Meeting the future’s needs today

It’s no secret –– all operational managers are intensely aware of the urgent need for smarter efficiency.

As complexity increases across facilities of every size, ensuring long-term asset health and consistent cost savings requires forward-thinking maintenance and optimization strategies.

When it comes to meeting operational complexity head on, your facility’s data is your greatest ally. By transforming data into actionable insights, you can uncover opportunities for improvement, mitigate risk and create more sustainable processes.

Though many are wary of introducing more complexity into operations, the fact is that it’s never been easier to harness data that supports your expertise. Let’s look at three actionable ways data can help you identify efficiency gaps, operate more sustainably and minimize costs.

How can data help me prioritize maintenance actions?

By clearly communicating asset performance and identifying what needs most urgent attention.

Deep dive
Explore each asset’s diagnostics and prognostics and view condition indicators for relevant components e.g environmental, electrical, dielectric, mechanical and thermal.

Check condition labels
Diagnostic algorithms clearly designate each asset’s condition, labelling assets from ‘Very poor’ (mostly failed, urgent action required) to ‘Very good’.

Prioritize
Based on condition indications, you can efficiently assign maintenance where there is a higher probability of failure and criticality.

How can data help me predict faults?

By letting you combine historic information with real-time analytics.

Continuous condition monitoring
Sensors constantly monitor for the possible failure causes in your assets. It means you can track things like electro-mechanical performance in circuit breakers and monitor temperature/environmental parameters without having to regularly halt production.

Actionable insights
Used in combination with sensor data, analytics can highlight potential abnormal conditions before failure occurs, e.g. alerting operators if trends indicate temperature could rise above a safe threshold. Moving towards predictive maintenance means you’re always one step ahead, avoiding high-cost unplanned labor and maintenance and extending asset lifetimes by up to 15%.

How can data empower my team and keep them safe?

By letting you communicate real-time insights to your people, wherever they are.

Real-time updates
Keep operators safe from anywhere with up-to-the-minute insights and data notifications. This allows them to plan in advance, take appropriate action faster and observe the right safety precautions.

Remote scheduling
Analytics and insights allow you to streamline maintenance planning, assign field service and track activities/reporting, so everyone can see exactly what they’re doing.

You’re the key to unlocking value

Without your knowledge and expertise, data and insights are nothing but figures on a screen. Data is undeniably powerful but it’s your asset management strategy that determines whether assets boost or create a drag on business results.

By placing data at the foundation of your strategy, an asset management solution brings tangible benefits to operations. Its functionality actively extends your insight, acting as your eyes and ears across your entire facility. With access to data across asset health, events and alerts, maintenance prescription and documentation, it’s truly never been easier to unlock your site’s potential and power a more sustainable future.

Ready for an easier way to see real results? Talk to one of our digital experts.

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About the author

Luca Cavalli

Luca joined ABB in 2012 as the Product Manager for medium-voltage digital services, overseeing monitoring, diagnostic solutions and IoT cloud application. He began his role as Product and Marketing Manager in 2017, working for the Electrification Distribution Solutions division digital portfolio. Since October 2019, he has led the digital Asset Management of Electrification, defining the global strategy and roadmap applied to electrical systems from medium- to low-voltage, from e-mobility to buildings. This includes smart sensors, edge/cloud solutions, data analytics and advanced services. Prior to joining ABB, Luca worked for over 8 years in the industrial automation market segment in Italy. He initially managed automation projects for OEM using PLCs, drives, HMI and SCADA. Latterly, Luca led the sales of connectivity products to enable remote services on industrial machines and plants. Luca studied at the Polytechnic of Milan, Italy, and achieved an MSc in Software and Automation Engineering.
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