Intelligent Maintenance and What It Has to Do with BI

It had been a long time since there were any physical events. With the EAM Talks at wolke19 in the Ares Tower in Vienna, amidst the Covid turmoil, we at SRB made a statement. An event with foresight, in multiple senses. Primarily, however, with exciting reports from today's maintenance world.

Those who know me are aware: My SAP passion is Business Intelligence, or BI for short. When it comes to 'maintenance', I'm not quite as confident. But when my esteemed colleague Manfred Scheiner, Focus Team Leader Integrated Digital Maintenance at SRB, calls and invites me to a physical event to meet real people, have conversations, presentations, a buffet, and everything we have missed for so long, nothing can keep me at my desk. 😉

In any case, it was time for the first SRB EAM Talk at the end of March. Under the motto 'Everything about Enterprise Asset Management with SAP' and a packed agenda, we invited all interested parties to wolke19 in the Ares Tower. For me personally, it was an 'interdisciplinary' afternoon with interesting guests, discussions, and exciting topics. And I can say upfront: It was absolutely worth being there.

Maintenance Today: Dusty Was Yesterday

Much has changed in maintenance over the past few years. Many of us, myself included, have a classic view of it – with not particularly modern-looking reports and maintenance orders. Everything somehow dry and a bit dusty. However, at the EAM Talks, we were all enlightened otherwise. The mobile solution from OMV for shutdowns, presented by Stefan Krebich, Advisor Turnaround Management, could have filled the entire afternoon. Another message that came across: Today, it’s not just about the digital solution. The 'surroundings' must also be considered, such as logging into the system via helmet. SAP itself now offers various solutions towards 'Proactive Maintenance', as my colleague Reiner Eberhard from SRB explained. By proactive, it is meant to use existing data and technology such as artificial intelligence and IoT to reduce failures and costs more effectively based on the current condition in the future, as Reiner explained:

‘In a changing environment, it is increasingly important to find the right maintenance strategy now and in the future!’

Reiner derives this conviction not only from his extensive experience but also from numerous conversations with customers. The parameters have changed drastically. Just a few years ago, maintenance focused on reduced costs for sensors and data processing, associated cost savings, efficiency improvements, and increased safety. Now, companies are confronted with a shortage of skilled workers, new regulations regarding sustainability, as well as issues with supply chains and shortages of raw materials and parts.

SAP Provides Answers to Changing Challenges

To better tackle these challenges, SAP is offering new solutions. 'It is a trade-off regarding the available technical data of a Digital Twin and the overarching business processes of maintenance,' says Reiner, looking at the selection. As a complement to SAP S/4HANA Asset Management, SAP Asset Performance Management (formerly PAI&ASPM) and SAP Asset Intelligence Network (AIN) are now available as SAP services under Intelligent Asset Management. And we at SRB have developed additional solutions: the SRB Maintenance Cockpit, the checklist, and SRB Workspaces. So far, so complex. Fortunately, there are experts like Reiner who can navigate through this and assist with the selection.

And what about BI?

And the promised connection to BI? In the previous PAI (Predictive Assets Insights), there are standard options to activate an SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) for analysing machine or plant data. For the successor SAP Asset Performance Management, this is planned for later this year. Thus, SAC can provide THE tool for data evaluations in SAP solutions. I am excited! Now nothing can go wrong: The plants will be maintained with the right strategies, and I find myself as a 'maintenance novice' in a familiar interface in the SAP Analytics Cloud.

Here’s What’s Next

A brief spoiler at the end: Two more presentations on digital maintenance will still take place in our EAM Talk series! Dates and details will follow here on the blog. Unfortunately, these events will again only be in webinar form. And without a buffet. Nevertheless, I will be there. Will you?

Do you have any questions about proactive maintenance? My colleague Reiner Eberhard surely has an answer.