Skip to main content

The Defnition of Maintenance 4.0

Maintenance 4.0 is the application of Industry 4.0 to operations and maintenance (O&M) activities. The goal is simple: To maximize production uptime by eliminating unplanned, reactive maintenance. Let’s look at a simplistic depiction of common O&M work streams.

Figure 1 shows a graph depicting the activities that occur after an industrial asset unexpectedly fails.

 

Figure 1: O&M work streams in Industry 3.0 vs Industry 4.0

Once the failure event occurs and is reported, a series of activities occurs. First, repair crews are assigned and then travel to the worksite where they receive repair instructions. Parts must be ordered and transported to the site.

Typically, root cause analysis (RCA) is performed and valuable time expended on identifying it. Working under pressure to resume production, work crews engage in trial and error activities to identify the cause of the failure. After repairs and an inspection, production resumes.

Maintenance 4.0 brings artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to the production line. Instead of waiting for the equipment to fail, sophisticated algorithms are applied to big data from embedded sensors in the equipment. The algorithms are trained to identify correlated patterns of anomalous machine behavior and warn of evolving machine failure.

 


Figure 2: Core elements of Maintenance 4.0 (Source: Presenso).


 Figure 3: Cost comparison for storage, bandwidth and computing from 1991 to 2019 (Source: Deloitte Consulting)

Within Maintenance 4.0, AI-driven industrial analytics is the game changer.
Until recently, machine learning was a study confined mostly to academia. A confluence of multiple factors has lowered the cost of data transportation, bandwidth, storage and analysis. For example, data storage has fallen from five hundred and sixty-nine dollars per gigabyte in the early 1990s to less than one cent today.

 

Figure 4: Detection of evolving failures using machine learning (Source: Presenso)

 


Figure 1-5: Reactive maintenance processes (Source: Presenso)

As a result of the cost decline, machine learning can now be applied to vast amounts of sensor-generated big data that can be analyzed in real time.

The first component of Maintenance 4.0 is that while the failure is evolving, repairs can be scheduled and parts ordered. Tracing the failure to the original root cause eliminates guesswork and trial and error.

With Maintenance 4.0, machine uptime can be maintained while all non-repair activities are executed.

The second component of Maintenance 4.0 is the adoption of a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) and automated workflows. Although a CMMS is not new, until now, its implementation has not been considered of strategic importance.

The third element of Maintenance 4.0 is the use of robotics and drones for inspections and repair activities.

In 2018, research was conducted to gain insight into industrial plants’ plans for the adoption of Maintenance 4.0. Figure 6 shows the results of that study.

Figure 6: Survey results regarding industrial plants’ plans for Maintenance 4.0 (Source: Emory University and Presenso)


Source:  https://industrial-ai.skf.com/the-maintenance-4-0-implementation-handbook-2/

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Top 8 Reasons for Mechanical Seal Failure and How to Prevent Them

Mechanical seals are critical components of pumps, responsible for maintaining a fluid-tight seal between the rotating shaft and the stationary pump housing. However, these seals can fail due to various factors, leading to leakage, reduced pump efficiency, and costly downtime. In this article, we will discuss the top reasons for mechanical seal failure in pumps and how to prevent them. 1-Improper Seal Selection Choosing the wrong mechanical seal can cause it to fail. Consider the following factors that can contribute to seal failure: • Chemical compatibility: All seal components, such as the seal faces and O-rings, must be compatible not only with the process fluid being pumped, but also with non-process fluids used for cleaning, steam, acid, and caustic flushes, etc. • Physical degradation: Using soft seal faces on abrasive liquids will not last. Shear-sensitive liquids, like chocolate, can break down and leave behind solids (such as cocoa powder) and force out liquids (like oil). • S...

Grounding brush discharge monitoring

In recognition of the possibility of static charge build up in condensing steam turbines, API 612 (2005) specifies that grounding brushes be installed. The electrical flow to ground through these brushes  be monitored and useful information can be extracted. This article carries excerpts from the paper, “Babbitted bearing health assessment” by John K Whalen of John Crane, Thomas D Hess of Chestnut Run, Jim Allen of Nova Chemicals and Jack Craighton of Schneider Electric. Grounding brushes take current from the rotor to ground so that a charge does not build up on the rotor to the point where it discharges to ground though the best path possible – which is usually the closest point between the rotor and stator which is usually (hopefully) the point of minimum film thickness in a bearing. Typically this point of minimum film thickness is found in the active thrust bearing (as will be shown later). Shaft grounding brushes serve two purposes. The brushes are able to transmit modest amo...

Preventing Motor Bearing Damage from Shaft Current with the AEGIS® Ring

Electric motors are the workhorses of modern industry, powering everything from pumps and fans to conveyor belts and heavy machinery. But these vital components are not immune to wear and tear, and one common problem that can lead to premature motor failure is bearing damage caused by shaft current. Shaft current is a type of electrical discharge that occurs when there is a voltage potential between the motor shaft and the bearing, resulting in the flow of electrical current through the bearing. This current can cause a range of problems, including pitting and fluting of the bearing surfaces, which can lead to premature wear and failure. Shaft current Motor shaft current can have several harmful effects on bearings, including: 1.      Bearing pitting and fluting: Electrical discharges can cause tiny pits and flutes to form on the bearing surfaces, leading to premature wear and failure. 2.       Bearing noise and vibration: Shaft current can cause ...

John Crane's Type 28 Dry Gas Seals: How Does It Work?

How Does It Work? Highest Pressure Non-Contacting, Dry-Running Gas Seal Type 28 compressor dry-running gas seals have been the industry standard since the early 1980s for gas-handling turbomachinery. Supported by John Crane's patented design features, these seals are non-contacting in operation. During dynamic operation, the mating ring/seat and primary ring/face maintain a sealing gap of approximately 0.0002 in./5 microns, thereby eliminating wear. These seals eliminate seal oil contamination and reduce maintenance costs and downtime. John Crane's highly engineered Type 28 series gas seals incorporate patented spiral-groove technology, which provides the most efficient method for lifting and maintaining separation of seal faces during dynamic operation. Grooves on one side of the seal face direct gas inward toward a non-grooved portion of the face. The gas flowing across the face generates a pressure that maintains a minute gap between the faces, optimizing flui...

Technical questions with answers on gas turbines

By NTS. What is a gas turbine? A gas turbine is an engine that converts the energy from a flow of gas into mechanical energy. How does a gas turbine work? Gas turbines work on the Brayton cycle, which involves compressing air, mixing it with fuel, and igniting the mixture to create a high-temperature, high-pressure gas. This gas expands through a turbine, which generates mechanical energy that can be used to power a variety of machines and equipment. What are the different types of gas turbines? There are three main types of gas turbines: aeroderivative , industrial, and heavy-duty. Aeroderivative gas turbines are used in aviation and small-scale power generation. Industrial gas turbines are used in power generation and other industrial applications. Heavy-duty gas turbines are typically used in large power plants. What are the main components of a gas turbine? The main components of a gas turbine include the compressor, combustion chamb...