How does an industrial platform for asset management work?

In this article you will discover in a simple way how an industrial platform dedicated to asset management works.

If you are a manager of an industrial equipment park, whatever your job (inspector, maintenance manager, unit manager…), an“industrial platform” concerns you.

Without any knowledge of IT, you can now understand the global functioning of this type of solution, which is essential when the performance and reliability of your at-risk equipment are your #1 issues.

I. What is an industrial asset management platform?

The goal of a digital industrial platform is to create as many connections as there are actors linked to the equipment – also known as an asset – and to process all its data in order to create high-value information to optimize the life cycle of this asset.

In other words, an industrial platform in the sense of SiRFULL, is not only a technological toolbox to develop functionalities, but also a set of applications usable by the different professions working to maintain the proper functioning of industrial installations with high constraints.

“Our thinking, with SiRFULL |asset management®, does not stop at sensors and predictive analysis, our project is to offer a unique exchange ecosystem for operators, maintenance / inspection departments, managers, subcontractors, with the ability to integrate numerous applications that cover the functions of each“Vincent Saling, Marketing Manager. “Our solution sits at the intersection of turnkey functionality for maintenance and an Enterprise Asset Management / CMMS.”

This cross-fertilization of applications – called “Mashup” – helps companies to :

• identify failures;
• Establish recommendations or proactive diagnostics to optimize the operation of assets.

II. How does an industrial asset management platform work?

As in all good recipes, you need ingredients. In this case, these ingredients are technologies that will allow a developer of the platform to realize useful functionalities for business problems. Among these technologies, you will find, among others:

• the means to store your data securely (such as CLOUD and ON PREMISE storage on a server)
• technologies tocollect (sensors, automatic data entry…) and process your data within the framework of processes related to your business (algorithms, predictive models…)
• components that allowinformation to be displayed in a readable and comprehensible way (dashboards, Business Intelligence).

In the media, technologies related to predictive analytics are very often cited. These analyses encompass a variety of techniques from statistics and knowledge extraction from data. This particular data mining establishes future trends and patterns of behavior. The application of predictive analytics to the industrial world offers opportunities in terms of failure prediction and downtime optimization.

Examples of concrete applications will be seen below (chapter III – What can be done with an industrial platform for asset management)

Focus on “xRM technology”: the innovative SiRFULL touch that makes all the difference!

Some terms are familiar to you (Mobile, Cloud, IoT), others perhaps less so, such as“xRM technology“.

xRM technology is the infrastructure of the SiRFULL platform, or Framework. These are the foundations where we will attach the algorithms and technologies.

However, this infrastructure is chosen in particular for its capacity to carry out extended relations“.

The possibilities of the “extended relationship” have particularly seduced hundreds of users of the SiRFULL platform. Indeed, this innovative way of digitally managing assets is rapidly bringing value to the industrial world. Explanation :

• The“extended relationship” refers to the ability of the SiRFULL | asset management® industrial platform to focus on the interactions of your equipment and your teams, both internally and externally. More than just a maintenance and inspection tool, it boosts your company’s productivity and profitability when it is adopted by the entire company – maintenance, inspection, technical manager, management, etc.
• In addition to processing technical asset data,“extended relationship” technology allows for easy identification and classification of asset information flows.

Thus, the “xRM” technology allows :

• a quick implementation of the platform,
• as well as a great ease of use.
• The updates and evolutions are fast thanks to this flexible Framework.

III. What can be done with an industrial asset management platform?

With a platform you can do 2 things:

• 1. Develop your own applications using the proposed infrastructure. The industrial orientation of this type of platform, as well as its future developments, allow it to be in phase with the needs of the professions gravitating around the industrial installations. This implies having a computer developer.

==> With SiRFULL, the management of information flows related to your assets, as well as many other elements (such as the layout of fields and the structure of forms), can be configured without any knowledge of a particular computer language thanks to our “xRM” technology;

• 2. Use ready-to-use applications developed by editors specialized in your business.

==> As an editor, SiRFULL offers turnkey applications, based on its expertise in inspection of hazardous equipment and in welding quality management.

Here is a tour of the functionalities, uses and applications available in an industrial platform like SiRFULL | asset management®.

Different parts of your organization can now easily access and manipulate information about your asset base in a collaborative and harmonized ecosystem.

1. Features and benefits for maintenance

With the help of features specifically dedicated to maintenance, your teams can :

• Optimize your resources and downtime by planning the most optimal maintenance actions per asset based on predictive models;
• Streamline your spare parts inventory in conjunction with predictive models included in the platform.

These predictive models proposed by the industrial platform SiRFULL | asset management® allow to automatically suggest the most optimal maintenance methods by assets(CBM – condition based maintenance, systemic preventive, predictive). The capabilities of this functionality are increased tenfold when data from sensors linked to the equipment are injected and update these models in real time.

This platform functionality is largely based on“Reliability Centered Maintenance“(RCM), an enterprise-level maintenance strategy that is implemented to optimize a company’s or facility’s maintenance program. The end result of an RCM program is the implementation of a specific maintenance strategy on each of the facility’s assets. Maintenance strategies are optimized to maintain plant productivity using cost-effective maintenance techniques.

Also, the platform is able to take into account“Risk Based Maintenance“(RBM) if it is chosen as a maintenance method. This method prioritizes maintenance resources based on which assets are most at risk in the event of failure. It is a methodology for determining the most economical use of maintenance resources. This is done so that the maintenance effort to be provided on an installation is optimized to minimize any risk of failure.

Also, condition-based maintenance(CBM) is a maintenance strategy that monitors the actual condition of the asset to decide what maintenance to perform. CBM requires that maintenance be performed only when certain indicators show signs of declining performance or impending failure. Verification of a machine for these indicators can include non-invasive measurements, visual inspection, performance data, and scheduled tests. Condition data can then be collected at certain intervals or continuously (with internal sensors).

Unlike planned maintenance (PM), where maintenance is performed based on predefined scheduled intervals, condition-based maintenance is performed only after a decrease in equipment condition has been observed. Compared to preventive maintenance, this increases the time between maintenance repairs, as maintenance is performed as needed.

Finally,“Total Productive Maintenance “(TPM) is also a strategy managed in the platform. This method works on the idea that everyone in a facility should be involved in maintenance, rather than just the maintenance team. This approach utilizes the skills of all employees and seeks to integrate maintenance into the daily performance of a facility.

2. Features and benefits for inspection

Via modules specially dedicated to inspection, your teams can :

• Predict and prevent asset failures before they occur to avoid costly downtime or incidents;
• Easily organize tasks and interventions related to Risk Based Inspection(RBI) via mobile application for the field, criticality matrix generator, inspection plan editor etc.

Going further than a traditional CMMS, the platform offers a handling of the inspection based on criticality when it is practiced in your company. This approach is designed to optimize asset inspection. Specifically, the goal is to minimize risk without making unnecessary inspections. The aim of the method is to increase the duration of operation (reduce plant stoppages) and extend the life of the equipment while maintaining an equivalent level of risk, or even reducing it.

In addition, the platform natively supports European and national regulations applicable to SEVESO sites. Having a register of recommendations from different countries embedded in a single platform has many practical advantages, especially if you need to manage the inspection of multiple industrial sites in multiple countries.

3. Features and benefits for management

With the support of dedicated management features, plant coordinators and managers can :

• Improve their decision making with a quick and efficient visualization of your asset information;
• Benefit from an efficient data highlighting thanks to technologies from different fields such as BI (Business Intelligence) or BIM for a 3D panorama of the asset base.

4. A collaborative ecosystem open to its environment

• A collaborative platform allows several businesses to work together in a harmonized environment. Data can be shared internally and externally (with subcontractors, for example), in order to ensure efficient and transparent traceability. Access via the web and a unique url link greatly facilitates this exchange.

• Connectivity is essential, especially when ERP or CMMS systems already in place in the company hold a lot of data (often difficult to access). Moreover, connectivity is quickly becoming essential, especially in the case of connected assets, via sensors for example, which send a lot of information, often in real time. In the end, a connected industrial platform must be able to appropriate without restriction numerous data from several sources and process them into high-value information.

• the platform offers possibilities of development and hosting of third party applications. For example, SiRFULL | welding management® is a third party application of SiRFULL industrial platform dedicated exclusively to welding quality management. Based on the same xRM Framework as the platform, this application developed by SiRFULL offers the same prerogatives of simplicity and flexibility. Its full connectivity to the SiRFULL | asset management® industrial platform ecosystem offers interesting perspectives to any industrial operator interested in the quality and manufacturing history data of its most valuable equipment in operation.

In short, the industrial platform connects you to the life cycle of your assets. Manufacturing and operational data are tracked in a collaborative ecosystem that is adaptable to your context.

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To go further :

• – Find out how the ENGIE group uses our industrial platform SiRFULL | asset management®.
• – Register for a free demonstration of the SiRFULL industrial platform