Preventing COVID-19 and Minimizing Risk with Hexagon EAM Mobile
However, business and the economy have marched on—and seemingly the companies that have figured out how to navigate through challenge after pitfall after complication have been wise ones. Here at DigitalThinker, we happen to work with many of those clever organizations. We are happy to report that Hexagon EAM has presented new functionality to many businesses as they have sought to face COVID-19 on and deal with this pandemic. How are these organizations doing this exactly? EAM Mobile enables field workers to harness the power of extended robust asset management.
Mobile EAM as Disease Prevention
COVID-19 has placed considerable stress on all of us—as business owners, parents, employees, colleagues, citizens, friends…really, as people.Ultimately, the small gestures and activities that were once commonplace have morphed into something strange and ill-fitting.
However, even prior to the pandemic our world was increasingly becoming digital and mobile—and now, we are required to turn to this technology even more and place our dependence on it in order to continue on so that we may make progress even in the face of an ongoing pandemic.
With this in mind, Hexagon has risen to the challenge with Mobile EAM, a portable asset management solution that has the ability to support multiple applications via the use of a single device, like a tablet. What this cutting-edge technology does, right now, is provide a contactless, paperless solution that allows team members to remain socially distant, reduce the sharing of materials, and further minimize COVID-19 being spread in a work setting. Mobile EAM allows your team members to remain in contact and connected—without, you know, having to be physically close in proximity.
Cutting-Edge Technology That Keeps Your Team (At Least) 6 Feet Apart
Mobile EAM also easily meshes with other technology including Geographic Systems (GIS), GPS, multi-dimensional barcode reading, and RFID. That integrate with back-end enterprise ERP systems, calibration systems, and HR platforms. Mobile EAM can assist with workflow management, inventory management, inspection and audits, direct store delivery, preventative maintenance, and asset management—and comes pre-packaged with templates that are mobile-centric and user friendly.
Now, if you are wondering if Mobile EAM could be a game changer for your business as you try to deal with—and come out on the other side of—this “new normal” unscathed, then know that we want to help you with that journey. DigitalThinker is ready to help you through the aquisition and setup of Mobile EAM. We can also help train your team on the Hexagon platform in an environment that is safe, sanitary, and socially distant. Give us a call today and let’s talk Mobile EAM!
Making Buildings “Smarter” With Hexagon EAM
However, beyond trendy technology alone, let’s consider, for the point of this blog, how a “smart building” has the opportunity to improve facility maintenance, the environment, promote sustainability, reduce the carbon footprint of a business or enterprise, and enhance myriad efficiencies. What’s more, let’s specifically examine the role that Hexagon EAM can play in relation to smart building management.
What is a Smart Building?
Defined by The National Institute of Building Sciences, a smart building is one that “can provide advanced functionality through a computerized, intelligent network of electronic devices designed to monitor and control the mechanical, electrical, lighting, and other systems in a building.” Ultimately, a smart building relies upon advanced technology when enabling “integration automation, and optimization of any building system in support of facilities management and the building’s operation and performance.”
Sounds great for business, right? But what is actually the purpose of making a building smart? Here are just a few points to consider.
A smart building:
- Provides improved efficiencies to the building’s owners and managers.
- Offers consistent safety and comfort to tenants, building workers, and other stakeholders.
- Has the potential of monitoring assets within the structure to detect inefficient performance as well as diagnose and automatically correct problems.
- Alert building management when an issue comes up.
- Better manages energy needs, thereby reducing costs and realizing more environmentally friendly and sustainable energy practices over the long term.
Ultimately, smart buildings can range from skyscrapers and massive hotels to residential apartment buildings or manufacturing plants—and everything in between. Why? Because all buildings face significant energy consumption and all have the opportunity to experience savings while putting forth positive environmental practices through smart building tools. However, in order to do this and make an impact, you must be using the right technology.
How Hexagon EAM Can Help
Connected to convey real-time insights related to equipment and facility maintenance including HVAC systems, plumbing, and electrical platforms. Additionally, there are some other perks of implementing Hexagon EAM, including:
- Energy usage can be monitored and controlled in an effort to meet sustainability endeavors, reduce CO2 emissions, and lower utility expenses.
- Building stakeholders, including facilities managers and ownership, can be connected and access a single source of shared data, improving communication and collaboration.
- On that same point, those stakeholders can glean new insight into how to reduce waste and ensure a sustainable future for the building and all associated assets.
- Break down building areas into submeters to determine which areas of a structure are more or less energy efficient than others, offering the ability to address deficiencies on the granular level and optimize accordingly.
- Be better equipped to adapt business practices and building functions based on seasonal and weather-related changes called “degree days,” eliminating unnecessary wear and tear on building systems and controlling energy costs.
- Engage in improved space planning and ensure the effective utilization of a building’s total space by tenants and occupants.
Facilities Maintenance Management Technology that Makes an Impact
Yes, energy is expensive—but you can get a handle on this through smart building technologies. By implementing Hexagon EAM into a facilities management and smart building strategy, you will be able to establish sustainable energy policies and programs, track and measure performance to eliminate waste and unnecessary expenses, and proactively deploy programs and initiatives that automate and correct issues before they become problems.
We would love to talk to you about this—reach out today and let’s make your building or facility “smart” in 2020 with Hexagon EAM. Contact us now.
DigitalThinker Case Study: Hexagon EAM Enables Interfor to Enhance Profitability
Interfor was seeking a solution that would enable maintenance and minimized downtime. Furthermore, with over 3K employees and 17 mills and plants, the organization needed a scalable solution that would allow effective standardization of business-critical equipment—ultimately, Interfor required a system known for its high reliability and a team to back them up.
Business Growth & Multiple Acquisitions Create Unique Challenges
Since 2010, Interfor has engaged in an aggressive acquisition strategy, which has not only expanded operations but also made the business itself more complex. In order to prevent unnecessary costs, minimize the risk of repetitive or inaccurate data appearing in the system, and reduce redundant maintenance processes. Plus, as the company operates in a highly competitive commodity market it was important that Interfor have the opportunity to negotiate between price agreements and contracts with suppliers in order to keep overhead costs controlled and realize targeted profit margins.
DigitalThinker partnered with Interfor and developed a plan to roll out Hexagon EAM while also promoting a significant cultural shift in best practices related to preventative maintenance and other key functions. It was not enough to simply introduce a new software platform—it was also necessary to ensure all Interfor employees understood why changes were being made and why realizing a culture centered on continuous improvement was key to the company’s overall success.
Implementing Changes & Achieving Real-Time Results
With coaching and training by the team at DigitalThinker, Interfor began using Hexagon EAM to facilitate valuable information sharing as well as the exchanging of key insights into how maintenance could be optimized. They also built upon established processes and aligned facilities that all used similar equipment in their manufacturing work to operate more cross-functionally together.
Additionally, Interfor was able to leverage data analytics that monitored equipment proactively to predict and prevent failure while simultaneously devising a roadmap that was key in realizing a transition to a predictive maintenance system. Hexagon EAM allowed Interfor to examine history related to parts replacement, maintenance schedules, safety requirements and compliance factors, and also past notes input by staff members. Hexagon EAM has ultimately made all of this extensive information accessible in real time—and easily stored.
And the results speak for themselves. Through the deployment of Hexagon EAM, Interfor has achieved:
- Quick and rapid deployment spanning 17 facilities
- Attaining 80% scheduled work vs. break-in work alongside 95% mill availability
- Reporting that occurs in real time and in support of predictive maintenance plans
- PM compliance measured on a weekly basis
Looking to What’s Next
Interfor has fully embraced their new culture based on continuous improvement and ongoing transformation. As such, they are eager to be able to leverage Hexagon EAM’s mobile platform in the very near future—and DigitalThinker is excited for the chance to once again help them harness all that this innovative technology has to offer.
Through the mobile application, paper lists will officially be a thing of the past and technicians will be able to access maintenance checklists and specifications right when they need them. This will truly allow maintenance staff members, schedulers, and planners to expeditiously identify the root causes when there are equipment problems—thereby realizing work orders that are increasingly accurate and complete.
DigitalThinker would love to speak with your organization about how we can help you achieve productivity and profitability results just like Interfor. Reach out today and let’s start talking about how Hexagon EAM can make your business better.
The “New Normal”: Updating Preventative Maintenance Schedules in the Time of COVID
What the future looks like isn’t necessarily clear, there is one thing that is non-negotiable. To operate right now clean and organized procedures must be implemented. We will discuss how to update preventative maintenance schedules, which is key in safeguarding against contamination and spread of COVID-19.
Clean and Safe Workplaces & Preventative Maintenance Schedules
As the business environment has changed, it is foolish to think that we can go back to the same protocols that were in place prior to the pandemic. Stated by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE):
- Strategic plans should be in place prior to the building’s reopening and should address how to make the building’s occupants feel safer and more confident that their health and wellness are important. ASHRAE notes that ensuring there are no breaks in the supply chain for items such as filters, PPE, and other necessary supplies is imperative.
- HVAC programming must provide flushing two hours before and after occupancy. This means operating exhaust fans and opening outside air dampers for proper ventilation.
- Thoroughly follow that high-touch HVAC areas are disinfected regularly with cleaning products approved by the EPA and CDC.
Of course, your preventative maintenance schedule and protocols may vary based on your industry. Yes, it may be tempting to think of this time as an opportunity to cut costs in the face of economic downturn and declining revenues—but in our opinion, that is also a recipe for disaster for your business if you want to see the other side of this incredible and unprecedented time in our nation and our world’s history.
Once you have established the new preventative maintenance schedules and protocols. Reinforce the need of how to use and dispose of protective gear, how to maintain social distance in tight work quarters, how to properly handle and use disinfectants, and other pertinent points. Again, this might vary depending on your industry and business—just make sure the lines of communication are open and that the flow of information is constant. Remember, the health and wellness of many people depend on your business getting this right.
Of course, you do not have to go about operating in this “new normal” alone. DigitalThinker welcomes the opportunity to be your partner. We are eager to show you how Hexagon EAM enables a safe and compliant workplace. We have the know-how, the tools, and the ability to help you harness the best in technology. Reach out to our team today and let’s begin a conversation. It is time to envision what is around the corner and drive to get better. Contact us now.
Should Hexagon EAM Worry About “Techlash”? DigitalThinker Says No
The digital age brought expansion of IT services allowing productivity to soar alongside profitability, let us do more with less, collaborate regardless of location, and overcome roadblocks and challenges with Hexagon EAM for business success.
However, there is also a growing concern—that IT and digital innovations are moving too fast, getting too big, destroying privacy. There is worry regarding modern technology, that the more it is allowed to expand and evolve, the more that we as people are threatened.
Is Technology a Tool or a Weapon?
Techlash is a relatively new phenomenon that points to a growing distaste amongst consumers toward Big Tech—the Googles, Apples, Facebooks, and Amazons of the world, to name a few. It also refers to opposition over the power and influence that large tech companies have on our lives and their ability to control information, our potential reactions, as well as our behavior.
We know that this makes it sound as if Big Tech is some sort of “Digital Boogie Man.” And yes, there are valid concerns about privacy, tech addiction, monopolistic behavior, and the spreading of misinformation by some of these companies. However, for the sake of this article, let’s talk about how technology should be considered a catalyst for positive change, and how innovation is really a compass leading us to the future.
Technology + COVID-19
One only needs to look at recent events to understand how technology has allowed our society to successfully navigate COVID-19. Imagine what our country and the world would have looked like if video conferencing, mobile connectivity, and the Internet didn’t exist? How would any business have pivoted if the idea of working remotely wasn’t an option?
Here at DigitalThinker, we can attest that we have never been busier. While some may be frowning on how technology creates distance between us and impacts the humanness of our relationships, there is a startling juxtaposition. Hexagon EAM was literally a game changer for many of our clients—and now, many other organizations have come to us realizing that embracing technology and the Hexagon EAM platform is the only way they can ensure their survival in this “new normal.” COVID has challenged us to change, and the companies who accept reinvention will be the ones who will still be around in the future.
Hexagon EAM Empowers
Obviously, we are advocates of Hexagon EAM and the ways that it can help companies work smarter. But even outside of that, this valuable technology tool empowers employees, promotes transparency and collaboration, allows for the free flow of information, lowers overhead costs, and provides for improved work/life balance—amongst many other benefits. And these are all going to be important as we continue to move away from brick and mortar.
In closing, technological luddites might be able to list myriad reasons how varied platforms are ruining our lives. However, those voices, while they may be loud, are likely to be dwindling. This is a time to learn, grow, and harness the power that technology—and especially Hexagon EAM—provides. That is, unless you want to go the way of the dinosaurs—and we know how that turned out.
For more information on how Hexagon EAM can help you connect to work, from your home, your office, or anywhere else on the globe—reach out to DigitalThinker today.
How to Use Operator Checklists in Hexagon EAM & Understanding Their Benefits
The process for using Operator Checklists in Hexagon EAM isn’t difficult, simply follow these instructions:
- Navigate to the Operator Checklist Screen
- Select the Equipment
- Select the Task Plan
- Click Save or the Checklist Button (the system will then show the checklist items for the selected task plan)
- Fill in the Checklist
Additionally, the results can then be sent to a supervisor for review or checked off as completed, which ends the process. Depending on your organization’s workflow.
Of course, there are plenty of benefits pertaining to using this functionality in Hexagon EAM. Here are a few that came to mind:
- MOBILE: Mobile users may also execute Operator Checklists through the utilization of a tablet—a great way to get more bang for your buck from your mobile license.
- CUSTOM REPORTS: Data collected can be visualized by custom reports thereby enabling you to identify hidden trends or predict a failure.
- FLEXIBILITY: Operator Checklists can be used as simple checks for equipment or areas. The biggest benefit is the ability to do a checklist without a work order.
- DATA: Operator Checklists gain valuable information about your assets from your operations and maintenance perspective. Because the functionality in Hexagon EAM provides for fast entry on equipment, by an equipment operator, without having to create a work order.
- OPERATIONS: Operator Checklists are key when performing pre-shift inspections. Which prevent breakdowns, only if entering valuable data into the system is a procedure.
In conclusion, by effectively utilizing Operator Checklists organizations can optimize equipment maintenance, improve operational efficiency, and extend the lifespan of their assets. Interested in learning more about how this feature can benefit your business, contact DigitalThinker today for a personalized consultation. Contact us now!
What is a DigitalThinker?
At first glance, it may seem like this has nothing to do with the question, “What is a DigitalThinker?” I may end up wandering around, sharing random and fun stories as I tell this tale. So, bear with me, since this post is fueled by emotion and passion.
Before I tell you what I believe makes a DigitalThinker, I will try to share my abbreviated story.
It all began about a year before during conversations about potentially becoming a software consultant and working with his company—DigitalThinker. I had no idea, though, what was coming. I had no clue what I was getting myself into and I do not know if he really did either.
To this day we laugh about how it is one big party, and more people keep joining the fun! At the time, I was working in food and beverage for a theme park.
That day, after giving my notice, I got home from work, and it was as if I had just walked onto the set of a sitcom. “Honey, I quit my job today," I told my wife. There are a few Masters of EAM, and I was fortunate enough to start out in this world with the chance to learn from the best as I came onboard and worked alongside Tony for many months. Helping friends was contagious and it was not long after that I realized I have found my purpose.
I went on the road and began working with customers. It took a while for me to get into the groove of what a consultant’s life was really like—along with all of the expenses and adulting that came along with it. And I’m still working on it and hope to be a master of that one day. I was jumping around the country helping everyone I could—training, troubleshooting, surviving, learning, failing, and succeeding. And the whole time I had no idea I was at work. I was having the time of my life with my customers, and that is when I realized I had become a DigitalThinker, not a consultant.
What makes a DigitalThinker more than just a consultant? Relationships, of course.
Our team members work together to accomplish the mission, no matter what it takes. Understanding that product knowledge can be taught but healthy relationships are what drive success. These kinds of relationships are developed, not forced. We take pride in the relationships we have with each of our customers. We become a part of your team, and you become a part of ours. An example of this is based on the fact that we all still work closely with our first customers.
In my case, that is eight years of EAM fun, which translates to a solid relationship. Customers have one long lasting point of contact, which streamlines the work and communication for the project. Partnering alongside someone you get along with for life and in business does not sound like work to me.
In conclusion, you can take away that the DigitalThinker team is passionate about what we do and who we are. I am proud to be a DigitalThinker and this is my story.
Did You Know That Hexagon EAM Can Streamline MOCs?
I am talking to you in the petrochemical world as well as anyone else who faces a reality where MOCs are not only critical for the health of the organization but are also required per government regulations. It would certainly make sense to have this in your CMMS, right?
Defined as, “Management of Change is a best practice used to ensure that safety, health, and environmental risks and hazards are properly controlled when an organization makes changes to their facilities, operations, or personnel.” - Google
To provide you with a 10K foot overview, Hexagon EAM has a module called Case Management, wherein tasks can be assigned. We are using a copy of Case Management and specific statuses/types to accomplish the MOC process in EAM. If a sequential approval process is needed, Flex SQL, email notifications, and user defined screens are used.
The Process Safety Management team can enter MOCs and associate the tasks specific for that MOC. And subsequently, they can assign the tasks to the individuals that need to complete them. It will, of course, handle any supporting documents, and can be associated with work orders, equipment, etc. From there, the MOC is set to “awaiting approval” and progresses through a list of approvers. Once, notified via email the last approval is delivered to begin working on the procedure.
Voila!
Our MOC will be captured in Hexagon EAM from that point on.
And before I forget…note that you can still print them, if you want to support our customers in the lumber industry. We use a custom report that allows the printing of an MOC in a clean format.
Let's talk about how Hexagon EAM can help you streamline your MOC process, please do not hesitate to reach out.
How to Master Hexagon EAM
When asked the question, “How do I become a Master at Hexagon Enterprise Asset Management?”
Our story starts off as one special day at Army Officer Candidate School. As we were dumped off at the facility the senior cadets were having a field day causing chaos for us newbies. They would yell at us, tell us we have to carry all of our bags in one trip, and then demand that we report to building whatever. As soon as we got there, another senior would tell us we were in the wrong building and to go to another one.
This went on all day. Never mind that the temperature was 102 and the humidity was as bad as it could get in June. Suddenly, I heard Senior Cadet Washington bellow above the chaos, “You gotta want it!”
For some reason that gave me the strength to overcome.
And that is how you master Hexagon EAM. You’ve got to want it.
I was issued a laptop with MP5, which is like a Windows 95 version of Hexagon EAM. I had a “readme” file that offered login credentials, so I jumped in, and it was like I had slammed into a brick wall. Nothing worked and I could not figure it out. That’s when I phoned a friend.
But really, Day One of a two-week MP5 training class did not go well. I suddenly received an instant message over AOL that said I needed to check the news. When I did, I discovered that airplanes had flown into the World Trade Center buildings in New York.
Suffice to say, just like everyone else, we didn’t get much done that day. After that, and for the next two weeks, we powered through MP5 training the best we could.
Moving forward, my first assignment was to instruct an MP5 class targeting users of a large company that had decided to make the move from MP2 to MP5. Although I thought my performance was the worst it could be, the students liked me. I scratched my balding head wondering why—and then it hit me.
They saw my passion and my burning desire to master MP5, and they praised me.
Over the years, I have traveled from one client’s office to another and have run into all kinds of problems. Occasionally, I reached out to secure the help of a friend, and other times they would reach out to me if they got in a jam.
Ultimately, if you want to master Hexagon EAM, you must really want it. You need to find a mentor and have friends who are willing to help you when you need it. Join the product communities and don’t be afraid to ask questions. And finally, remember to pay it forward. Never deny help to someone who is new to the platform and in possession of the desire to learn Hexagon EAM.
Asset-Intensive Industries & Digitization: Harnessing the Power of New Technology
This is especially true for asset-intensive industries such as manufacturing, chemicals, utilities, and refining. Why? Because for businesses operating in those areas, it’s quite normal for heavy assets to comprise over 50% of a balance sheet. Ultimately, the key drivers of profitability and revenue growth are related to the alignment of asset availability and production. This means, these businesses must realize a return on net assets (RONA) when adopting new technologies and seeking to achieve results associated with digitization.
Why Asset Management Digitization is Key to Success
When the market crashed in 2009, the mining, chemicals, construction, and oil and gas industries were hit especially hard. And because of the recession, these industries began down a troubling path. They stopped investing or significantly underinvested in asset management practices and platforms. Since that time, these industries have lagged behind adopting digital technology, which in turn has resulted in downtime, inefficiencies, and lack of understanding about how assets are being used.
Studies show that high-quality asset management practices are tied directly to profitability. A business must be able to track equipment maintenance, labor, procurement, and reliability—and those varied systems and processes must be able to talk to each other—in order to ensure uptime, boost productivity, and control operating expenses. And it is through the utilization of an Enterprise Asset Management software like Hexagon EAM that a company can realize all of the benefits of enabling digital manufacturing processes, including the ability to devote machines to manufacturing the highest margin product, achieve the highest available uptime, and analyze data that allows downtime to be avoided.
What are the Operational and Financial Impacts of EAM?
According to a McKinsey study, there are some significant operational and financial impacts when implementing an EAM platform that enables improved machine learning, analytics, and sensors. Consider the following ways that EAM stands to benefit asset-intensive industries like manufacturing, chemicals, oil and gas, and others:
- Eliminate breakdowns by up to 70%
- Reduce downtime by 50% and scheduled repairs by as much as 12%
- Grow production capability by up to 27%
- Increase overall productivity by 24% and OEE by up to 21%
- Reduce maintenance costs by up to 25% and capital investment by 3-5%
- Increase average gross margins by 55% and operation margins by 18%
Ultimately, operational gains deliver financial improvement because fewer breakdowns result in lower maintenance costs. This, in turn, delivers better revenue and enhanced profitability.
So, this sounds great doesn’t it? As your answer is likely yes, let’s then take a look at how to perform an EAM assessment in order to take the first steps towards embracing digitalization.
How to Create an Asset Management Asset Plan
First things first, begin by examining the metrics that contribute to your organization’s RONA and then complete the following:
Assess your organization’s current asset management maturity level
Evaluate your current asset management system and practices
Identify your business’s strengths and weaknesses
Examine industry best practices, standards, and tools
Compare industry benchmarks to your own metrics
It is recommended that you focus on the following areas related to your own business when you complete an asset management assessment:
- Tools and technologies
- Process management
- Asset information management and analytics
- Governance and standards
- Reliability and performance
- People and culture
Now, that last bullet might have thrown you for a loop. Realize that achieving success in the digitization of asset management at your company is directly tied to your employees and their ability to embrace and accept any new process you put into place. Ultimately, an investment in asset management is also an investment in training and educating the staff members who are going to be handling the new software and ensuring its effective operation. And thankfully, the team at DigitalThinker can provide comprehensive 360-degree assistance and consulting to your organization on not only implementing Hexagon EAM, but also can ensure that your team knows what they are doing to get the most out of your investment.
We would love to talk to you more about how we help asset-intensive companies embrace digitization and realize new profitability and revenue growth. Give us a call today and let us set up a time to talk about your needs—and how your business can improve efficiencies and overall market competitiveness. Reach out today!
Don’t Blame the Software—Blame the Users: Why Accurate Data Entry is Key to Efficient EAM Operations
Accurate data entry has the ability to help businesses boost their productivity, prevent downtime, and make workers’ lives more efficient. However, there is a caveat here. Hexagon EAM can do all of these things, but on one condition: The information input by a user must be accurate and the person who is handling the software must know what they are doing. At the end of the day, if the user isn’t trained—or if they are negligent—then the EAM software can’t do its job correctly.
A Tool is Only as Good as Its User
Here’s the truth. The moment that a user doesn’t understand what they are doing or starts being “willy nilly” about the information they are entering is the moment that the software will not work for your company. Inaccurate, incomplete, even untimely information is a deal breaker for the Hexagon EAM platform. And don’t get us started on user laziness related to skipping key steps in information set up or entry—either because they don’t know what they are doing or don’t understand the importance.
In this regard, we have seen a variety of scenarios about how EAM software was driven off the rails. Users realize that no one is guarding the EAM castle, so work orders inadvertently get created against the wrong assets. Or maybe spare parts get issued to the wrong assets and events, and suddenly costs have no solid foundation and work orders don’t get completed.
And the longer this goes on, eventually the information in an EAM platform is utterly and completely useless—it’s a work of fiction and there is no way it can be used for any meaningful analysis. Ultimately, the EAM software that was purchased, invested in, and meant to be the company’s salvation in the maintenance of assets is viewed with disdain and frustration. “It didn’t work correctly for us! What a waste of time and money!” management and users cry in agreement, blaming the software.
But is it the software’s fault?
Absolutely not.
Why? Because while an investment of money might have been made in the EAM platform, what wasn’t invested in was time—time in training, time in learning, time in ensuring that users know what they are doing when they are handling the EAM software.
Knowledge + Software + Strategy = Success
DigitalThinker, we seek to work as coaches and help businesses drive results along with the right tools to do so. When that equation is present, then the game can be changed.
Yes, implementing training and ensuring your team knows how to handle your new software takes time and effort, it costs your business money. Moreover, it also takes buy in from business leaders and managers directly at the top. And frankly, there is no way around this. EAM tools cannot supercharge your company’s efforts unless the user handling the platform is educated, confident, and interested. That is the only way to truly harness the software’s potential and features—and make it benefit your business.
Luckily, that is something we specialize in. DigitalThinker not only know all of the capabilities, features, and benefits of the Hexagon EAM software. We are also committed to you and your team ensuring accurate data entry.
We want to help you become experts, so you get the most accurate data along with your Hexagon EAM investment. What’s more is that even in today’s volatile business environment, we can help you keep learning and growing. While we are proud of our ability to offer on-site training services to our clients. We are also adaptable enough to deal with an online work environment when virtual training is needed.
So, let’s get started. Stop blaming your software and start helping your people get better and more knowledgeable. Reach out to our team today to discuss our training services and begin making Hexagon EAM work for your team.
What is The Maintenance Maturity Model? And How is Digital Technology Changing It?
It was in 1999 that Winston Ledet first developed the framework for the Maintenance Maturity Model. The model, ultimately, sought to outline the maturity levels of assets and how they are handled and maintained through their respective lifespans. These different levels were addressed and identified by Ledet for the simple purpose of helping businesses manage assets that are directly tied to their operations as well as their productivity.
To recap, let’s begin with a refresher of what the Maintenance Maturity Model is and what each level includes.
The 5 Steps of the Maintenance Maturity Model
- Reactive. In this level, an asset is fixed only after it fails. Maintenance is deferred until it actually has to be dealt with. This was a common practice in the past—during a time when innovation was not necessarily at the forefront.
- Preventative. Here, assets are fixed prior to failure. Preventative maintenance is planned, scheduled, and coordinated. However, while this might seem like a proactive measure, in reality, it causes downtime, is not necessarily based on efficiency, and it really does run up expenses.
- Condition-based. In this stage, alerts are delivered that center around a single failure point. The issue, of course, is that it doesn’t consider the asset’s health as a whole, but instead breaks it down on a micro level.
- Predictive. This is based on measurement and fixing based on findings. Here, asset maintenance is predicted through analysis and evaluation, then planned, scheduled, and coordinated. This takes maintenance to another level because it is focused on ongoing monitoring. It builds upon the foundation that is established by planned maintenance and it eliminates waste. Hexagonmed decision making is present in this stage, which contributes to the efficiency of a business and helps control costs and reduce downtime.
- Prescriptive. This level is ultimately the goal of the Maintenance Maturity Model because it centers not only on fixing an asset but improving it and sustaining it. Prescriptive maintenance seeks to eliminate defects, improve overall precision, redesign elements that are no longer working, and get the best and most efficient processes and operations from the asset. Achieving this level is central to realizing enterprise wide alignment.
Digital Technologies Enable Prescriptive Maintenance
The future of asset management is clearly based on achieving prescriptive maintenance. Why? Because prescriptive maintenance seeks to leverage all approaches and capabilities found within the Maintenance Maturity Model, harness processes, and completely optimize system performance. With this approach, devices proactively participate in their own maintenance needs through coordination with their operators. Ultimately, the forces of digitization such as cloud services, mobile capabilities, Big Data, the Internet of Things, social networking, and more drive this transformation and make real-time prescriptive maintenance a reality within the manufacturing industry.
What Are the Benefits of Prescriptive Maintenance on an EAM Strategy?
Outside of obvious perks such as improving the competitive advantage of a business and reducing costs associated with asset failure and downtime, there are some startling benefits to consider as your organization seeks to achieve step #5 of the Maintenance Maturity Model. Organizations will realize:
- Enhanced product quality and delivery reliability
- Improved efficiencies and augmented process flow pertaining to inspections, maintenance scheduling, supply and parts use, and materials tracking
- Data-driven demand forecasting based on improved decision making
- Better prioritization when considering major capital investments
- Analysis of asset risk and condition that leads to improved cash flow
- Code and regulatory compliance that aligns with ADA, OSHA, EPA, and other requirements
Now, it’s true that the idea of truly achieving optimized and efficient prescriptive maintenance might seem like a pipe dream—and too good to be true. However, it is something that your organization can realize, but it’s best if you don’t try to go it alone.
DigitalThinker believes in aligning innovative thinking with technology deployment. Reach out today to learn more about how Hexagon EAM can enable your organization to reach new heights. Let's implement a proactive and prescriptive strategy that maximizes the life and performance of your company’s assets.