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Introduction to Predictive Maintenance

Introduction to Predictive MaintenanceAs the Industrial Internet of Things continues to grow, predictive maintenance technology is transforming industries by evaluating the condition of equipment, determining if and when maintenance and repairs are needed, and preventing failures from happening in the first place.

Since it’s estimated that the Internet of Things will be connected to 80 billion devices by 2025, it’s important to invest in performance-predicting technologies now to improve safety and reliability. (Kerravala, 2017)

How It Works

If the Internet of Things had its own “fight or flight” response, it would be predictive maintenance. It observes the start of a mechanism malfunction or deterioration, with the express goal of correcting said malfunction or deterioration before significant degradation in the component or equipment occurs. (McKinsey Global Institute, 2015). The result can be a significant increase in productivity and return on investment.

Predictive technology is helping many businesses and public services run faster, more efficiently, and cost effectively. The diagnostic capabilities of predictive maintenance technologies have increased in recent years, thanks to advances made in sensor technologies.

Take the city of Chicago for example, which in late 2016 deployed predictive technology to take out the trash — literally. It relied on smart sensors to help determine which dumpsters needed emptying and when, thus keeping the city cleaner and its residents happier. By utilizing connected technology to yield previously unobtainable data on waste management without significant human time investment, stress-ridden “what happens when…” possibilities can quickly become a thing of the past. Just ask Chicago’s sanitation workers.

Collaboration Is Key

As always, when any new technology is introduced, proper training is required to ensure it is applied appropriately. This is particularly true when it comes to the field of predictive maintenance technology, as its level of sophistication continues to evolve each and every day.

It’s important for professionals working in engineering, IT, computer science and related fields across all industries to be trained in the Internet of Things. For more information, check out the online course program IEEE Guide to Internet of Things.

Imagine living and working in an environment where technology is fixed even before it breaks. It’ll be here before you know it.

Resources:

McKinsey Global Institute. (2015, June). Unlocking the potential of the Internet of Things. McKinsey & Company.

Kerravala, Zeus. (2017, Dec. 4). DDI is a critical component of IoT success. Network World.

Newman,  Daniel (2017, 5 Dec.). 3 Areas The IoT Will Impact You Without You Even Knowing. Forbes.

Sisson, Patrick. (2016, Sept. 7). Chicago’s new smart sensor network is a game changer for city data. Curbed.

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