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What do you want to achieve with AIOT?: Get in control of your processes

AIoT has many benefits. Those benefits can be summarized as: to save, to control, tot optimize and to innovate. How does AIOT gives you control over your processes? Some examples:

  • To measure is to know
  • Preventive Maintenance
  • Prevent Costs and nuisance in the event of a breakdown or bad functioning
  • Take the right decisions at the right time
  • Track & Trace

 To measure is to know

First, ‘to measure is to know’. You can only be in control of your processes, when you know how they are doing. Therefore, you need to measure.

However, AIOT is booming, still, many companies are in the blind how their processes are functioning.  Or insights are only piecemeal, insight in a machine here, a process there. Which means a company isn’t in control of their whole process.

Preventive Maintenance

Know the extent to which your machines are wearing out. Prevent them from breaking down and schedule maintenance at the least bad time. In doing so, your employees can pay attention to the parts that need their attention the most: sensors keep an eye on the ‘normally’ running parts.

Prevent Costs and nuisance in the event of a breakdown or bad functioning

In many cases, a machine is a part of chain of a whole production process. Thus, a breakdown of one machine means downtime for your whole process.

With IoT, you can create new ways and do more with the same budget. Many industries are working in heavy circumstances because of dust, wind, heat, pressure, etcetera. So, it’s important to recognize if the equipment is still working properly.  With IoT, you can predict and prevent equipment failure by monitoring product wear and replacement rates.  As such, you improve the reliability of your assets and reduce downtime. And if you recognize little faults, you can solve them easily before they have become big and expensive problems.

Take the right decisions at the right time

Having control means that you can take the right decision at the right time. E.g.:

  • To replace a motor of a machine
  • Adjust the circumstances, e.g., the indoor quality in your office, the temperature in your cooling
  • For both doctor and patient: Is the healing process going well?  Give the proper attention to patients who needs it. Instead of giving attention to every patient, without enough time. And even better:  You can optimize the healing process
  • Does the patient follow the medical instructions? Examples: is he doing his therapy on time and in the right way. Does he take his medications?  Especially groups of risk can be monitored so that timely action can be taken if necessary

Track & Trace

  • Keep grip on the presence of all your assets at all times
  • Keep grip on the production process, by knowing at any moment where parts are in the phase of a production process
  • Know where employees and visitors are on your premises, e.g., to avoid them entering hazardous areas. Or to warn them in case of calamities. And avoid unwanted visitors enter your premises

Optimal circumstances

  • Create optimal conditions for your employees. For example in the office by regulating a good indoor climate, which fortunately is getting more and more attention. Poor air quality can worsen the well-being of employees and visitors. It can also lead to lower productivity, for example because people feel lazy when the temperature is too high.
  • Some products and services are highly dependent on maintaining optimum conditions, such as cooling, for example, perishable products. When these conditions are no longer met, all products in a batch may have to be destroyed. Through IoT you can monitor whether these optimal conditions still apply. This allows you to intervene immediately when these conditions deteriorate.

See also:

The Benefits of AIOT: “Lower Costs or More Efficiency”

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Preventive Maintenance and the challenges of qualified Personnel

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Preventive Maintenance is one of the golden nuggets of IOT. How does this focus affect the deployment of personnel?

  • Efficiencty of personnel: more and better results
  • Challenge of scarcity of personnel
  • The challenges of the aging engineer

Efficiency of personnel: more and better results

There was and is a lot of attention what sensors can do for preventive maintenance: with preventive maintenance, huge costs of big repair costs are avoided by acting on time. One aspect in this way of thinking, was that existing personnel could work more efficiently. In old days, mechanics and engineers did their regular scheduled rounds of maintenance, where every device got similar time of attention, whether the device was in a bad state or not. Sensors measure the state of maintenance of devices real-time. As such, personnel can give attention to devices which really needs it. By using your existing personnel in this more efficient way, high personnel costs are saved because no other personnel would have been hired.

Challenge of Scarcity of personnel

When Preventive Maintenance became popular some years ago as one of the fields of Internet of Things, the world was still in the last phase of the economic crisis. Industry has in some ways still crisis thought: yes, personnel is hard to find. But they don’t make the connection that efficiency has changed in the guise of ‘cost saver’ to ‘benefit most from opportunities’. Because personnel is so hard to find, industry has to use the available personnel as efficient and effectively as possible. Besides, engineering for infrastructure isn’t a popular study any longer. So, engineers are even harder to find.

With preventive maintenance with the aid of sensors, personnel can give attention to the devices which really needs them.

The challenges of the aging engineer

There is more: most infrastructure has been built 20 years ago. Already, there’s the challenge that those engineers have moved on to other jobs. So, it’s very possible indeed that in a company, nobody knows how this infrastructure works exactly any longer. Last years, a new challenge has come up: those engineers are beginning to retire. That means that a pool of this specific knowledge is already decreasing and will even lessen more in the years to come. Therefore, it is very important to have measures for maintenance in place, before this knowledge has disappeared completely.

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5 Benefits of IOT for Asset Management

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Benefits:

  • A longer lifetime for your equipment with Preventive maintenance
  • Create the future. Better serve your client, with solutions which weren’t possible until now!
  • More satisfied customers
  • More control on your processes
  • Better Security

One of the most important areas for IoT is Preventive Maintenance. With the modern solutions, you can measure if assets are working properly. And if not, you can repair or replace them, even before those assets have created damage. Examples are:

  • Are the industrial motors running properly?
  • Is the oil pressure and quality still ok?
  • Are there any glitches in the electrical wiring?
  • How can I save on energy?

With IoT, you can give your equipment a longer lifetime and thus save on repair and replacement costs. Besides, you can spare on costs because you have grip on your processes. For instance: more efficiency on energy costs, better results through optimal deployment of employees

Your customers will become more satisfied with your services. With solutions which weren’t possible until now, products can ‘think’ for their users. In IOT, users raise the expectations and will be dissatisfied with devices which do not help them.

A dashboard helps you to view in one glance which assets are working properly and which are probably in need of repair or replacement. Further, you learn when, where and how intensely your assets are being used, so you use your assets more efficiently.

In a world of connected devices, security is very important. Hackers will try to break in: to steal, to cause harm or to shut down your devices. Without security, hackers can make their entry from anywhere: from one of your devices, but also an unsecured device from one of your employee’s at home. So, in the world of IOT, security of these devices is key.

IoT solutions

IoT solutions prevent accidents from happening and reduce the response time for maintenance. As results, your costs of maintenance will be lower and equipment will have a longer lifetime through Preventive Maintenance.

Sensor measurement solutions look for deviations in normal use. So, you can act upon the first deviations and before the device isn’t working at all. Examples are:

  • Monitoring the health of an industrial motor
  • Monitoring oil quality in chain mechanisms
  • Smart metering for saving energy

Clean sensor data required for sensor fusion and accurate decision making

Sensor data (audio, pressure, temperature, weight, etc.) have to be measured. However, most sensor signals are disturbed by:

  • Powerline interference and glitches.
  • Environmental factors (including: dust and other contaminants).

ASN Consultancy is the modern way of working of algorithm design to separate the wanted sensor signals from the undesirable unwanted signals. So, you can analyze and take action on clean and accurate sensor data.

Dashboard

Our tailormade dashboard solutions provide you all the information you need at one glance. So, you act on devices which are not working properly anymore. You can see the use of each device and can even predict the use in time, based on your history data. With this information, you can gain more efficiency or you can improve the satisfaction of your customers.

Security

With a world where everything is connected, security is very important. Because of its importance, its size and the results of an eventual disruption, infrastructure is an important target for terrorist and (future) enemy governments.

Do you want to learn more: https://www.advsolned.com/asn-condition-monitoring/

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Preventive Maintenance: 7 Challenges for Asset Managers

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Competition on costs is ever increasing. Meanwhile, customers are more demanding in their expectations. In 2024, global smart sensor market will have a value of $80 billion. In others words: become part of the future or become obsolete!

Challenges Asset Managers

Asset managers are faced with the following challenges:

  • Asset managers demand huge cost savings
  • Tightening of budgets for maintenance programmes
  • Less service disruptions and customer complaints
  • Increasing demands from users
  • No Control and optimal use of my assets
  • Risk of hacking by terrorists
  • Remote firmware updates

With IoT, you can give your equipment a longer lifetime and thus save on repair and replacement costs.

Your customers will become more satisfied with your services. With solutions which weren’t possible until now, products can ‘think’ for their users. Like: the health of the lamp and power quality of street lights, refrigerators which will signal to a car that owner is out of milk, a space on a parking lot is reserved for the visitor when he’s close to the office etcetera.

And the other way around: remember the first time you went in a hotel which had Wi-Fi and you thought: “great”! You’ve probably forgotten; nowadays, not having Wi-Fi has since long became a standard. In IOT, users raise the expectations and will be dissatisfied with devices which do not help them.

A dashboard helps you to view in one glance which assets are working properly and which are probably in need of repair or replacement. Further, you learn when, where and how intensely your assets are being used, so you use your assets more efficiently.

In a world of connected devices, security is very important. Hackers will try to break in: to steal, to cause harm or to shut down your devices. Without security, hackers can make their entry from anywhere: from one of your devices, but also an unsecured device from one of your employee’s at home. So, in the world of IOT, security of these devices is key.

Read about solutions: https://www.advsolned.com/asn-condition-monitoring/

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Control and improve critical components in your waterworks and railway infrastructure

Water and rail infrastructure are one of the cornerstones of smart grids, such as smart cities. In them, algorithms are found everywhere.

Challenges in Water and Rail infrastructure

  • Many parts of the infrastructure are decades old and have high maintenance costs
  • Preventative maintenance of components (motor, chain, wiring, jackscrew, etc.) is required to reduce costs and maintain safety
  • Less service disruptions and customer complaints
  • No control of assets, and so no idea if assets are working properly
  • New analysis methods required, as existing infrastructure cannot be dismantled for installation of traditional sensors
  • Most of the infrastructure has been built when security was not an issue. This makes the infrastructure an easy target for hackers and terrorists

Decades old infrastructure

Many parts of the infrastructure are decades old. That’s also one of the reasons that they have high maintenance costs. Besides, regular maintenance consists of doing regular maintenance rounds. Here, every device gets the same attention. However, with preventative maintenance, you can focus on devices which really need it.

Less service disruptions and customer complaints

So, with preventative maintenance, you’ll not only reduce costs. But even more important: devices maintain to be safe for users. Due to timely recognition, you can plan maintenance before a little fault has led to real damage. So, you have less service disruption and more customer satisfaction.

No control of assets

Another challenge we hear is that companies have no control of assets, and so no idea if assets are working properly. Maybe companies have control of the assets they recognize. However, they have no idea if all devices are in scope and how these are connected.

New analysis methods required

The above-mentioned means that new analysis methods are required. However, the existing infrastructure cannot be dismantled for installation of traditional sensors.

Security of assets

Most of the infrastructure has been built when security was not an issue. This makes the infrastructure an easy target for hackers and terrorists

Find out how you can solve your IoT solutions with our algorithms!

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How to reduce maintenance programme costs, improve safety and improve customer satisfaction?

How to reduce maintenance programme costs, improve safety and improve customer satisfaction? In Preventive maintenance, algorithms are used in many ways to solve their challenges.

What are the challenges?

Typical challenges faced by assets managers include:

  • Measurement of mechanical component fatigue
  • Assess electrical wiring health
  • How to reduce overall operating costs, but not comprise on public safety?
  • Risks posed by hackers & terrorists
  • Asset damage due to vandalism

Preventive Maintenance aims to solve these problems by acting beforehand. This is achieved by constantly monitoring the performance of critical components (usually with sensors). So, the maintenance team can be alerted that a component is about to fail. Then, the asset management team can then schedule maintenance in order to replace the failing component(s) with minimum disruption to the public, and overall lower operational costs.

Reduction of operating costs

Preventive maintenance is one of the golden nuggets of IoT. In IoT, algorithms are found everywhere. Sensors can measure if mechanical component fatigue sets in. Or measure the health of electrical wiring. These are some examples how preventive maintenance can benefit from IoT using sensors. As a result, operation costs are reduced. And even more important: devices will work safe and secure.

Security

Besides, most devices have been built while security was not an issue. With everything being connected, IoT devices are a interesting target for terrorists or other evil-doers. Prevent yourself from being hacked. And if you are being hacked, you know as soon as possible. So you can take action before the hack leads to major damage.

Read more at https://www.advsolned.com/preventative-maintenance/

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Smart Water: Less delay due to timely maintenance

There is an increasing use of the water infrastructure, while the current demand is already adjacent to the existing capacity. However, space for physical expansion is limited. On the other hand, there is a tightening of budgets, while maintenance of water infrastructure comes with high costs.

Huge cost savings as well as reducing public inconvenience can be achieved with a preventative maintenance program. Benefits of a preventive maintenance program are:

  • A longer lifetime for your equipment with preventive maintenance
  • Be in control and optimize your processes
  • Optimize your just-in-time management and get more value by delivering guarantees
  • Increase security for your cargo and your equipment

Struggle with the elements

Working at water is a struggle with the elements: water, wind, dust, heat, pressure. So, you want to know if pipelines are going to leak before they are actually leaking. When cables are beginning to wear out. If the oil is still on the right level. That you can act when dust or smear are blocking lenses. With IoT, you can predict and prevent equipment failure by monitoring product wear and replacement rates.  As such, you improve the reliability of your assets and reduce downtime. And if you recognize little faults, you can solve them easily before they have become big and expensive problems.

Rust

Another time- and money saver is the maintenance in the port: one of the worst enemies is rust. No wonder, that the in- and outside of the ship is painted very often. Even when there is no rust, ‘just in case’. It is better to place a rust sensor: it warns when there is rust and those places can be painted or otherwise maintained. And it makes sure spots are not forgotten. Even more: a rust sensor can track rust at places which are hardly reachable. An employee only has to go to this hard-to-reach part when it is really needed.

How preventive maintenance works

In essence, algorithms and analytics monitor sensor data. They look for deviations in a physical process’s normal operation. Examples are the wear and tear in a water sluice’s mechanical components, or even damaged wiring for the pump.

A sensor fusion algorithm merges data from different sensors. Associated analytics determine whether a component’s characteristic is normal for its age. Any deviations outside ‘normal operation’ are fed back to the master system as potential sources of failure.

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How to measure preventative maintenance

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Typical challenges faced by assets managers include:

  • How to measure mechanical component fatigue?
  • How to assess electrical wiring health?
  • How to reduce overall operating costs, but not comprise on public safety?
  • Risks posed by hackers & terrorists
  • Asset damage due to vandalism

Preventative Maintenance aims to solve the aforementioned problems by acting pre-emptively. This is achieved by constantly monitoring the performance of critical components (usually with sensors) and then alerting the maintenance team that a component is about to fail. The asset management team can then schedule maintenance in order to replace the failing component(s) with minimum disruption to the public, and overall lower operational costs.

  • Plan maintenance
  • Machine health care
  • Motor health care
  • Secure firmware updates and anti-tampering

Plan maintenance

Monitoring the health of critical component, such as a lamp, motor or machine component and input power supply. Our algorithms and analytics help asset management departments provide planned maintenance.

A better maintenance program is achieved by constantly monitoring the performance of critical components (usually with sensors or other devices) and then alerting the maintenance team that a component is about to fail.

Machine health care

The health of a machine can be determined by ‘listening’ to the sound it makes via microphones. Algorithms filter and compare recorded audio to fingerprint templates of known failures.

Motor health care

The health of an industrial motor be determined by analysis the phase currents. Algorithms filter and compare captured data to fingerprints templates of known failures. The phase current data can also be used to check for wire breaks or phase failure.

Secure firmware updates & Anti-tampering

ASN’s security module provides asset protection up to military grade, and while at the same time allowing for secure (encrypted) firmware updates.

ASN contactless measurement, smart algorithms and alerting offers the ideal condition for this programme. The asset management team can then schedule maintenance in order to replace the failing component(s) with minimum disruption to the public, and overall lower operational costs.

Let’s make an appointment to see how can help you create an effective maintenance programme and reduce your Total Cost of Ownership.

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