Maintworld Issue3 2016

EDITORIAL
Teksti Martti Hakonen
From Analog
to Digital
Kuva: Antti Verkasalo
LIFE WAS a lot more analogical when I graduated in the late 1970’s. The
first microprocessors were out but programming languages such as
Assembler did not indicate that the new technology would make our
life any easier. Computers had to be started with on-off switches and
a punch tape. Whatever you wanted to do, the limitations in memory
size were a real barrier.
The milestones in industrial maintenance and process automation,
which I studied, were about the same. In the early 1980’s maintenance
started with CMMSs (Computerized Maintenance Management Systems)
and automation with DCSs (Distributed Controlled Systems).
Digitalization entered the field in the latter part of the decade with
measurement instruments for maintenance and automation. However,
the dominant portion still remained analogical.
The process industry started to benefit from the
new generation of high performance electronics, quite
often with extended operational range due to the
increased availability of military grade components.
Later in the 1990’s PC technology jumped in making
our life again easier. We got a brand new offering
of tools for core functionality like configuration and
troubleshooting.
The integration of software and PC-technology boomed after the
Millennium. Most of the main players serving the process industry
released software-based solutions for condition monitoring and asset
management. Some of them only supported core functionalities, but
the most advanced ones included sophisticated modelling features
that help simulate process conditions and guide the user to avoid abnormal
situations.
There is a lot new expected to come out during this decade. Think
about Internet of Things, mobile workers, 3D printing, laser scanning,
wireless tools for condition monitoring and large data-based prognostic
software solutions. Most of the above were available before 2010,
but the real boom only began during the last few years.
Digitalisation is the enabler of the new technologies. Our challenge
is to take benefit from these new possibilities and turn them into improved
reliability in our plants and processes. The good thing is that
you do not have to do it by yourself – partnering and networking is the
way to success.
Last, but not least, I want to introduce the new Editor-in Chief, Nina
Garlo-Melkas. She is an experienced journalist with a background
in economics and science. From now on Nina is responsible for both
Maintworld and Promaint magazines and I’ll provide editorial support
as needed. Since February she has already been publishing our newsletters.
Nina’s email is nina.garlo@omnipress.fi.
Martti Hakonen
4 maintworld 3/2016
Our challenge is to take benefit from new
possibilities and turn them into improved
reliability in our plants and processes.
8
OPC
products available
in the marketplace easily
exceed 10,000; the exact
number is unknown, and the
number of installations is
estimated to be in the tens
of millions.