continues to improve as your predictive maintenance capabilities mature.
To find out more on our tailored, flexible approach to predictive maintenance strategies, get in touch with the Ciklum team today.
You may also like
Subscribe to receive our exclusive newsletter with the latest news and trends
Subscribe to receive our exclusive newsletter with the latest news and trends
Want to reach out directly to us?
hello@ciklum.com
© Ciklum 2002-2023. All rights reserved