The IFS Unleashed event in Orlando, Florida became a focal point for discussions surrounding advancements in Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), especially with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). Representing ERP Today, Mark Vigoroso and Stephanie Ball engaged in a conversation with Berend Booms, Head of EAM Insights, and Chris van den Belt, Head of Product Management at IFS Ultimo, to explore innovative AI use cases in EAM and the strategic direction being pursued by Ultimo.
IFS Ultimo, a company acquired by IFS in 2022, is focusing on revolutionising traditional EAM paradigms by incorporating state-of-the-art AI solutions. While AI in EAM has generally been centred on preventive maintenance, both Booms and van den Belt underscored the critical need to also improve reactive maintenance processes. Booms highlighted that while preventive strategies remain vital, reactive maintenance is an enduring reality, and integrating AI into this area can significantly enhance efficiency.
Van den Belt elaborated on the potential of AI to minimise the time technicians spend diagnosing issues, noting that reactive maintenance often consumes extensive resources due to vague failure reports. He provided an illustrative scenario involving field pump failures, where reports are frequently too general for efficient resolution. Technicians, typically keen to resume field duties rather than engage in detailed reporting tasks, enter minimal information into reports.
To address this challenge, IFS Ultimo has developed AI-driven systems utilising large language models (LLMs). These systems prompt technicians with AI-generated suggestions for sensory observations that can be attached to failure reports, providing richer detail for problem-solving. This approach leverages generally available generative pre-trained transformers (GPTs) to circumvent the need for companies to build bespoke AI models, offering both cost and time efficiencies.
The primary advantage of this methodology is a pronounced reduction in mean time to repair (MTTR), a metric typically inflated by the time taken to determine root failure causes. Booms quantified that the average manufacturing plant experiences 15-20 hours of downtime weekly. Even a small improvement in MTTR can translate into significant financial savings and enhanced productivity, highlighting the serious economic impact of optimising maintenance processes through AI.
Additionally, the enriched failure reports provide a dual benefit: they not only expedite immediate repairs through added context but also enhance data quality for future troubleshooting and strategic planning, benefiting long-term operational objectives.
IFS Ultimo is gearing up to release these advanced AI models imminently, adhering to its continuous delivery framework, which ensures that clients will be able to access new features promptly following their integration into the Ultimo system. The strategic direction signals a robust trajectory in elevating the standard of EAM service provision through cutting-edge technology, underscoring the commitment to continual improvement and client value enhancement.
Source: Noah Wire Services