

How Did the IoT Become Indispensable for Advanced Maintenance?

By Ralitsa Peycheva

Integrating the IoT and CMMS: The Game Changer
The main benefit of incorporating the IoT into an organization's maintenance process is the real-time data it generates. This data is stored and analyzed by the CMMS to be transformed in predictive analytics, which turns into predictive maintenance routine. And this is the real value of the Industrial Internet of Things. Incorporating the IoT and CMMS into one seamless system drives improvements through real-time data analytics and the precious insights they deliver.

It is undeniable that connected devices with embedded sensors have leveraged analytics to predictions, allowing professionals to perform the appropriate actions and prevent issues before they occur. If a certain piece of equipment is starting to show a deviation, for example, in its lubrication levels, vibrations or thermal properties, the sensor will detect it and stream this data to the CMMS, where maintenance managers will immediately see the information and launch the work order before the asset fails completely. Combining predictive maintenance and CMMS prevents catastrophic breakdowns and predicts future problems with an astonishing accuracy.

Last, but not least, the synergy between the IoT and CMMS significantly improves the accuracy of all key performance metrics by precisely and automatically calculating availability, reliability, mean time between failures (MTBF) and mean time to repair (MTTR).

Direct Benefits of the IoT for Maintenance Management
Cost Savings: The concept of predictive maintenance consists of performing interventions on machines only when required, which immediately reduces the parts and labor costs associated with replacements.

Time Savings: The IoT and CMMS streamline processes between a company's departments and thus speed up approvals and purchase orders. The entire intervention history of a certain asset can be accessed from any team member, which enormously eases and improves the schedules of the different shifts.

Longer Equipment Life: By gaining insight into each asset's working history, you can easily maintain your equipment, make sure it is up to date and extend its lifetime.

Improved Inventory Control and Spare Parts Management
Connecting departments and stockrooms tightens (and, in the same way, speeds up) inventory movements as stock control, components replacements and purchase of urgently needed spare parts.

Every organization can find its own approach to adopt the IoT efficiently, but this will only occur when the Internet of Things is interacting with all the other technologies and especially with the CMMS. The seamless connection between the IoT and CMMS is about to become fundamental in improving productivity through ongoing monitoring, analysis and a reduction of unnecessary maintenance costs.

Ralitsa Peycheva is a technical content manager at Mobility Work, a next-gen CMMS and the 1st Maintenance Social Network. Ralitsa is interested in the latest machinery tools, technical maintenance, CMMS and big data, and is curious about new manufacturing methods and discovering, observing and admiring high-quality engineering. Follow Ralitsa on Google+ and Twitter.

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