MechChem Africa May-June 2020

In a digital world it is critical that industries move beyond traditional asset management, and in 2020, it’s time to embrace predictive analytics to strategise capital investments more effectively. Innovative enterprise asset management in 2020

Mark Bannerman.

M anagers responsible for asset maintenance – whether in a factory, utility or public facility –areoftenforcedtofillmultiple roles, fromsupervising repairs andpreventive maintenance to inventorying assets and pro- jecting their lifespan. As digitalisation sweeps through industries, balancing the multiple pressures of the job can be difficult. Digital concepts rely heavily on equip- ment upgrades, such as adding sensors and

IoT connectivity, pulling decision-makers in multiple directions. Analysing capital needs and prioritising investments can be a time- consuming burden for teams already thinly stretched. Fortunately, technology can help. “Asset management plays a critical role in the digital revolution,” saysMarkBannerman, managing director: Infor services at iOCO. “Network connectivity, machine learning, Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence are just a few of the innovative technologies

transforming industries. Although these technologies are largely software-driven, they also rely on equipment and machinery updates, such as embedding sensors and add- ing robotic arms. These machinery upgrades all require capital.” Bannerman advises considering an al- ternative option in 2020. He says, instead of looking only at the investment part of the equation, asset managers will take a more holistic approach to their recommenda- tions if they can view the big-picture - from Facility Condition Assessment (FCA), to Remaining Useful Life (RUL) and Estimated Replacement Cost. “The recent as-serviced history, costs of asset maintenance and any service contracts or warranties must be considered,” he adds. In most enterprises, the cost of unex- pected downtime associated with upgrade- vs-replace decisions is a common factor. The ultimate question is, ‘What investment optionswill provide themost expedient reso- lution, the highest level of reliability, and the least amount of disruption tooperations’? The other big issue at stake is cash flow. Not only should the capital needed for the investment be considered, but the impact on personnel and any interruption to fulfilling customer needs should also be considered. “An advanced Enterprise Asset Manage­ ment (EAM) solution paired with robust ana- lytics will provide the required type of broad

Asset managers are able to take a more holistic approach to their asset management and recommendations if they can view the big picture.

Critical fuel service under COVID-19 lockdown Reef Fuel Injection Services has been granted Essential Service status ensuring critical industries can rely on the company should they experience diesel fuel injection system issues during lockdown. Reef Fuel Injection Services can assist with all mandatory maintenance as well as unscheduled breakdown requirements for customers operating in the distribution and transportation, mining, power generation and agricultural sectors.

Significantly, Reef Fuel InjectionServices is an authorised service agent for all leading manufacturers of diesel fuel injection systems including Bosch, Delphi, Denso and Stanadyne, and offers OEMap- proved andwarranted testing as well as quality remanufacture and calibration of all these systems. An important advantage for many CAT equipment operators is thatReefFuelInjectionServicesoperatesafully-fledgedfieldservice team that can conduct comprehensive diagnostic testing and re- manufacture and calibrations serviceswhile on a customer’s site. q

Critical industries can rely on Reef Fuel Injection Services for reliable fuel injection system repairs, mandatory maintenance and unscheduled breakdowns.

8 ¦ MechChem Africa • May-June 2020