Maintworld Magazine 4/2020

INDUSTRIAL INTERNET
THE LINE BETWEEN THE
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT AND THE
MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT
WILL GET LESS CLEAR.
the integration of complex digital systems
into everyday human life. A final way to
see the integration evolving is augmented
reality. By using our phones or headsets,
we can immerse ourselves into a hybrid
digital/ physical world. Google maps projecting
digital labels of building names,
technicians using headsets to see virtual
tags indicating equipment component
names, or even Pokémon Go are examples
of augmented reality integrating digital
information with the physical/ biological
world.
In industry, there are many predictions
of robots displacing the workforce, “lights
out” factories, and robots repairing robots.
I think that while labour-intensive,
difficult, dirty, and dangerous jobs are
prime targets for labour displacement, we
will see more of a shift in skill sets than
displacement of maintenance labour.
This skills shift will lead to the first significant
impact from the transition. The
adoption and integration of increased
digital technology will contribute to
the already widening skills gap in our
skilled trades workforce.
While it is difficult today to find and
maintain skills to troubleshoot and
maintain our equipment, it is likely that
this gap will widen, as we need skill sets
to maintain our assets, including a new
infrastructure of digital equipment, enabling
our Industry 4.0 insights. This new
technology will need maintenance, ranging
from troubleshooting errant signals or
readings, to the replacement of batteries.
Some of the recent technologies use vibration
or heat to generate electricity, powering
the sensor and wireless transmitters,
but even these will take some level of
maintenance and calibration to ensure
data integrity.
Next, I think that the line between
the Information Technology department
and the maintenance department
will get less clear. While there
has traditionally been a significant line
From Sense’s website, you can see (below) the pattern of current related to a washing
machine. As the motor encounters increased load, from the clothes “sloshing around”,
it creates a unique current signature. The time, pattern, and on/ off cycle create a
unique “fingerprint” for a typical washing machine.
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