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

Maintenance 4.0 Implementation Handbook (pdf)

WHAT IS MAINTENANCE 4.0? Industry 4.0 is a name given to the current trend of automation and data exchange in industrial technologies. It includes the Industrial Internet of things (IIoT), wireless sensors, cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Industry 4.0 is commonly referred to as the fourth industrial revolution. Maintenance 4.0 is a machine-assisted digital version of all the things we have been doing for the past forty years as humans to ensure our assets deliver value for our organization. Maintenance 4.0 includes a holistic view of sources of data, ways to connect, ways to collect, ways to analyze and recommended actions to take in order to ensure asset function (reliability) and value (asset management) are digitally assisted. For example, traditional Maintenance 1.0 includes sending highly-trained specialists to collect machinery vibration analysis readings on pumps, motors and gearboxes. Maintenance 4.0 includes a wireless vibration sensor conne...

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...

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...

Why Pump Shafts Often Break at the Keyway Area

By NTS Pump shaft failure can lead to significant downtime and repair costs in industrial plants. One of the most common locations for pump shaft failure is at the keyway area. In this article, we will explore the reasons why pump shafts often break at the keyway and what can be done to prevent such failures. The keyway is a high-stress point (weakest point)  on the shaft, where a key is inserted to transmit torque between the shaft and the pump impeller or coupling. During operation, the keyway experiences cyclic loading that creates a bending moment in the shaft, which is concentrated in the keyway area. Over time, this cyclic loading can cause fatigue failure in the shaft material, leading to a fracture at the keyway. In addition to cyclic loading, other factors can contribute to shaft failure at the keyway. Improper keyway design or installation can lead to stress concentrations or inadequate clearance between the key and keyway . Misalignment or overloading can also cause ex...

Pump Shaft Breakage: Case Studies and Solutions

By NTS Pump shaft breakage is a common issue that can cause costly downtime and repairs in various industries. In this article, we will explore several case studies of pump shaft breakage and the solutions implemented to prevent future failures. Case Study 1: Chemical Processing Plant A chemical processing plant experienced repeated pump shaft breakages in their cooling water pumps. Investigation revealed that the pumps were not properly aligned with the motor and had excessive vibration due to the misalignment. This caused the pump shaft to fatigue and break over time. The problem was resolved by realigning the pumps and installing vibration monitoring equipment to detect any future misalignment or excessive vibration. Case Study 2: Wastewater Treatment Plant A wastewater treatment plant had issues with pump shaft breakage in their sludge pumps. The pumps were designed with a straight shaft and lacked a flexible coupling, causing excessive stress and vibration on the pump sha...