Back to the basics of maintenance
After gaining years of experience in maintaining technical installations, Equans found that the leap from reactive to predictive maintenance was too big. ‘We developed a predictive maintenance tool incorporating various algorithms. However, this proved to be too much of a challenge: the data scientists did not have a sufficient understanding of the installations, and the installation experts could not properly interpret the data’, says Mitch Dalmeijer, director of the maintenance, management and service department (OBS), who was involved in the development of EMi 2.0.
Mitch therefore went back to basics, outlining a structured roadmap with intermediate steps from reactive to predictive maintenance together with colleagues. The linchpin of this approach is EMi. ‘With EMi, we are taking a realistic, practical approach to maintenance that works, with the primary objective of alleviating the burden on the customer.’
Traditional maintenance is reactive, only taking action when a system breaks down. ‘This leads to unplanned downtime, disruption to business processes and stress for customers,’ explains Mitch. ‘At the same time, it causes changes to our tight service planning, while customers are counting on the deployment of our service technicians.’
Fortunately, EMi enables proactive maintenance. By continuously monitoring installations, Equans always knows:
• whether an installation is on or off
• whether the installation is online
• what the status is (i.e. whether the installation is cooling, heating or dehumidifying)
Equans is also alerted to any malfunctions via a clear alarm system and visual dashboards. Every Equans branch has large screens in the back office displaying a clear map. Mitch: ‘If we see a red square flashing, that means there is a high-level alarm and the OBS department springs into action immediately. If we see that an installation is malfunctioning, we use the modem to analyse the source of the malfunction. Instead of waiting for the customer to call us, we call them. Depending on the situation, we may or may not go directly to the customer, taking any necessary tools and parts with us. This saves valuable time and gives our customers one less thing to worry about.’
The feedback loop makes technology smarter
An important addition to EMi is the feedback loop, which involves engineers reporting back on the cause and effect of a malfunction after it has occurred. Armed with this information, the system can suggest the cause of future alarms.
This feedback then forms the basis for the next step: failure mode detection. ‘The malfunction still occurs, but Equans can use the data to accurately determine the likely cause. This means that the engineer arrives on site well prepared,’ explains Mitch. As the feedback loop fills up and the algorithms are refined, predictive maintenance becomes possible: predicting faults before they occur.
Customers worry-free, Equans more efficient
What do customers notice about EMi?
- Faster responses to malfunctions.
- Less downtime.
- Engineers who arrive with the right equipment.
- Fewer worries, especially in situations where technical knowledge is lacking internally.
Mitch: ‘Our clients benefit from our smart maintenance platform. That’s why we offer this service for all installations that we maintain and monitor.’
The advantages are also significant for Equans itself:
- Less pressure on technicians on call.
- Fewer disruptions to planning.
- More satisfied customers.
EMi is now running at 160 installations. The platform is becoming smarter every day and is helping Equans and its customers move towards a future where installations hardly ever break down unexpectedly. Mitch: ‘Our ultimate goal is predictive maintenance, but only if it fits with what works in practice. Until then, we will continue to expand EMi, together with the engineers and customers. This way, we are creating something that really benefits everyone.’
