Maintworld Magazine 3/2023

3/2023 maintworld.com 

maintenance & asset management 

Biohydrogen 

powers 

future industry 

p 30 

Redefining 

industrial 

maintenance 

p 38 

Asset Social 

Networks 

Unleashed

EDITORIAL 

Predicve Maintenance 

is Shaping the Future 

of Industry 

A 

major shift is underway in the 

field of industrial maintenance. 

In this issue of Maintworld 

Magazine, we explore the gamechanging 

role of predictive maintenance 

and its impact on modern industry. 

Manufacturing and industrial landscapes 

have evolved massively over the past few 

decades. Reactive fixes are no longer viable 

in today's cost-sensitive and safety-conscious 

environments. Adopting predictive maintenance 

is also no longer a choice for manufacturers 

who want to succeed. It's a necessity. 

Predictive maintenance helps companies 

avoid costly unplanned downtime. According 

to a Deloitte report, on average, predictive maintenance increases productivity 

by 25%, reduces breakdowns by 70% and lowers maintenance costs by 

25%. However, implementing predictive maintenance is not without hurdles 

for many manufacturing companies. It requires massive investments in new 

technology, data management systems, security measures and a change in 

maintenance culture. 

In this issue of Maintworld Magazine, we bring you interviews with industry 

leaders, expert insights, and the latest technology trends. I particularly recommend 

reading the article “Celebrating Synergy: Asset Social Networks 

Unleashed” written by Professors Diego Galar, Ramin Karim and Uday Kumar 

from the Luleå University of Technology 

in Sweden. This article examines 

the future of industrial systems. 

“Prognostics and Health Management 

(PHM), and Condition-based 

Maintenance (CBM) have eclipsed 

traditional reactive and scheduled 

maintenance, particularly for 

high-value critical assets. Yet these 

methods grapple with a significant 

Adopting predictive 

maintenance is no 

longer a choice for 

manufacturers who 

want to succeed. 

limitation: they are typically engineered to maintain individual assets, not the 

interconnected web of assets integral to manufacturing,” the article states. 

Maintworld invites you now to join the conversation. Your unique insights 

on themes related to industrial maintenance can help shape the future of 

our industry. We want to be the platform for you to share your experiences, 

knowledge, and ideas to inspire, educate and empower others. 

To submit your expert article, or learn more about this opportunity, please 

contact the Editor in Chief of Maintworld at editor@maintworld.com. We look 

forward to hearing from you and featuring your non-marketing, expert article 

contributions in our upcoming issues! 

Nina Garlo-Melkas 

Former Maintworld Editor-in Chief (2016-2022) 

Current Technology and Industrial Maintenance Enthusiast and Maintworld 

Magazine contributer, Communications Manager/Journalist at Finnish health 

tech company Koite Health Ltd. 

38 

Technological 

change will 

inevitably affect not only 

the work of maintenance 

professionals, but also the 

image of the maintenance 

industry. 

4 maintworld 3/2023

IN THIS ISSUE 3/2023 

12 

The 

global COVID-19 pandemic 

ushered in a new era of 

challenges for European 

industrial firms, with a particular 

impact on small and mediumsized 

enterprises (SMEs). 

26 

Although 

energy 

technological and digital 

solutions might be the same 

or similar for all countries, 

their implementation is not. 

4 Editorial 

6 News 

12 

16 

18 

Celebrating Synergy: Asset Social 

Networks Unleashed 

Sizing pumps and pump motors 

How fixing methane leaks from the oil 

and gas industry can be a game-changer 

22 

24 

26 

30 

34 

SDT International announces transition 

to high-performance leak detection 

The added value of digitalisation – 

Market Survey 

Thoughts about systemic challenges in 

energy transition 

Biohydrogen powers future industry 

and circulation 

Using technology to improve 

manufacturing 

36 

How much air leaks really cost – Leak 

Survey Examples 

38 

43 

Redefining industrial maintenance in 

the tech-driven era 

Feature engineering-based operational 

state recognition of rotating machines 

Wood dust at the workplace 

46 

challenges occupational health 

Changes do happen; more and more 

48 

women enrol in technical colleges 

Issued by Promaint (Finnish Maintenance Society), Messuaukio 1, 00520 Helsinki, Finland, tel. +358 29 007 4570. Editor-in-chief Jaakko 

Tennilä, Promaint. Publisher Avone Oy, avone.fi, executive producer Vaula Aunola, editor@maintworld.com, producer Nina Garlo-Melkas. 

Advertisements Kai Portman, Sales Director, tel. +358 358 44 763 2573, kai@maintworld.com. Layout Avone. Subscriptions and Change of 

Address: toimisto@kunnossapito.fi. Printed by Savion Kirjapaino Oy Frequency 4 issues per year, ISSN L 1798-7024, ISSN 1798-7024 (print), 

ISSN 1799-8670 (online). 

3/2023 maintworld 5

In Short 

Robotics As A Service (RaaS) market size 

to increase by USD 1.50 billion during 

2022-2027. Rapid industrialisation in 

developed countries to drive the growth. 

Source: Technavio 

Ericsson works with AWS and 

Hitachi America R&D to showcase 

smart factory potential 

THREE OF THE BIGGEST names in 

global technology have joined forces 

to highlight the ability of alreadyavailable 

5G, artificial intelligence 

(AI) and automation solutions to 

transform manufacturing and improve 

productivity, efficiency, environmental 

impact and safety, while reducing 

costs. 

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC), Amazon Web 

Services (AWS) and Hitachi America R&D 

enabled the private 5G infrastructure trial at 

Hitachi Astemo Americas’ electric motor vehicle 

manufacturing plant in Berea, Kentucky, USA. 

– The best news about this collaboration is that it 

is not about capabilities that will be available at some distant 

point in the future, Thomas Noren, Head of PCN Commercial and 

Operations, Ericsson, says. 

– These solutions can be deployed today in manufacturing 

and enterprise environments to deliver a range of early 

adopter competitive advantages. As global technology 

leaders, Ericsson AWS and Hitachi America 

R&D have shown how collaboration can 

drive innovation. 

The solution leverages Ericsson Private 

5G side by side with the AWS Snow Family 

to provide the private cellular networks 

that were foundational in establishing 

machine learning (ML) models within the 

Hitachi manufacturing complex. Using 

Hitachi video analytics, real-time video 

of the component assembly operation was 

fed across the Ericsson private 5G network 

to help detect defects earlier, reducing wasted 

material and lost production. 

– We explored and validated new use cases enabled 

by private 5G to show how smart factories can 

already function, Sudhanshu Gaur, Vice President of R&D for 

Hitachi America and Chief Architect at Hitachi Astemo Americas, says. 

– The combination of private 5G, cloud and artificial intelligence/machine 

learning automated technologies has the potential 

to revolutionize the way we manufacture products, and we 

are excited to be at the forefront of this innovation. 

Karlstad secures the future of water supply and 

wastewater maintenance with HxGN EAM 

While many municipal 

water and wastewater 

systems are aging, the demands 

on capacity and performance 

are increasing. 

WHILE MANY MUNICIPAL WATER and wastewater systems 

are aging, thus, becoming increasingly maintenance-intensive, 

the demands on capacity and performance are increasing. The 

Municipality of Karlstad, in Sweden, in collaboration with Prevas, 

has streamlined and optimized maintenance and planning of 

the municipality's water and wastewater system through the 

introduction of HxGN EAM. 

HxGN EAM is a web-based maintenance solution that helps 

enterprises to monitor the condition and performance of their production 

resources 

– We have many water and wastewater facilities, many of which 

are of an older vintage, and until now we've had also several different 

ways of managing the maintenance processes, says Veronica 

Adrian, who heads the water and wastewater department for the 

Municipality of Karlstad. 

– Given the increasing need for maintenance, we believe that it's 

high time to move from the current lists and calendar system to a 

more coherent, robust and efficient solution, she adds. 

By introducing HxGN EAM, the Municipality of Karlstad, together 

with Prevas, has been able to streamline and automate large parts 

of its maintenance activities. The system makes it easier for staff 

to plan and schedule maintenance, follow up completed work and 

monitor relevant maintenance KPIs. 


6.27% 

The 

global infrastructure sector is poised for substantial growth, with 

the market estimated at USD 2.57 trillion in 2023 and projected 

to reach USD 3.48 trillion by 2028, boasting a commendable 

compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.27% during the forecast 

period from 2023 to 2028. Source: ResearchAndMarkets.com 

KONE, a global leader 

in the elevator and 

escalator industry, has 

committed to a 50% 

reduction in emissions 

from its own operations. 

KONE is the first in the industry 

to achieve carbon neutral 

manufacturing units globally 

KONE Corporation, a global leader in the elevator 

and escalator industry, has reached a major 

milestone 18 months ahead of schedule, when 

KONE’s manufacturing units became carbon 

neutral at the end of June 2023. The company 

has ten manufacturing units in seven countries across the 

globe. All of them have actively worked to reduce their scope 

1 & 2 emissions by 71% compared to the 2018 baseline. 

KONE says in a statement that it has invested in energy 

efficiency and manufacturing line robotics and automation 

and has among others invested in heating, ventilation and 

air conditioning systems increasing energy savings. In 8 

out of 10 factories, forklifts have been replaced with electric 

powered forklifts, and most of the remaining diesel-powered 

forklifts are now powered by biofuels. 

In addition, KONE has installed solar panels in nine out 

of ten of its manufacturing units, and all units have been 

purchasing 100% renewable electricity since the beginning 

of 2023. Two manufacturing units have switched to green 

district heating partners. 

– This is a significant step in KONE’s ambition to have 

the most resilient, sustainable and competitive supply chain 

in the industry, says Mikko Korte, EVP, KONE Supply 

Chain. 

In 2020, KONE announced its climate pledge with 

science-based targets for the significant reduction of GHG 

emissions by 2030, in line with limiting global warming to 

1.5°C. 

– KONE has pledged to have carbon neutral operations 

by 2030, with our manufacturing units reaching this target 

already 18 months ahead at end of June 2023, the company 

said in a statement. 

KONE has committed to a 50% reduction in emissions 

from its own operations. This includes direct GHG emissions 

that occur from sources that are controlled or owned 

by the company. 

In addition, KONE has said it targets a 40% reduction 

in emissions related to its products’ materials and lifetime 

energy consumption (Scope 3) over the same target period, 

relative to products ordered. 


In Short 

The global market for Aerospace Additive 

Manufacturing estimated at US$932.5 

Million in the year 2022, is projected to reach a 

revised size of US$3.5 Billion by 2030, growing at a 

CAGR of 18.1% over the analysis period 2022-2030. 

ABS AND CROWLEY JOINTLY EXPLORE CUTTING- 

EDGE VISUALISATION TECHNOLOGIES 

ABS, a leading maritime classification and certification 

organisation, and U.S. shipping and 

logistics company Crowley have partnered to 

explore the use of visualisation technologies in 

augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) 

environments. 

The partnership builds on Crowley's existing AR technology, 

which involves wearable devices enabling 360-degree 

video and remote access to ship equipment through Kognitiv 

Spark. It allows for real-time digital collaboration, enhancing 

maintenance and upgrade processes. 

The joint pilot project will focus on class-related survey 

support activities, including annual and special surveys, task 

crediting, virtual walkthroughs, and livestreaming. These 

efforts will involve surveyors, engineers, and back-office 

support, incorporating fully remote and hybrid survey techniques. 

Crowley, with its diverse fleet, plans to leverage this collaboration 

with ABS to enhance operational efficiency and 

sustainability through technology. 

– Augmented reality technology is a field technology, so in 

collaborating with forward-looking companies like Crowley, 

we can explore what is possible for future survey operations 

as well as for safety in use. ABS class services are leading the 

industry and finding ways to enrich the data used to both 

streamline the class process and also keep mariners and our 

surveyors safe, said Patrick Ryan, ABS Senior Vice President 

and Chief Technology Officer. 

Electronics industry 

supply chains look 

healthy; Inventories 

expand 

DESPITE ONGOING cost pressures affecting the electronics 

industry, IPC's August 2023 Global Sentiment of the Electronics 

Supply Chain Report reveals that positive product demand and 

inventory levels are contributing to a robust supply chain. 

– Over the next six months, electronics manufacturers expect to 

see continued increase in both labor and material costs, although to 

a lesser extent than current conditions, commented Shawn DuBravac 

IPC chief economist following the release of the report. 

– Conversely, while backlogs and profit margins are expected to 

improve, ease of recruitment is likely to remain challenging. 

For the report, IPC surveyed hundreds of companies from around 

the world, including a wide range of company sizes representing 

the full electronics manufacturing value chain. 


3.74 billion 

Turbine 

Control System Market size is anticipated 

to grow by USD 3.74 billion from 2022 to 

2027. Universal turbine monitoring and control 

systems enable cross-company compatibility to 

drive the growth. Source: Technavio 

Global digital twin market sees strong 

growth amidst pandemic challenges 

The global Digital Twin 

Market is experiencing 

remarkable growth, 

transforming industries 

and revolutionizing 

decision-making processes across 

healthcare, pharmaceuticals, automotive, 

transportation, and aerospace 

sectors, a report from Verified 

Market Research® indicates. 

According to the report, the digital 

twin market size is expected to 

teach USD 133.7 billion, globally, 

by 2030 representing a compound 

annual growth rate (CAGR) of 

38.1%. 

– Amid the challenges posed 

by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 

healthcare and pharmaceutical 

sectors have embraced Digital 

Twin technology, leveraging its 

capabilities for drug experimentation, 

patient monitoring, and medication 

impact assessments. The 

energy & power sector is emerging 

as a significant driver of Digital 

Twin adoption, with the manufacturing 

industry optimizing 

operations through its integration, 

Verified Market Research® said in 

a statement. 

The global Digital Twin market's 

outlook remains promising, 

driven by the need for data-driven 

decision-making and enhanced operational 

efficiency. 

– Through real-time data 

analysis and predictive modeling, 

Digital Twins enable organizations 

to anticipate and optimize 

the performance of products and 

processes throughout their lifecycle. 

The market's growth is further 

propelled by ongoing advancements 

in technology, fostering a 

landscape of innovation and strategic 

collaborations. 

North America stands at the 

forefront of the Digital Twin revolution, 

serving as a key innovation 

center and early adopter of Digital 

Twins and associated technologies. 

Major industry players, including 

General Electric (US), have significantly 

invested in the sector, 

underlining the region's market 

leadership. 

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In Short 

The industrial maintenance services market 

is expected to reach USD 81.2 billion, 

at a CAGR of 5.90% between 2023 and 

2032. Source: Market Research Future 

(MRFR). 

Rejlers 

and Elmea 

collaborate 

to electrify 

Lofoten 

REJLERS NORWAY has signed an 

agreement with Elmea, part of the 

Lofotkraft Group, regarding technical 

expertise in connection with the 

reinforcement of the electricity supply 

in the Lofoten archipelago in 

Norway. The collaboration includes 

the design of several 22kV line and 

cable routes. 

Elmea, which manages an electricity 

grid of 2500 kilometres, aims 

to ensure a reliable power supply 

in the region. Rejlers will contribute 

with expertise in the design of 

ground-, sea-, overhead- and substations. 

– This project is complex due to 

the region's unique geography and 

climate. But with our experience, 

we are well positioned to handle 

these challenges, says Frank Huset, 

Project Manager at Rejlers Norway. 

During the period 2009 to 2021, 

Elmea invested NOK 1.7 billion in 

the electricity grid and in 2022 

an additional NOK 73 million was 

invested to make the grid more 

robust. 

– This is a long-term investment 

that will benefit both residents 

and businesses in Lofoten, says 

Pål Martinussen, CEO of Elmea. 

The project is part of the ongoing 

green transition in Lofoten, 

where tourism, fisheries and aquaculture 

are in a transition phase to 

more sustainable practices. 

Virtual reality helps 

effectively develop 

occupational 

safety skills 

A PROJECT CONDUCTED by the University 

of Lapland and the Finnish 

Institute of Occupational Health sheds 

light on the possibilities that virtual 

reality offers for occupational safety 

training. Training sessions carried out 

in accordance with the research-based 

model improved occupational safety 

competencies effectively. The model 

uses the Finnish Institute of Occupational 

Health’s Virtuario learning environment. 

In immersive virtual reality (IVR), 

the learner gets acquainted with factors 

that promote occupational safety 

by using a VR headset to participate in 

learning scenarios that resemble real 

work life, with its typical challenges. 

The training sessions promoted an 

increased focus on learning. The participants’ 

motivation to promote occupational 

safety increased and their 

understanding and ability to perceive 

dangers was strengthened. The participants 

also felt increasingly in control of 

promoting occupational safety. 

– The research results provide 

guidelines for the development of 

future safety training. As the participant 

is more actively engaged in how 

events unfold in the VR environment, 

they are better able to recognise the 

impact of their own safety actions, 

says Kristian Lukander, Senior Specialist 

for the Finnish Institute of Occupational 

Health. 

INTERACTION PLAYS AN IMPORTANT 

PART IN LEARNING 

In the course of the project, a total of 

22 occupational safety training sessions 

were carried out at different 

locations of Fortum Power & Heat Oy 

and the Finnish Customs. The research 

group developed a model that supports 

safety learning and enables organisations 

and training providers to use 

immersive virtual reality in a pedagogically 

appropriate way. The model also 

aids in connecting the exercises and 

the participants’ own experiences with 

the occupational safety practices of the 

work community. 

– The Finnish Institute of Occupational 

Health’s Virtuario immerses the 

user in a virtual situation by efficient 

use of the strengths of virtual reality: 

presence, bodily experience and the 

learner’s own agency, says Lukander. 

The training sessions had a total of 

76 employees as participants and five 

trainers, who were trained to independently 

carry out the actual exercises 

while the researchers monitored and 

gathered information on the progress 

of the learning event. A key research 

topic for the study was the level of 

interactivity between the user and the 

IVR environment. The results show that 

increased interactivity of the immersive 

virtual environment improved the 

learning results significantly. 

Two versions of three different 

occupational safety exercises were 

developed for the purposes of the 

study: a highly interactive one and one 

with limited interaction. The exercises 

involved learning about occupational 

safety when working in traffic, executing 

a demanding lift operation in an 

industrial hall and adopting occupational 

safety knowledge related to x-ray 

examination in passenger traffic. 

– We studied how interactivity 

impacted factors that are important 

for learning, such as cognitive load 

and occupational safety learning. The 

stimulus interviews provided a deeper 

understanding of the participants’ 

experiences and our analysis also utilised 

video and observation materials 

collected during the training, says Professor 

Heli Ruokamo from the University 

of Lapland. 


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INDUSTRIAL INTERNET 

Professors DIEGO GALAR, RAMIN KARIM and UDAY KUMAR from the Luleå University of Technology, Sweden 

Celebrang 

Synergy 

Asset Social Networks Unleashed 

Efficient maintenance and asset management are paramount for enhancing manufacturing 

productivity and curbing the total cost of ownership. In this realm, Prognostics and Health 

Management (PHM), and Condition-based Maintenance (CBM) have eclipsed traditional 

reactive and scheduled maintenance, particularly for high-value critical assets. Yet these 

methods grapple with a significant limitation: they are typically engineered to maintain 

individual assets, not the interconnected web of assets integral to manufacturing. 

Efficient maintenance 

and asset management 

are paramount for 

enhancing manufacturing 

productivity and 

curbing the total cost 

of ownership. 



Prominent industry players 

monitor the condition of 

their critical assets by scrutinizing 

data sourced from 

myriad sensors to pinpoint 

trends and anomalies. The resulting 

insights drive maintenance strategies 

grounded in simplistic rule-based algorithms. 

However, the effectiveness of the 

algorithms hinges on the expertise and 

knowledge of personnel analysing the 

data and devising rules, thus, rendering 

the algorithms resource-intensive and 

occasionally unreliable. Furthermore, 

they fail to identify issues tied to asset 

disparities, operating environments, and 

customer utilization patterns. 

Recent research has honed in on 

"stochastic dependence," modelling interactive 

asset behaviour within complex 

systems, dispelling the notion of independent 

and isolated silos. Nonetheless, 

for PHM and CBM to thrive, two pivotal 

challenges must be tackled: 

• Facilitating data and insight sharing 

among assets to foster system-wide 

visibility of deterioration and performance 

enhancements for optimal 

asset health. 

• Empowering assets to autonomously 

and collaboratively make maintenance 

and operational decisions grounded 

in overall system performance, rather 

than individual asset performance, 

ushering in not only comprehensive 

fleet and individual asset health 

assessment but also resource-efficient 

maintenance allocation. 

Embracing Resilience and 

a Human-Centric Approach: 

The Catalyst of COVID 

The global COVID-19 pandemic ushered in 

a new era of challenges for European industrial 

firms, with a particular impact on small 

and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) navigating 

a fiercely competitive manufacturing 

landscape, as economies worldwide reopen 

following a prolonged disruption. Concurrently, 

recent years have witnessed tumultuous 

shifts in the socio-political arena, alongside 

conspicuous signs of climate change 

and an ongoing energy dilemma. Bolstering 

competitiveness within EU industries rests 

on a critical imperative: industrial assets 

and systems must possess the capability to 

adapt to their intricate and costly operational 

demands through innovative designs 

and unwavering reliability throughout their 

lifecycles. Vigilant management of equipment 

and system health and the associated 

risks is paramount to safeguard a secure 

and thriving industrial sector. 

Consequently, European industries 

should channel their efforts towards 

astute asset management, improving 

availability, maintainability, quality, and 

safety. Within this framework, Europe's 

pursuit of global leadership hinges on 

establishing an internationally appealing, 

secure, and dynamic data-savvy 

economy, underpinned by a trustworthy 

artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem. 

Over the past decade, remarkable strides 

have been made in research and development, 

uniting novel data science methodologies 

in machine learning (ML) and AI 

to confront pivotal challenges in industrial 

automation and control. The technological 

evolution encapsulated by Industry 4.0 has 

advanced equipment diagnostics and prognostics 

from conventional physics-based 

models to data-driven ML techniques. 

Current strides in digitization, however, 

amplify the demand for human skill in dissecting 

extensive data sets. This calls for 

proficiency in data science, statistics, and 

programming, a paradigm shift that risks 

alienating the majority of "boots on the 

ground" - factory workers, maintenance 

engineers, and technicians - compelling 

them to either upskill or risk redundancy. 

Thus, humanizing digital technologies is a 

pressing imperative for this decade. 

Beyond the human aspects, several 

fundamental obstacles are slowing the 

widespread industrial adoption of these 

emerging technologies. Firstly, AI algorithms 

rely on operational data, confining 

their applicability to scenarios with copious 

volumes of data. Secondly, prevailing strategies 

for mitigating data scarcity or imbalance 

hinge on aggregating data from vast 

asset fleets, and this approach falls short of 

delivering an optimal solution because the 

average behaviour of assets in a fleet fails to 

represent the intricacies of any individual 

asset. Thirdly, integration poses a formidable 

challenge within a system-of-systems 

framework, where an industrial ecosystem 

comprises diverse equipment types, often 

originating from various original equipment 

manufacturers (OEMs). These heterogeneous 

assets must flawlessly collaborate 

to attain overarching system objectives. 

Achieving peak system performance necessitates 

pinpointing the ideal combination 

of actions across these assets in a dynamic 

and uncertain environment. Present-day AI 



techniques cannot really learn the intricate 

interrelationships between diverse system 

assets, impeding their utility in supporting 

decision-support systems reliant on equipment 

cohesion to achieve system-optimized 

outcomes. Collaborative AI emerges as 

a pivotal enabler, facilitating asset communication, 

data sharing among kindred 

assets, collective failure pattern learning, 

and behavioural optimization. Nonetheless, 

these techniques remain underdeveloped 

and unrefined for industrial equipment. 

For instance, clustering assets based 

on dynamic behavioural data similarity 

remains an elusive endeavour. Once akin 

assets are identified, seamless communication 

and operational status exchange, 

coupled with control action dissemination, 

become imperative. In this context, a 

fundamental challenge arises in machineto-machine 

communications, exacerbated 

by a profusion of standards and protocols. 

This proliferation hampers communication 

between disparate equipment types from 

multiple OEMs—typical within intricate 

industrial systems. 

These multifaceted challenges collectively 

relegate system-level optimization 

to a distant aspiration. Yet system-level 

optimization constitutes the very essence 

of efficient and effective 21st-century enterprises. 

How can data, information, and 

insights be seamlessly shared among asset 

fleets and human stakeholders, culminating 

in system-level optimization? 

In the realm of consumer technology, 

data sharing through Internet of Things 

(IoT)-enabled devices via social networks 

is on the rise, offering avenues for benchmarking 

and performance optimization. 

Notably, companies like Garmin and Nike 

have pioneered platforms enabling consumers 

to share and compare data on their 

exercise routines. These data, collected 

through GPS and IoT-enabled wristbands, 

can provide an inherent health boost, as 

the exchange of health data, habits, and 

insights among peers promotes collective 

well-being. This social application of data 

holds immense promise in the realm of 

asset health management. 

Presently, the bulk of research and 

development attempts to leverage IoT 

and social media to target end-consumers. 

These endeavours range from smart 

home appliances to data mining to harness 

consumer data from social networks 

and drive more refined and targeted marketing 

strategies. Our overarching objective, 

however, is to channel the potential 

of these groundbreaking technologies 

into the domain of manufacturing and 

industrial systems. 

Elevating Digital Twins into 

Social Entities 

The advent of the Digital Twin (DT) concept 

has ushered in the era of digitally 

replicating physical assets. It endows 

assets with true intelligence by incorporating 

software agents, paving the way for 

machines to communicate, collaborate, 

and cooperate indirectly, through their 

digital doppelgängers within what is 

known as the metaverse. This innovation 

holds the promise of surmounting the 

challenge posed by incompatible data 

standards and protocols, while bestowing 

assets with collaborative learning and 

decision-making capabilities. 

Although a gamut of DT models with 

varying functionalities has emerged in 

the era of Industry 4.0, integrating these 

DTs for deployment in complex systems 

and fleets remains a formidable task. The 

detailed exploration of architectures that 

amalgamate collections of DTs is largely 

uncharted territory. The focus has been 

on individual assets, necessitating more 

concerted efforts to materialize an interconnected 

federation of DTs. In a complex and 

dynamic system, such as infrastructure 

networks or expansive industrial plants, 

we envision a hierarchical structure for 

DTs. DTs representing virtual collections 

(e.g., subsystems or sub-fleets) of assets 

will reside in the upper levels of the hierarchy. 

These collections may dynamically 

form based on the "friendships" cultivated 

among social assets. Within this hierarchy, 

a "supervisory" DT that encapsulates the 

entire collection becomes indispensable. 

The demand for cognitive DTs equipped to 

design and deploy other DTs dynamically 

and autonomously, coupled with seamless 



interaction with humans in close cooperation 

- integrating avatars as part of the process 

- is a commendable aspiration within 

this context. 

However, the technology for facilitating 

communication between DTs is still in its 

nascent stages; standardization is wanting, 

and industry-wide best practices are 

notably absent. Multiple disparate working 

groups have already developed a medley of 

standards describing heterogeneous assets 

at various levels. These standards offer 

generalized blueprints for DTs and have 

yet to gain substantial traction within the 

industry. Indeed, existing standards often 

suffer from overgeneralization or fall short 

of accommodating the swift evolution of 

DTs. Consequently, data shared across contemporary 

cyber-physical systems seldom 

adhere to a format readily comprehensible 

by human stakeholders beyond data specialists. 

Addressing this imperative entails 

devising solutions for sharing learning data 

and information. Messages exchanged 

between DTs and the social platform 

must incorporate ample context to ensure 

transparency, safety, and robustness, while 

enabling human agents to seamlessly participate 

in message processing. Augmenting 

transparency necessitates crafting a schema 

vocabulary for a standardizable information 

model, extending its capabilities to match 

the communication requisites between DTs 

and between DTs and human stakeholders. 

Safeguarding safety and robustness hinges 

on the implementation of explicit indicators 

for device health and data integrity. 

Cultivating a Collaborative 

Digital Ecosystem: The 

Vision of Social Networks for 

Industrial Assets 

Picture a world where individual machines 

in factories across the globe and infrastructure 

assets within vast networks compile, 

upload, and disseminate condition and 

operational performance data, alongside 

human-comprehensible “status updates,” 

via a purpose-built social network platform. 

The potential for learning and optimization 

within this landscape is immense. Assets 

spanning a system or network can engage 

in collaborative learning, pattern recognition, 

and problem diagnosis, harnessing 

collective wisdom to adapt their behaviour, 

alleviate the burden on ailing equipment, 

and bolster long-term system performance. 

Operators, maintenance engineers, and 

managers gain the ability to peruse these 

status updates, pinpointing opportunities 

for efficiency enhancements and orchestrating 

measures to optimize their system's 

performance. 

The industrial systems of the future 

will comprise genuinely intelligent collaborating 

assets, seamlessly leveraging 

AI in conjunction with human expertise, 

fostering heightened efficiency and judicious 

resource allocation. The underpinning 

models driving these systems will 

be fortified by explainable AI (XAI), 

instilling trust in autonomous behaviour 

among human managers. 

Realizing a vision of collaborative 

industrial assets through a social network 

within the realm of AI is a tough challenge. 

This interconnected and intelligent “social 

network” of assets draws inspiration from 

the social networks observed in biological 

entities. In its pursuit, the construction of 

a multi-agent ecosystem for a collaborative 

asset social network via a dedicated social 

network platform must duly acknowledge 

the indispensable presence of human 

stakeholders. This necessitates a robust 

foundation encompassing techniques 

for efficacious social network formation, 

algorithms empowering agents to cultivate 

contextual awareness, federated algorithms 

facilitating collaborative learning, and 

multi-agent reinforcement learning strategies 

for cooperative decision-making. The 

ultimate objective is to cultivate a network 

of diverse assets adept at collectively optimizing 

operations while mitigating climate 

impact and data vulnerabilities. The framework 

prominently involves humans, serving 

as essential contributors who both instruct 

and learn from software agents through 

cutting-edge data mining algorithms adept 

at deciphering intricate data and distilling 

actionable insights. 


INDUSTRIAL MECHANICS 

Sizing pumps and 

pump motors 

End users or service centers often need to specify replacement pumps or pump motors, 

sometimes involving a retrofit or re-application project. A successful outcome depends 

on accurate assessment of application requirements and a good understanding of the 

parameters that govern pump performance. The information here relates to rotodynamic 

pumps (centrifugal and axial flow impellers) and not to positive displacement pumps. 

EUGENE VOGEL, Pump and vibration specialist at at the Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA, Inc.) 

ABOUT EASA, INC. 

EASA, Inc., St. Louis, MO 

USA is an international 

trade association of more 

than 1,700 firms in nearly 

70 countries that sell and 

service electromechanical 

apparatus. 

Sizing a pump and a 

pump motor for an 

application is not a 

trivial endeavor. 

Unlike motors, pumps are rated by head and flow, not 

by power. There’s no such thing as a 50 hp pump or 

a 100 kW pump. A pump can operate over a range 

of heads and flows, and the power required is determined 

by those and by the pump’s efficiency at 

the particular head-flow operating point. It’s helpful to know that 

“head” correlates to a measure of pressure. For water, it’s a simple 

conversion: 2.31 ft head = 1 psi (1 m head = 9.8 kPa). Here’s a simple 

formula that describes the relationship between head, flow, pump 

efficiency and pump power: 

(where k depends on chosen units) 

While this formula is helpful for quickly estimating 

the power required for a rotodynamic pumping application 

with known head and flow values, you can only get 

accurate power values from the manufacturer’s pump 

curve. How to read pump curves is beyond the scope of 

this article. What is important here is that the power requirements 

vary with flow rate, so knowing the range of 

flow rates for the pump is essential to sizing a motor to 

the pump. 

SIZING THE PUMP 

The process of sizing a pump and motor starts with sizing the 

pump for the application’s range of head and flow requirement. 

The following basic concepts are evident on the pump curve. 


INDUSTRIAL MECHANICS 

Figure 1. A pump 

selection chart provides 

generalized data from 

the pump curves. 

Printed with permission 

from Hidrostal Pumps. 

Flow requirement. A pump may operate across a wide 

range of flow rates, known as the Allowable Operating Range. 

Ideally, the pump should be designed to operate as close as 

possible to the Best Efficiency Point (BEP) and within the Preferred 

Operating Range. Pump efficiency will drop dramatically 

as flow rates move away from the BEP, and turbulent flow 

will reduce the reliability of the pump. 

Head requirement. The head that a pump can deliver must 

match the application. If the maximum pump head is below the 

system demand, the pump will not produce flow (bad!). If the 

maximum pump head is much greater than the system demand 

(more than double), the operating point will not be near the 

BEP, and both efficiency and pump reliability will suffer. 

Cavitation. Another important concern when selecting a 

pump for a specific application is the possibility that cavitation 

may occur. If the pump is to operate across a range of flow rates 

(rather than always operating near a single flow rate), cavitation 

will be more likely at the higher flow rates. Pumps have Net 

Positive Suction Head Required (NPSHR) ratings, which allow 

evaluation of the likelihood of cavitation at any flow rate using 

NPSHR values from the pump curve. Generally, lower-speed 

pumps are less susceptible to cavitation than higher-speed 

pumps. If the application has low suction head demands, a lower 

operating speed will be an advantage. At lower operating speeds, 

a larger pump impeller diameter will be required, and thus a 

physically larger and more expensive pump may be needed. 

SIZING THE MOTOR 

Once a pump of the proper size is selected for the application’s 

range of head and flow, the motor can be sized and selected to 

match the pump’s requirements. 

Minimum power requirement. For most pumps, the 

power requirement varies with flow rates. Power requirements 

may increase or decrease with increased flow. The 

pump curve will provide that information. Obviously, the motor 

must have adequate power to meet the pump demand at 

the application flow rate with the highest power requirement. 

That’s the minimum power requirement for the motor. But 

it is likely the pump will have an Allowable Operating Range 

wider than the application demands. 

Maximum power requirement. If application demands 

were to change at some future time, the pump might be 

expected to operate at a point where the power requirements 

are greater than the minimum power requirement. 

Therefore, it’s wise to consider the maximum power the 

pump could require under any operating conditions. This 

value is provided on the pump curve as the No Overload 

Power (NOL) rating. In some cases, the difference between 

the minimum power requirement for the application and 

the NOL rating may be absorbed by the motor service factor. 

In other instances, sizing for NOL power may require a 

higher power motor. 

CONCLUSION 

Sizing a pump and a pump motor for an application is 

not a trivial endeavor. The application head and flow 

requirements must be known. The pump power formula 

provided above, with the “k” to match the selected units, 

will provide a good estimate of the size of the machine. 

Pump vendors have pump selection charts which are 

generalized versions of the pump curve that will help 

with pump selections. Those charts and related reference 

data will provide NOL power ratings. The person 

responsible for selecting a pump and motor should have 

the appropriate pump curves and motor data and know 

how to read them. 


HSE 

How fixing methane leaks 

from the oil and gas industry 

can be a game-changer – 

one that pays for itself 

This decade could be 

the one where methane 

emissions from the oil 

and gas industries are 

eliminated once and for all. 

MARK NAPLES, Managing Director at Umicore Coating Services Ltd. 

Reducing methane emissions 

from the energy sector may 

be one of the most effective 

methods for preventing 

further environmental 

damage. However, levels are not falling 

fast enough. Despite pledges to act 

on leaking pipelines and other failing 

infrastructure, the fossil fuels sector 

has so far failed to address the growing 

problem of methane escaping into the 

atmosphere. 

However, as technology 

advances, the industry has access to 

more and more tools that can help 

it not only seriously reduce emissions 

but do so for minimal cost. 

By helping refineries detect and act 

on methane leaks in a cost-effective 

way, laser absorption spectroscopy 

may be the solution suppliers need 

to make a real difference in the 

fight against climate change. All 

that is needed is the will to act. 


HSE 

The oil and gas 

industry alone 

has the potential to 

reduce methane 

emissions by 75%. 

WHAT ACTION IS BEING TAKEN 

ON METHANE EMISSIONS? 

Methane leaks in the energy sector are 

one of the biggest environmental problems 

facing humanity. 

The energy industry is responsible 

for around 40% of all methane emissions 

produced by any human activity. 

According to the International Energy 

Agency (IEA), 135 million tonnes of 

methane were released into the atmosphere 

by energy companies worldwide 

last year[1], and despite some progress 

in reducing emissions from the peak 

observed in 2019, levels are not falling 

quickly enough. This is particularly true 

in oil and gas operations, which account 

for almost 15% of all energy-related 

greenhouse gases.[2] 

This should be cause for concern. 

Methane has caused approximately 

30% of the rise in global temperatures 

since the Industrial Revolution[3], but 

its inherent properties mean that action 

to address it should be relatively cheap 

and simple to take. 

Cutting methane emissions is one 

of the most cost-effective options available 

for limiting global warming in the 

near-term. With the benefits of modern 

technology, the oil and gas industry alone 

has the potential to reduce methane 

emissions by 75%, requiring an investment 

of less than 3% of their total income 

worldwide in 2022[4]. As more and more 

energy businesses achieve record profits, 

addressing this ticking environmental 

time bomb would require at most a small 

allocation, as major gains are possible for 

essentially zero cost. 

MINIMISING TEMPERATURE 

CHANGE 

Although methane is often spoken of 

in the same sentence as other pollutants 

such as CO2, the two substances 

differ markedly in their environmental 

impact. Methane's molecular structure 

makes it better at capturing heat in the 

form of infrared radiation than other 

substances, trapping up to 100 times 

more heat than CO2 when released into 

the atmosphere. 

This negative is offset somewhat 

by methane's comparatively short 

lifespan. Typically, it breaks down in 

the atmosphere after just 10-12 years, 

while other gases like CO2 can last for 

centuries. As a result, acting on methane 

leaks is one of the most accessible 

and effective methods businesses 

have for limiting global temperature 

change. 

Governments worldwide are recognising 

the gains that can be made here. 

More than 150 countries have promised 

to reduce their methane emissions by 

a minimum of 30% by 2030. The IEA 

is more ambitious, calling for a 60% 

reduction in emissions by oil and gas 

companies over the same period[5] - 

above the 45% reduction that the 

United Nations claims is necessary to 

keep global warming below the targets 

set by world leaders[6]. 

A COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTION 

Successfully reducing methane emissions 

will require the industry to 

demonstrate its commitment to action 

while employing the latest technology 

to identify where the biggest leaks are 

occurring. By doing so, not only will oil 

and gas companies reduce their environmental 

impact, but they will also be 

able to achieve significant cost savings. 

Although leaks from oil and gas operations 

are being monitored, the scale 

and frequency of this activity is insufficient 

to address the problem at hand. 

Methane emissions in this sector can 

be broadly broken down into intentional 

and unintentional leaks. Intentional 

leaks during upstream production, often 

in the form of venting, are technically 

monitored but these records are rarely 

accurate. Researchers have found that 

across the oil and gas sector, the true 

scale of methane emissions released 

over the last decade is far higher than 

existing data says it should be. 

In the downstream segment of 

energy production, emissions are even 

harder to detect. Failing storage and 

pipeline infrastructure often leads to 

unexpected methane leaks and given 

the scale of the pipe networks in operation, 

anyone trying to locate a leak may 

have to search over a vast area. 

Leaks like this matter because they 

waste potential profit. Repairing them 

and preventing the escape of methane 

means more of the gas can be captured 

and sold, bolstering profit margins. The 

problem is in detecting where the biggest 

leaks are occurring. Regulators and 

energy suppliers alike would benefit 

from a more accurate overview of the 

level of methane being released – and 

this is where laser absorption spectroscopy 

comes in. 

LASER ABSORPTION 

SPECTROSCOPY 

Due to methane's infrared-trapping properties, 

infrared spectroscopy sensors can 

easily detect trace gases and determine 

their atmospheric concentrations, often 

at the range of parts per billion. 

In laser absorption spectroscopy, 

an emitter is used to produce infrared 

light that is passed through a sampling 

chamber containing a filter that only 

allows wavelengths absorbed by methane 

to transmit. This means only those 


HSE 

wavelengths will reach the detector, 

and measuring the intensity or 

attenuation of those beams enables 

the precise quantity of methane to be 

monitored. 

By using different filters, users 

can change the wavelengths of light 

that reach the detector, meaning that 

the technology can also be used to 

detect different gases and particles. 

Recently, some suppliers of gas 

analyser instruments have enhanced 

the technology by mounting laser 

diodes on to thermo-electric coolers. 

This change enables the laser's 

wavelength to be tuned to the specific 

absorption wavelength of different 

molecules. By exploiting their highfrequency 

resolution, which provides 

enhanced sensitivity and discrimination, 

this technology lowers the risk 

of false alarms that can plague other 

common gas detection systems. 

Not only do these more 

advanced laser absorption spectroscopy 

systems provide faster 

response times, they also offer 

users more accurate results without 

requiring any additional gases 

to operate. With modern systems 

including the capability to continuously 

monitor for combustible 

gases and vapours, and with immunity 

to sensor poison, contamination, 

or corrosion, laser absorption 

spectroscopy offers an ideal tool for 

improving the safety of oil and gas 

industry sites. 

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER 

Through a network of localised 

methane sensors across oil and gas 

infrastructure, energy companies 

can improve the picture of where 

More than 150 

countries have promised 

to reduce their 

methane emissions 

by a minimum of 

30% by 2030. 

emissions are occurring and inform 

government action on the environment. 

In business terms, the data 

collected by laser absorption 

spectroscopy can be essential for 

ensuring compliance with environmental 

regulations, and in 

improving overall operational efficiency. 

Leaks may go undetected 

for months or even years at a time, 

causing significant costs – a study 

of one site in the US found that 

9% of all methane produced was 

leaking into the atmosphere, with 

potential profits literally vanishing 

into thin air[7]. Better leak detection 

would enable increased sales 

of the captured gas, which in turn 

would mitigate the cost of fixing 

the leaks in the first place. 

In preventing such losses, this technology 

could even quickly recoup the 

cost of investment. Researchers have 

found action with no net cost alone 

in the oil and gas sector could reduce 

emissions to 50% below today's baseline 

by 2030[8] - essentially, halving 

emissions for free. If all available technologies 

are employed, this could rise 

as high as 80%. 

The expense of methane leaks is 

not limited to lost revenue or damaged 

energy infrastructure. Research from 

2022 found that in the previous decade, 

gas leaks in the US were responsible 

for more than $4 billion dollars' 

worth of damage, and the deaths of 

122 people.[9] The ability to detect 

these leaks before a disaster occurs 

could prevent incalculable costs to 

human life and significant fines to the 

businesses responsible. Worldwide, 

the UN estimates that cutting methane 

emissions 45% by 2030 would avoid 

255,000 premature deaths per year 

and save 73 billion hours of lost labour 

caused by extreme heat[10]. 

At Umicore, we specialise in 

helping companies build dependable 

climate strategies by enhancing 

their data sets. Our custom infrared 

designs, informed by more than 35 

years' experience in thin film design 

and manufacture, mean we can offer 

a range of bandpass optical filters 

that enable high-performance gas 

detection and analysis. 

As the deadlines to reduce global 

temperature rises rapidly approach, it 

becomes more important than ever that 

the oil and gas industry can take effective 

action on methane leaks. However, 

without a solid foundation of accurate, 

actionable data, any measures they can 

take will be limited. The sector needs a 

clear picture of where methane emissions 

are occurring – only then will suppliers 

be able to take the action that is 

needed to make a difference. 

Laser absorption spectroscopy 

is the tool that industry needs to 

improve its data on methane leaks. 

By embracing this technology, suppliers 

can identify where emissions are 

occurring, and take action to prevent 

untold environmental damage, at 

essentially zero cost to themselves. 

REFERENCES 

[1] https://www.iea.org/news/methane-emissions-remained-stubbornly-high-in-2022-even-as-soaring-energy-prices-made-actions-to-reducethem-cheaper-than-ever 

[2] https://www.iea.org/news/new-iea-report-highlights-the-need-and-means-for-the-oil-and-gas-industry-to-drastically-cut-emissions-fromits-operations 

[3] https://www.iea.org/reports/global-methane-tracker-2022/methane-and-climate-change 

[4] https://www.iea.org/news/methane-emissions-remained-stubbornly-high-in-2022-even-as-soaring-energy-prices-made-actions-to-reducethem-cheaper-than-ever 

[5] https://www.iea.org/news/new-iea-report-highlights-the-need-and-means-for-the-oil-and-gas-industry-to-drastically-cut-emissions-fromits-operations 

[6] https://www.unep.org/resources/report/global-methane-assessment-benefits-and-costs-mitigating-methane-emissions 

[7] https://news.stanford.edu/2022/03/24/methane-leaks-much-worse-estimates-fix-available/ 

[8] https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/abf9c8#erlabf9c8s3 

[9] https://environmentamerica.org/center/resources/methane-gas-leaks-2/ 

[10] https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/35917/GMA_ES.pdf 


PARTNER ARTICLE 

Benoit Degraeve from SDT International SA and Jason Cao from HANGZHOU CRYSOUND ELECTRONICS CO., LTD shaking hands after signing 

their collaboration agreement. 

SDT International SA Announces Transition 

to High-Performance Leak Detection 

Solution in Partnership with HANGZHOU 

CRYSOUND ELECTRONICS CO., LTD 

SDT 

International 

SA, a global 

leader in 

ultrasound 

solutions for energy management and 

condition-based maintenance applications, 

is pleased to announce its transition 

to a new cutting-edge solution 

in collaboration with HANGZHOU 

CRYSOUND ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. 

This collaboration marks a significant 

step in SDT International SA's ongoing 

commitment to providing customers 

with the most innovative and highperformance 

solutions. 

The new solution, replacing the previous 

offering, represents a remarkable 

advancement in compressed air leak 

and partial discharge detection technology 

within industrial environments. 

This solution is the culmination of the 

expertise of SDT International SA and 

HANGZHOU CRYSOUND ELEC- 

TRONICS CO., LTD, two renowned 

players in the acoustic detection field. 

The collaboration is spearheaded 

by the respective CEOs, André DE- 

GRAEVE for SDT International SA, 

and Jason CAO for HANGZHOU CRY- 

SOUND ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. 

Together, they will offer a revolutionary 

ultrasonic range of acoustic cameras 

that excel in sensitivity, durability, and 

versatility. 

André DEGRAEVE, CEO of SDT 

International SA, commented, "This 

transition to our new solution underscores 

our ongoing commitment to innovation 

and customer satisfaction. We 

are confident that this new solution will 

provide our customers with more precise 

and reliable detection, contributing 

to their energy-saving goals. Its price 

and manufacturing quality immediately 

convinced us that it was, in our opinion, 

by far the most successful solution on 

the market." 

Jason CAO, CEO of HANGZHOU 

CRYSOUND ELECTRONICS CO., LTD, 

added, "We are thrilled to collaborate 

with SDT International SA to offer a 



• FOCUSING FUNCTION: The focusing 

function eliminates environmental 

interference, enabling precise identification 

of leakage sources. 

• INTELLIGENT RECOGNITION: Featuring 

a PRPD mapping function for 

partial discharge diagnosis and intelligent 

gas leak detection. 

Agile 

• COMPLETE: Range of 3 acoustic 

cameras easy to use with multiple 

modes, language support, and 

expandable memory. 

• REPORTING: Template-based data 

processing and recording for easy 

report generation. 

• PRO VERSION: LEAKChecker and 

LEAKReporter CMS aid in pinpointing 

leaks and creating reports. 

For more information on SDT International 

SA's new leak detection solution, 

please contact Benoit DEGRAEVE, 

General Sales Manager, benoit.degraeve@sdtultrasound.com. 

cutting-edge solution that pushes the 

boundaries of ultrasonic technology. 

Our dedication to innovation and quality 

is evident in every aspect of this new 

ultrasonic camera." 

The transition to the new solution 

is aligned with both companies' shared 

mission to deliver solutions that cater 

to the evolving needs of industries while 

promoting energy efficiency and preventive 

maintenance for air leaks and 

electrical applications. 

EXPANDED ARGUMENTS FOR 

THE KEY POINTS 

Adaptable 

• IP54: With a high level of protection 

(IP54) against dust and humidity, this 

solution is designed to operate flawlessly 

in demanding industrial environments. 

• ATEX: The CRY2624 is a portable 

explosion-proof industrial acoustic 

imager in ATEX version, suitable 

for hazardous flammable gases and 

areas with strict explosion protection 

restrictions. 

• RUGGED: Made of an aluminum 

alloy shell, this industrial acoustics 

imager is robust and adaptable to 

complex working environments. 

Accurate 

• 128 MEMS: With 128 advanced 

MEMS sensors, this ultrasonic camera 

offers ultra-sensitive detection of compressed 

air leaks with reliable results 

at a distance range of up to 120 m. 

ABOUT SDT 

INTERNATIONAL SA: 

SDT International SA is a global 

leader in the development, 

manufacture and marketing of 

ultrasonic measuring devices 

dedicated to energy savings and 

condition-based maintenance 

solutions, offering cutting-edge 

technologies to address diverse 

industry needs. 

ABOUT HANGZHOU 

CRYSOUND ELECTRONICS 

CO., LTD: 

HANGZHOU CRYSOUND 

ELECTRONICS CO., LTD is a Global 

leading provider of acoustic 

testing solutions with more than 

25 years of continuous efforts. 

CRYSOUND provides professional 

acoustic services to solve the 

world's most complicated 

acoustic testing challenges for 

the industry. They are committed 

to realizing their mission to make 

acoustic measurements easier 

than ever. 



Text and images: LAURA VAN DER LINDE, MAINNOVATION 

The added value 

of digitalizaon – 

Market Survey on Digital Trends in 

Maintenance & Asset Management 

A lot is said and written about digitalization in 

the field of Maintenance & Asset Management. 

We see inspiring presentations and read 

articles about the effective use of digital 

solutions. So, we talk the talk, but do we walk 

the walk? In other words, to what extent are we 

implementing digital techniques and realizing 

their full potential? 

Mobile maintenance, predictive 

maintenance, 

digital twins, augmented 

reality and 3D printing 

are modern digital 

techniques that can be of great value to 

the maintenance and asset management 

(M&AM) department. However, market 

research by Mainnovation and PwC shows 

that these digital techniques are hardly 

used within M&AM. 


GIS 

Mobile 

PPM 

PdM 

AIP 

Next 

Generation 

EAM 

BI 

APM 

MARKET SURVEY 

We surveyed 127 companies in various industries in 

Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and also 

in South Africa, which is an emerging country from a 

digital point of view. "This provided valuable information", 

says Mark Haarman, Managing Partner of Mainnovation, 

"because it gave us an insight into the level 

of implementation of these digital techniques. " Annemieke 

Moerkerken, Director Supply Chain & Manufacturing 

at PwC Netherlands, adds: "We also wanted to 

know what companies are using these techniques for 

and what they consider to be critical success factors. 

It was also very interesting to find out why companies 

are deliberately not implementing these techniques." 

BIM 

AI 

MOBILE MAINTENANCE 

The research clearly shows that mobile maintenance 

already has a strong position within maintenance 

and asset management. Compared to the other techniques, 

this solution benefits from more than 20 years 

of evolution. Haarman: "The first iPhone came out 

in 2007. Since then, the development of applications 

and mobile technologies - such as security, Wi-Fi, user 

interface and available devices - has increased rapidly. 

It is clear that mobile maintenance is benefiting from 

these developments. Our own cell phone has become 

a useful tool in the field. This, along with the development 

and professionalization of enterprise asset 

management systems, has led to more reliable, secure, 

user-friendly and valuable applications within maintenance." 

ROADMAP 

Mobile maintenance is therefore clearly at the forefront 

compared to the other technologies. Haarman: 

"Companies have various reasons for not implementing 

a digital technique. They do not see a good business 

case or a certain technique is not relevant for 

their type of assets. Could be... but we also see good 

examples where the implementation proved to be very 

fruitful." The results of the research, four inspiring 

case stories of top performers and a 'Roadmap to Digitalisation' 

are bundled in a 40-page report. This report 

can be downloaded via www.mainnovation.com 

Many companies use their Enterprise Asset Management 

(EAM) system mainly as an electronic card index or a 

digital work order system, unaware of the possibilities it 

has for Asset Management. EAM Systems like Maximo, 

IFS Ultimo, HxGN EAM and SAP EAM have evolved 

 

Investment Planning, Project Portfolio Management, 

Asset Performance Management, Business Intelligence 

and Predictive Maintenance. Major steps have also been 

 

Are you ready for Next Generation EAM? 

Our VDM XL experts can assist you with further 

professionalisation and automation of your Maintenance 

& Asset Management organisation. 

www.mainnovation.com

ENERGY TRANSITION 

PETRA BERG – Postdoctoral Researcher School of Marketing and Communication and VEBIC, University of Vaasa 

Thoughts About the Ongoing 

Energy Transion and 

the Importance of Listening 

We are witnessing a global transition from fossil-based energy 

to new, supposedly emission-free sources. For people involved 

in the energy sector, be it on a local, national, or global level, 

it might feel like the change is increasingly speeding up at the 

same time as the complexity and uncertainty keeps growing. 

The ongoing energy transition 

is fundamental, affecting 

all levels of society. It is 

also highly political, challenging 

existing markets 

and business models. Not to forget 

that digitalisation adds a third "cyber" 

layer to the more traditional sociophysical 

systems. Digitalisation is 

being considered the primary solution 

to control the increasingly electrified, 

fragmented and sector coupled energy 

production and consumption systems. 

The concept of energy transition 

does not automatically equal the use 

of renewables nor sustainability outcomes. 

It can also entail the change 

from one polluting source or unsustainable 

behaviour to another. 

Historically, energy transitions have 

been driven by the need and availability of 

energy sources. For example, Fouquet and 

Pearson (2012) define energy transition 

as "the switch from an economic system 

dependent on one or a series of energy 

sources and technologies to another". 

Research shows that most transitions 

seem to have unfolded over long 

periods of time; for example, oil was 

drilled from the first commercial well 

in the US in 1859, but the market share 

of 25% was passed in 1953. Then, there 

is evidence of quick energy transitions 

as well. For example, Brazil managed 

to increase ethanol production and 

substitute ethanol for petroleum in 

conventional vehicles so that in 1981, 

six years after the Proálcool program 

started in November 1975, over 90% of 



all new vehicles sold in Brazil could run 

on ethanol (see Sovacool 2017). One 

could suggest that the ongoing European 

"Green Deal" or the global "Grand 

transition" (a name coined by the World 

Energy Council) seem to be moving 

relatively fast compared to most historical 

transitions. Time will tell how they 

compare to them. 

Considering the current global geopolitical 

situation and its effects on the 

investment landscape, countries dealing 

with energy scarcity and security 

issues, shifting power balances between 

big economies, as well as new innovations 

entering the markets, we are definitely 

in the middle of a great shift. The 

Paris Agreement (COP21), with its aim 

to halt global warming, is still working 

as a backbone for international cooperation 

and guiding national energy 

strategies in many countries. The outcomes 

of what has been put into motion 

by these international agreements are 

being materialised at the national and 

local level. 

It has been suggested that energy 

transitions are becoming more of a 

social or political priority in ways that 

previous transitions have not been. 

In earlier times, the transitions may 

have been accidental or circumstantial, 

whereas future shifts have become 

more planned and coordinated. It is 

important to remember that something 

inherent to the consumption 

and production of energy is human 

power dynamics. According to Avelino 

(2017), understanding the politics of 



transitions requires careful attention 

to the question of who wins or loses 

when new innovations emerge and get 

implemented and which vision(s) of 

the future predominate in deciding the 

direction of energy transitions. Politics 

is linked to issues of power and agency 

and are closely related to the theme of 

governance and the implementation of 

transitions. 

The last ten years have introduced 

us to concepts such as prosumers, energy 

communities, microgrids, smart 

cities, carbon sinks, net zero buildings, 

energy poverty, flexibility markets and 

so on, involving "ordinary" people with 

energy issues, compared to what was 

earlier considered something of a "plug 

in the wall" commodity. Especially now, 

in the aftermath of the so-called EU 

energy crisis (I am writing this paper in 

September 2023), many Finns, together 

with the rest of the EU, are probably 

wondering how the coming winter 

weather will affect the electricity prices 

after the first "expensive winter". 

UNDERSTANDING THE 

SOCIO-CULTURAL EMBEDDED- 

NESS OF ENERGY 

On the EU level, the Roadmap 2030 and 

European Green Deal are shaping the 

energy market towards, for example, a 

massive growth in wind power investments 

and instalments of solar power 

(also on household level). The next step 

seems to be the roll-out of hydrogen solutions, 

all in the support of the increasing 

electrification and digitalisation of 

the energy sector. As new technologies, 

modes of operating, actors, services, and 

applications enter local markets, they 

inevitably cause positive and negative 

disruptions to people's lives. 

The age of specialisation in a highly 

technological society, such as the 

Western society, means that our daily 

lives are embedded in technology that 

requires expertise and different outside 

services. Even if most of us agree that 

modern society has come a long way 

in making life comfortable and safe, 

it seems we might forget some of the 

basics that humans are psycho-physical 

beings. Our senses capture information 

on many levels and the rational mind 

is just the tip of an iceberg compared 

to the subconscious mind. We are 

also creatures of habit and "cultural 

animals" formed by our socio-cultural 

contexts. This means many shared collective 

beliefs set the base for our wellbeing 

and a sense of belonging to cer- 



tain landscape(s), nature, music, family, 

and community. When something disrupts 

the existing order of things, it also 

challenges our inner (subconscious) 

feeling of safety – whether we are aware 

of it or not. 

It still seems to surprise many tech 

developers that suddenly – "out of the 

blue" – people start opposing a solution 

which seems perfectly straightforward… 

at least from the perspective of 

the person designing it. Still, there is a 

good chance that it disrupts something 

of intrinsic value to people. As in, for 

example, wind parks built in a popular 

outdoor area where local people have 

hunted, picked berries, or just wandered 

for generations. Thus, the technological 

function and its usefulness are 

understood, but they collide with other 

values, leading to adverse feelings and 

reactions. 

THE ART OF LISTENING 

Although the energy technology and 

digital solutions are the same (or similar) 

in most countries, their implementation 

is not. This is because society, 

culture, habits, institutions, and geography 

differ. The so-called socio-cultural 

aspects of a nation and region affect 

how people use or accept new innovations 

brought to their doorstep. 

Knowing your customer-citizen is 

an obvious element of the fundamental 

understanding required for a company 

or policymaker to successfully manage 

transitions in the desired direction. But 

there are certain pitfalls and challenges, 

especially if the business or governance 

approach is geared towards "one size fits 

all" solutions, meaning that the segmentation 

and target group is very narrowly 

defined and understood. 

For example, research on municipal 

energy transition (Berg et al 2021) 

shows that it is quite common that only 

a small group of decision-makers and 

experts, as well as some energy-inter- 

ested inhabitants, are consulted when 

planning local energy solutions. The 

majority of local people do not participate; 

they will not sign up for discussion 

and workshop events even if the events 

are open for everyone. Still, the main 

users of the future energy solutions or 

those who could benefit economically 

might be in those groups remaining 

outside the discussions and planning, 

thus affecting the actual realisation of 

them. Examples of negative outcomes 

include protests against new instalments 

such as wind power, solar power 

and smart meters or non-compliance to 

agreements. 

Even if renewable, clean energy 

solutions could present opportunities 

to boost regional wealth and livelihoods, 

there is always a chance of the 

actual gain landing somewhere else, 

on someone else's 

plate. Whilst 

there might be 

a significant 

investment in a 

new renewable 

energy facility in 

a municipality, 

the economic 

gain might go to 

a multinational 

company. The 

locals are left with the negative side 

effects of the construction phase, restricted 

land use and other changes 

in the living environment. Unwanted 

externalities are unfortunately commonplace 

in most market systems, and 

the energy sector is no exception. 

So, why do so many people remain 

outside important planning processes, 

one might ask? Especially if there has 

been a clear invitation to join? One 

explanation, outside the lack of personal 

interest and knowledge, might 

be found in the hidden and/or visible 

power hierarchies. Power dynamics 

are inherent to energy transitions. 

When something 

disrupts the existing 

order of things, it also 

challenges our inner 

feeling of safety. 

The social and cultural structures of a 

country, region and local context affect 

who will be heard and considered an 

expert. How can we break these invisible 

hierarchies and power structures 

so that more people can have a say in 

development that is clearly affecting 

their lives? There are many positive 

examples of local (energy) communities 

where many different actors have 

started working together towards a 

common goal. These groups are usually 

"bottom-up", created by a clearly defined 

need or challenge. 

We as humans need connection 

to each other, nature, and our roots 

(culture). A safe place for well-being 

might look different to different 

people, but it is usually connected to 

what we consider our home. What if 

there was more focus on the local and 

"home" levels 

in the planning 

phase of new energy 

solutions? 

Would it make 

a difference to 

the success of 

projects and new 

innovations, or 

maybe people 

would choose 

differently? 

Smart cities, smart households, 

digital IDs, electric vehicles, and ultimately 

people are becoming part of 

the Internet of Things at a time when 

global policies and "big tech" are driving 

the Western energy market(s) towards 

electrification. 

All of this is taking place in the 

name of sustainability. One can wonder 

whether there is a "stop button", 

i.e. a right to opt out and find alternative 

solutions to our energy futures. 

Perhaps there are alternative possibilities 

or visions accessible to us that 

would equally encourage a healthier 

world? 

REFERENCES 

¬ Avelino, F. (2017). Power in sustainability transitions: Analysing power and (dis) empowerment in transformative change towards sustainability. 

Environmental Policy and Governance, 27(6), 505-520. 

¬ Berg, P., Narayan, R., and Rajala, A. "Ideologies in energy transition: Community discourses on renewables." Technology Innovation Management Review, 

11(7/8), (2021): 79–91. 

¬ Fouquet, R. & Pearson, P. JG (2016). Past and prospective energy transitions: Insights from history. Energy Policy, 50, 1-7. 

¬ Sovacool, B. (2017). The History and Politics of Energy Transitions. Comparing Contested Views and Finding Common Ground. Arent, D., Arndt, C., Miller, M., 

Tarp, F., & Zinaman, O. (Eds.), The Political Economy of Clean Energy Transitions. : Oxford University Press. 


ENERGY 

Hybrit Development is a joint 

venture between the steel 

manufacturer SSAB, the mining 

company LKAB and the energy 

company Vattenfall. The objective 

of the joint-venture is to develop 

the world’s first fossil-free, 

ore-based steelmaking process. 

The byproduct of using fossilfree 

electricity and hydrogen 

in steelmaking, instead of coke 

and coal, will be water instead of 

carbon dioxide. The initiative has 

the potential to reduce Sweden’s 

total carbon dioxide emissions by 

10 percent. 

Biohydrogen powers 

future industry and 

circulaon 

ELIAS HAKALEHTO, PhD, Adj. Prof., Microbiologist, 

Biotechnologist, CEO and inventor, Finnoflag Oy 

When our societies and industries look for alternative 

solutions to fossil energy, it is good to remember that the 

latter still cover almost 80% of the current global energy 

needs and 65% of the electricity generation. 


ENERGY 

Hydrogen gas is one of the 

most realistic complementary 

ways to sustain 

our modern lifestyle. 

It is the most abundant 

element in the universe (15%) 

and applies to industrial energy and 

processes in its gaseous form. This 

molecular Hydrogen is increasingly 

produced as "green hydrogen" by 

using renewable energy, such as solar 

or wind, for splitting and liberating 

it from water. Alternatively, it could 

be produced in the low-energy route 

as biohydrogen, exploiting the metabolic 

potentials of anaerobic bacteria. 

This method is the most sustainable 

and can also be used in a localized 

pattern. This ensures maintenance 

security for unit plants as biomasses 

and side streams could be used as raw 

material sources. 

WHY HAS THE HYDROGEN 

LAUNCH BEEN DELAYED? 

Some fifteen years ago, the US Environmental 

Protection Agency estimated 

that in the year 2025, the USA would 

move into a "Hydrogen economy," 

meaning that Hydrogen would produce 

more energy than fossil sources. This 

has yet to happen since there has been 

a transition period where numerous 

sustainable energy sources have been 

developed. There have also been some 

issues with, for example, the storage 

Hydrogen could be 

produced an energyefficient 

way as biohydrogen, 

exploiting the 

metabolic potentials of 

anaerobic bacteria. 

of Hydrogen. However, at the moment 

it provides a promising solution for 

energy storage. Hydrogen can also be 

further processed into methane or 

methanol. "Green ammonia" can also 

be produced from green Hydrogen or 

biohydrogen, and it can be used for storing 

energy and then being converted 

back to Hydrogen when needed. In the 

future, the use of these gaseous compounds 

will grow intensely. They can 

also provide solutions for boat, air, and 

heavy road traffic. 

The Industrial networks for distributing 

Hydrogen have already been 


ENERGY 

established in places like the Ruhr area 

in Germany, the Midwest in England, 

and industrial Japan. For instance, traffic 

solutions are also tested and implemented 

in California and South Korea. 

In Luleå, Sweden, SSAB Ab started a 

steel factory in 2020 using Hydrogen 

gas as the reducing agent. 

This is important from the climate 

point of view since 7% of the global 

emissions come from steelmaking industries. 

LUCRATIVE OPTIONS FOR 

FUTURE MAINTENANCE AND 

ENERGY SECURITY 

Compared with the vast energy and 

chemical needs described above, biohydrogen 

is in the very first stages of 

development. However, it could offer 

a flexible solution for decentralized 

energy sources that serve unit plants 

ecologically and sustainably, providing 

increased maintenance security as the 

production units can be protected better 

than pipelines, for example. Moreover, 

the local biomass raw materials and 

side streams offer flexible sources for 

the processes and production. Economically, 

combining bacterial biohydrogen 

production with the manufacturing of 

organic chemicals and fertilizers is easy. 

Thus, the biohydrogen way could be an 

essential future avenue for industrial 

development globally. It could also pro- 

The bubbling flow of the pilot plant broth. Biohydrogen consisted of a large part of this 

emission, but it was diluted into the ambient gas atmosphere. Its collection and storage 

could be arranged with modern technologies. Photo: Finnoflag Oy. 

Tampere biorefinery pilot that was in use during the "Zero waste from zero fibre" project. 

The biohydrogen emission from the process fluid was generated by the anaerobic bacteria 

that were used as biocatalysts in converting the cellulosic side stream deposits into 

products. The pilot reactor was planned by Nordautomation Oy and Finnoflag Oy together. 


vide energy and reduce the power needed 

for recycling materials and cleaning 

up pollution or contamination in ecosystems, 

cities, or agricultural fields. 

In some countries, biohydrogen 

production has been started in smaller 

units like big animal farms or other 

distributed units. The diminished 

scale in such cases provides flexibility. 

In other words, the strong point of 

microbial biotechnology can be utilized, 

as the same installation could 

easily apply various biomass sources. 

In this sense, biohydrogen production 

could resemble, for some parts, biogas 

production, which has been taken into 

use besides the agricultural or smaller 

industrial units and the municipal water 

treatment systems in many places. 

BIOHYDROGEN IS OMNIPOTENT 

Since biological materials are found 

almost everywhere, it is relatively easy 

to imagine their use for biohydrogen 

production, which will not produce 

waste but diminish or shrink its volumes. 

The numerous bacterial strains 

could be used in various processes for 

different organic raw materials. This 

versatility of planning options of the 

bioprocess could make biohydrogen 

the mainstream technology in future. 

This easiness of planning could 

make biohydrogen the mainstream 

technology in future. It could provide 

multiple industries with flexible and 

secured energy sources and options 

for future development. 

FINNOFLAG'S BIOREFINERY 

EXPERIENCE 

In recent decades, our R&D company, 

Finnoflag Oy, has carried out more than 

ten industrial pilot projects using microbes 

or their enzymes as biocatalysts. In such 

trials as the European Union Baltic Sea 

Biorefinery Project ABOWE, we realized 

that cohesively with the production of 

biochemicals, we could obtain significant 

amounts of biohydrogen. 

The project was participated by six 

countries: Germany, Lithuania, Estonia, 

Poland, Sweden and Finland. The 

movable pocket-sized biorefinery was 

tested for potato industry side streams 

in Poland, agricultural and abattoir 

waste in Sweden, and Paper and Pulp 

industry side streams in Finland. In all 

cases, biohydrogen was emitted into 

the carrier gas in the bioreactors with 

a maximal concentration of 3-4%. Sa- 

Interior of the ABOWE biorefinery pilot plant. This unit was tested in processing various 

side streams in Poland, Sweden and Finland. Biohydrogen was emitted into carrier gas 

flow at all testing sites. The recovery of energy gases could facilitate novel energy sources 

for biorefineries. For instance, it could be combined with biogas methane to form hythane, 

an industrial fuel gas. The caution and instructions for handling the easily flammable and 

reactive Hydrogen gas should be stringent. Photo: Ari Jääskeläinen, Savonia. 

The numerous 

bacterial strains could 

be used for various 

processes with different 

organic raw materials. 

vonia University of Applied Sciences 

constructed the movable biorefinery 

unit in Kuopio under the supervision 

of the undersigned and Finnoflag Oy in 

2013, and its testing in three countries 

took place in 2014. Besides biohydrogen, 

many organic acids were formed, 

such as lactate, butyrate, acetate and 

valerate, and alcohols or sugar alcohols 

like ethanol, butanol, propanol, pentanol, 

and 2,3-butanediol. The residual 

fraction could be refined into organic 

soil improvement. The reliable and accurate 

NMR method (Nucleic Magnetic 

Resonance) was used for measuring the 

products by the School of Pharmacy of 

the University of Eastern Finland. 

A few years later, in 2018-19, we 

produced biochemicals, energy gases, 

and fertilizing agents from environmentally 

deposited cellulosic waste in 

the lake bottom sediment in Tampere, 

Finland. In these trials, the biohydrogen 

levels exceeded 1-2% in the outflowing 

gas. Mälardalen University of 

Västerås, Sweden, participated in the 

downstream processing of chemical 

commodities such as lactate. The gas 

levels were detected from the airspace 

of the horizontal bioreactor unit of 15 

cubic meters of liquid space. In this 

case, the gas flow space was even more 

significant. These production levels 

could be elevated, and the current productivities 

are a good start for novel 

biological process thinking by the 

Finnoflag method using non-aseptic 

fermentation. This approach lowers 

the investment expenses to about 25 

% of the traditional industrial fermentation 

costs at best. 

GLOBAL HOPE IN BIOREFINING 

Most importantly, biohydrogen and 

its associated products of microbial 

biorefineries could make it possible 

to establish various novel industries 

which would act economically and 

sustainably. They could be used for 

cleaning up the environment in ecosystem 

engineering projects. The biohydrogen 

approach is also compatible 

with developing Hydrogen and other 

energy production, storage, security, 

transfer and equipment maintenance 

techniques at any scale. 



Using 

Technology 

to Improve 

Manufacturing: 

4 Ways Big Data 

and AI Affect 

Manufacturing 

Processes 

The manufacturing world continues to rebound after 

shutdowns and allied disruptions of the COVID-19 

pandemic. Competition remains intense in most 

industries, so businesses must make every effort to be 

as efficient and as productive as possible. 

BRYAN CHRISTIANSEN, founder, and CEO of Limble CMMS. 

Emerging technologies are 

playing an increasingly 

important role in efficiencyrelated 

strategies. Artificial 

intelligence (AI) may be 

well-known, but a precise definition 

is still helpful: AI is the simulation 

of human intelligence processes by 

machines, in particular IT systems. AI 

encompasses systems such as machine 

learning (ML), natural language processing 

(NLP), and computer vision (CV). 

AI capabilities have led to an explosion 

of Big Data, which Oracle refers 

to as: "data that contains greater variety, 

which arrives in increasing volumes 

and with more velocity, which 

arrives in increasing volumes and 

with more velocity." The result is far 

more data in more complex data sets. 

AI-enhanced algorithms can make 

sense of all the data, providing invaluable 

insights across multiple business 

functions. 

With the above in mind, this article 

will explore four ways in which Big Data 

and AI can improve manufacturing processes. 

IMPROVED PRODUCTION 

EFFICIENCY 

Big Data and AI are needed more than 

ever to improve the efficiency of manufacturing. 

A Deloitte survey found that 

45% of manufacturing executives expect 

that increases in operational efficiency 

will be derived from investments in the 

industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), 

whereby digitally interconnected machines 

communicate with each other on 

the plant floor. 50% of the respondents 

were convinced that investments in 

robots and cobots would improve their 

efficiency in 2022. 

Further efficiencies soon will also be 

gained with 5G, the next generation of 



cellular communications. The ultra-reliable, 

low-latency connections (goodbye, 

buffering!) offered by 5G will be a boon 

for manufacturers. 5G will enable the 

proliferation of IIoT on production floors 

and the widespread use of small, cost-effective 

sensors across machines and processes. 

According to the Manufacturer's 

Alliance, 5G has "the potential to become 

the core communication platform for 

many manufacturing companies". 

IMPROVED MAINTENANCE 

Few things negatively impact production 

costs and revenue targets in a manufacturing 

facility as much as unintended downtime 

does. According to Deloitte, unplanned 

downtime costs industrial manufacturers as 

much as $50 billion a year in the US alone. 

Furthermore, poor plant maintenance can 

reduce productivity by as much as 20%. 

The beauty of IIoT is that it provides 

always-on, always-monitoring capabilities 

that enhance maintenance. The maintenance 

reach of IIoT is immense. 

However, IIoT can be immensely 

data-heavy, which is why it makes sense to 

pair it with a computerized maintenance 

management system (CMMS). This software 

provides a facility with a centralized, 

AI-enhanced platform that can store and 

effectively manage all the incoming data 

regarding physical assets. 

Examples abound of what can be 

achieved. In Germany, the country's national 

railway company, Deutsche Bahn, 

has partnered with Siemens to devise 

AI and Big Data solutions that help improve 

the railway company's preventative 

maintenance regime. One such example 

is intelligent braking systems that can be 

monitored for optimal replacement time, 

while sensors monitor the state of the 

track to predict needed repairs. 

It gets even more exciting: soon, machines 

will have self-maintenance abilities. 

AI, coupled with technology such as 

3D printing, will take maintenance even 

beyond the already-impressive capacity of 

IIoT applications. 

IMPROVED RISK MANAGEMENT 

AI and Big Data can dramatically improve 

risk management, in everything from occupational 

health and safety to securityrelated 

risks and environmental impacts. 

These enterprise risks can sometimes be 

disastrous and difficult to predict. The cognitive 

capabilities of AI can therefore be invaluable 

in reducing risk. For example, ML 

algorithms can assess past risky behaviors 

of employees in hazardous locations and 

build predictive models to reduce the risk. 

Although not a manufacturing facility, 

one of Canada's largest medical research 

facilities provides an excellent case study of 

Applications of IIoT in maintenance 

Real-time 

condition 

monitoring 

Augmented 

reality for 

maintenance 

and repair 

Predictive 

and prescriptive 

maintenance 

Remote 

maintenance 

Equipment-as 

a-service 

Digital 

twins 

Just-in-time 

parts 

management 

Source: limblecmms.com 

the power of AI: the facility was experiencing 

failures with its air-handling units. A 

medical research facility simply cannot have 

'downtime' due to malfunctioning ventilation 

systems. An AI solution was selected 

that provided live data on the condition 

of fans within air extraction units. Among 

multiple benefits was the fact that the solution 

provided 100% uptime of a critical 

ventilation system that ensured acceptable 

laboratory air quality at all times. 

IMPROVED TACKLING OF THE 

'BIG ISSUES' 

Manufacturers cannot only be concerned 

with production costs and efficiency rates. 

Today, sustainability is imperative, both 

strategically and operationally. AI and Big 

Data can do much to help a manufacturer 

tackle its sustainability goals and initiatives. 

The United Nations itself advocates 

the use of Big Data in reaching its Sustainable 

Development Goals (SDGs). The UN 

notes how AI-enabled smart metering can 

help attain affordable and clean energy 

(SDG 7) by allowing utility companies to 

manage electricity or gas consumption 

levels more intelligently, at both peak and 

non-peak levels. 

Climate change mitigation and carbon 

management are also more easily attained 

with the assistance of AI, particularly 

regarding the all-important energy efficiency 

targets. The Indiana Economic 

Development Corporation has collaborated 

with Amazon Web Services (AWS) 

to develop Energy INsights, which is being 

rolled out at over 100 manufacturers 

in the Hoosier state. The Indiana program 

integrates the I4.0 Accelerator from AWS, 

which gathers data from legacy factory 

equipment and energy systems. It then 

optimizes energy efficiency by using AI 

and data analytics, with projected energy 

reductions of between 8 and 20%. 

Production efficiency is paramount for 

any manufacturing business. It ensures that 

production costs are minimized relative to 

revenue. However, operational costs have 

been impacted by adverse factors beyond 

the control of manufacturers, such as labor 

shortages and supply chain instabilities. The 

war in Eastern Europe has only exacerbated 

costs. These inflationary factors are expected 

to continue well into 2023. 

As seen, AI and Big Data improve production 

and will be key in making manufacturing 

increasingly sustainable as well. 

Manufacturers will do well to appreciate 

the positive ROI of investing in these fastevolving 

technologies. 



We all know that compressed 

air leaks are a huge source 

of energy (and money) 

waste, but do you know how 

much they really cost? After 

conducting around 60 surveys 

in different facilities from 

different industries, using 

an ultrasound camera, we 

concluded that the average 

leak would cost around 1200€ 

per year. When you think that 

any industrial site will have 

dozens or even hundreds of 

leaks, you can quickly realize 

the savings potential. 

How much air leaks really cost – 

Leak Survey Examples 

PETER BOON, Product Specialist, UE Systems 

As energy prices rose up to historical 

peaks, compressed air 

leaks have also become more 

expensive than ever. In these 

times, finding and repairing 

those wasteful leaks must be a priority for 

any maintenance team looking to cut down 

on energy waste. 

Knowing that, on average, approx. 10% 

of all energy supplied to an industrial facility 

will be used for compressed air; and that the 

average leak rate across a site in industry is 

30%, you can quickly realize that compressed 

air leaks will be one of the greatest sources of 

waste in industry. 

HOW TO CONDUCT EFFECTIVE AIR 

LEAK SURVEYS 

It is well established that using ultrasound 

inspection instruments is the most effective 

way of finding leaks. Digital instruments will 

also record the decibel level at the leak point, 

which will be the basis to calculate the leak 

cost and elaborate reports. 

Normally these are handheld and listenonly 

instruments – still very effective in 

detecting leaks, but more recently, with the 

deployment of ultrasound cameras, you can 

also see the leaks, in real time, turning leak 

surveys into a much more effortless and 

quick task. 



Thus, when considering that: 

1. Air leaks are more expensive than ever – 

one leak costs an average of 1200€ per year 

2. Finding air leaks is now easier and 

quicker than ever 

We can conclude that having an ultrasound 

camera is a no-brainer for most industrial 

facilities. 

As these cameras are working by simply 

showing the leaks on the screen, you can find 

dozens of leaks in minutes. 

LEAK SURVEY EXAMPLES & 

THE COST OF LEAKS 

The examples of leak surveys below were 

conducted using the UltraView camera from 

UE Systems, one of the most advanced leak 

detection devices available today. You can 

clearly see how, in a matter of hours (sometimes 

even minutes), the UltraView can 

detect and quantify leaks worth thousands. 

1. Commercial Printing Facility – 1 

single leak costing 1650€ per year 

The printing industry uses a lot of 

compressed air (especially when printing 

newspapers and magazine, like this facility), 

making these facilities perfect candidates 

for an efficient leak detection device. With a 

proper leak detection program in place, cost 

avoidance can be huge. One single leak was 

estimated to cost 1650€ per year! A 30-minute 

survey at this facility carried out with the 

UltraView detected 6 leaks amounting to a 

cost of 7000€ per year. This is only a small 

part of the total amount of leaks estimated at 

this site, since almost all printing machines 

will need compressed air. 

Besides the energy waste, these leaks 

bring other issues: as leaks on the printing 

machines will bring down the system 

pressure, this will compromise the printing 

quality. Thus, finding and repairing leaks in 

the printing industry is not just a matter of 

energy savings, but also of assuring the final 

product quality. 

2. Costly compressed air and argon/ 

nitrogen leaks found at pharmaceutical 

company 

Pharma uses a lot of compressed air, as well 

as special gas, which means leaks can quickly 

become a huge source of energy waste. We 

could attest exactly that when surveying a 

pharmaceutical plant using the UltraView. 

During the demonstration we were able to 

pinpoint and report 29 compressed air leaks 

in about 2 hours of survey. 

The total cost for these leaks is estimated 

at a costly 28313€ per year. This includes 

some major leaks, including one huge leak 

which was undetected so far and was costing 

the company 5809€. The UltraView was able 

to easily pinpoint it even at a 5 meter distance. 

Besides compressed air, we could also 

detect some very expensive argon and nitrogen 

leaks. Special or innate gas leaks can 

become quite expensive, as the price for these 

is usually 3 or 4 times more expensive than 

compressed air. 

In the video we can see how the UltraView 

could find an argon leak at a tank. This is a 

leak losing 9 liter per minute of argon, meaning 

that, if it would be left undetected, the 

tank would be empty in about 3 to 4 days. 

3. Food packaging plant: detecting 

compressed air, vacuum and vent 

leaks 

At a food packaging plant we did a quick survey 

using the UltraView camera. Packaging 

facilities normally rely heavily on compressed 

air, so it was no surprise that we were able 

to quickly find 22 leaks amounting to almost 

13000€, including 2 leaks at hard to reach 

locations which we could easily detect even 

at a 5 meter distance. These would be much 

more difficult to pinpoint using traditional 

listen-only ultrasound instruments. 

On top of that, the UltraView could also 

detect 3 vacuum leaks and 1 leak in the ventilation 

system, as we can see in the video. Vacuum 

leaks are a big issue in many industries, 

as they are very hard to detect and can quickly 

lead to product quality loss and increase in 

production time. 

Also, interesting to note that leak at the 

ventilation system, which is not a typical 

application for the UltraView but was very 

important at this facility, since the maintenance 

team wants to assure the vents are 

completely sealed, otherwise dangerous gas 

might not be expelled from the facility as they 

should. 


INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE 



Redefining Industrial Maintenance 

in the Tech-Driven Era: 

From Mandatory Cost 

to Value Generator 

New intelligent technologies offer numerous opportunities to improve the efficiency 

of business operations in various sectors – including the maintenance industry, 

However, the ongoing technological revolution also raises concerns such as – will there 

be enough jobs in the sector in the future? Is it possible to guarantee the operational 

reliability and safety of fully automated production plants of the future? 

Text NINA GARLO-MELKAS Images VAISALA LTD., SHUTTERSTOCK 

Juha Ryödi, Vice President of Life Cycle 

Services at Vaisala Oyj, sees that technological 

change will inevitably affect not 

only the work of maintenance professionals, 

but also the image of the maintenance 

industry. This is a good thing, especially now that 

the industry fears a growing labour shortage in the 

future due to retirement trends and cuts in training 

spending in technical fields. 

Ryödi says that new modern technologies and 

maintenance tools are making the job of a maintenance 

technician more specialised than routine 

tasks. New technologies are also making the industrial 

maintenance sector an attractive career option 

for young people entering the 

engineering field. The potential 

of machine vision, for instance, 

is being widely explored and 

tested in the manufacturing 

industry today. Many believe 

that it has almost limitless 

potential for use in condition 

monitoring and, for example, 

in improving the efficiency of 

logistical operations. 

According to Ryödi, new technologies are also 

bringing a new level of transparency to maintenance 

operations. Consequently, the results of 

maintenance activities are more readily visible to 

other organisations. 

– I think maintenance is becoming a fascinating 

field because it was a somewhat "dark 

Despite recent 

progress, technological 

advancement has not 

yet reached its full 

potential. 

area" for many years. Thanks to today's technologies, 

we can now view maintenance as a productive 

unit that adds value to the company, rather 

than just being seen as an obligatory expense, 

Ryödi says. 

TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS HAS NOT 

YET REACHED ITS FULL POTENTIAL 

Despite recent progress, technological advancement 

has not yet reached its full potential, Ryödi 

states. Much of this is because companies have not 

yet been able to fully monetise their maintenance 

services to customers because the benefits of maintenance 

are more long-term than quick wins. 

At the same time, the 

maintenance sector – like 

many other sectors – still 

struggles with the challenge 

of recruiting sufficient qualified 

personnel, especially 

tech-savvy younger generations 

equipped with the skills 

needed to adopt new technologies 

effectively. 

– However, as the baby 

boomer generation retires, skills and knowledge 

must be transferred and replicated within organisations. 

This will require adopting different systems 

and, for example, new digital tools. It will also 

create future competitive advantage and scalability, 

which will act as drivers for the evolution of the 

service business, says Ryödi. 



The time for cost efficiency is here, Ryödi 

continues. On the other hand, industry is undergoing 

a major energy transition that is creating 

new investment needs. This situation is creating 

even more demand for the efficiency of maintenance 

operations and, ultimately, the adoption 

of new technologies. 

– Traditionally, industrial maintenance has 

been viewed as a necessary but costly function. 

It typically involved routine inspections, repairs, 

and downtime management. However, the 

advent of cutting-edge technologies is reshaping 

this narrative, turning maintenance from a 

liability into a strategic asset. 

MODERN FACILITIES ARE HYBRID 

Factories of the future are forward-looking 

manufacturing facilities that take full advantage 

of Industry 4.0 opportunities. Factories of the 

future focus on digitising their processes, making 

the most of new production technologies, 

and managing energy and materials increasingly 

circularly. What do such factories look like 

today? 

Ryödi stresses that although the word 

"hybrid" is currently a very overused term, it 

could be used as a metaphor when describing 

factories of the future. 

– Increasingly, factories are looking for solutions 

where technology enables as much as 

possible but still under human control in some 

aspect – either in terms of physical assembly 

or through a process control system. The Covid 

pandemic has greatly boosted the potential for, 

for example, remote monitoring. Meanwhile, 

various types of measuring and data collection 

are a growing trend that allows scaling knowledge 

in factory control, for example. 

What is the role of machine learning in 

factories of the future? 

Machine vision is a very quality-focused technology 

in industry, and many applications are still 

related to quality, quality monitoring and reporting, 

Ryödi says. 

Machine vision still has 

much potential, especially 

when combined with AIbased 

decision-making, as 

different cameras and sensors 

are becoming more accurate 

and faster. One exciting area 

to follow is chip manufacturing 

and how machine vision 

will be able to serve – and 

potentially control – these very high-frequency 

processes even more efficiently in the future. 

Are manufacturing facilities moving 

towards full automation? 

Ryödi notes that there are still relatively few factories 

that can be called fully automated due to 

the level of intelligence of the technology and its 

replicability in relation to repeatable processes. 

Meanwhile, manufacturing chains are currently 

struggling a bit to find their place on a global 

scale. This affects the level of automation in 

industry because increasing the level of automation 

means making significant 

investments, and large 

Modern 

investments almost always 

technologies are 

mean showing a return on 

investment. 

making the industrial However, at the same 

maintenance sector an time, evolving technology 

is enabling more and 

attractive career option 

more, and as component 

for young people. 

shortages ease, the prices 

of industrial robots, 

for example, will continue to decline and 

accelerate their uptake. Highly repeatable 

and heavy processes have already achieved 

a high degree of automation. However, how, 

and when they reach a fully automated level 

remains to be seen. 



How will the role of the maintenance manager 

change in a fully automated factory? 

The role of a maintenance manager is crucial in 

ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of 

machinery, equipment, and facilities within an 

organisation. Their primary responsibilities have 

traditionally included a wide range of tasks to 

preserve assets, minimise downtime, and promote 

safety and reliability. 

Ryödi anticipates a definite shift in the role of 

maintenance managers within organisations as 

automation levels continue to rise. 

– I think there is a clear trend here to be more 

proactive in understanding and planning. Many 

industries, such as pharmaceutical manufacturing, 

will soon move to so-called continuous processes 

instead of batch production, and this will 

also change the role of maintenance to be more 

proactive and planned. 

– In the future, the maintainer will have to be 

able to interpret more data and better plan their 

work, and, on the other hand, to carry out and 

document it very accurately. However, many things 

remain constant, such as understanding mechanics 

or electrical engineering. This is still highly valued. 

– A skilled workforce enables us to overcome 

the small margins that distinguish us from other 

countries in comparison, Ryödi says. 

JUHA RYÖDI, VICE PRESIDENT OF LIFE 

CYCLE SERVICES AT VAISALA OYJ 

Juha Ryödi has studied automation and 

electrical power engineering alongside 

his job and commercial studies (MBA). 

He started his career at the automation 

and power engineering technology giant ABB 

as a plant engineer in the year 2000. After ABB, Ryödi joined 

Sataservice Oy, a provider of maintenance and optimisation 

services to industry. 

"I have been working more or less continuously in the 

engineering field since I turned 18," Ryödi says. 

In 2017, Ryödi joined Vaisala to be responsible for technical 

services globally. Ryödi is a keen sportsman and played 

competitive ice hockey in his youth. 

ALL EYES ON INFORMATION SECURITY 

Juha Ryödi adds that although technological 

change will benefit the sector, it is not without 

risk. One of the biggest fears associated with 

increasing automation is currently security. 

– In my opinion, information security is the 

most significant single risk now. Whenever we 

talk about automation and its connectivity and 

integration with different systems, we must consider 

information security and its requirements. 

The so-called Hyppönen's law is also good to 

remember in maintenance (If It's Smart, It's Vulnerable 

- Mikko Hyppönen), Ryödi says. Mikko 

Hypponen is a global security expert, speaker, and 

author. He is the Chief Research Officer at WithSecure 

and Principal Research Advisor at F-Secure. 

Maintenance tools, such as maintenance systems, 

have become much more cloud and webbased, 

and on the other hand, many practical tools 

or customer processes are connected to the web. 

– A major transformation is taking place, but 

so far there have been relatively few security incidents. 

This is partly because the interconnection 

of different systems and tools is just reaching its 

acceleration point, and partially because industrial 

companies are taking information security risks 

very seriously. In maintenance, it is also worth 

remembering that the responsibility of maintenance 

workers is often greater than that of many 

others. Maintenance personnel may have greater 

access to many systems, which puts them in a 

more critical position. 



Photo: WÄRTSILÄ CORPORATION 

JUKKA JUNTTILA (MSE, MSE) works as Research Scientist at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd 

Feature Engineering- 

Based Operaonal 

State Recognion of 

Rotang Machines 

One might think that the era of 

large internal combustion engines 

(ICE) as electric power producers 

would soon be over due to the 

ongoing green transition. 

Such an assumption is being proved wrong by 

the engineers who work hard on finding solutions 

to convert these fossil fuel-consuming 

machines to also operate on renewable fuels. 

ICE-based power plants have a crucial role in 

the green transition as a balancing element for the fluctuating 

nature of wind and solar energy production. 



JUKKA JUNTTILA (MSE, MSE) 

Jukka Junttila works as Research 

Scientist at VTT Technical Research 

Centre of Finland Ltd. He has 

over ten years of experience in 

structural analyses of rotating 

machines and other dynamic 

mechanical structures using finite 

element method. He has also 

come across research topics such 

as internal combustion engine 

technology, experimental structural 

analysis, topology optimisation, 

additive manufacturing and laser 

scanning during his studies and 

his career at VTT. During the last 

few years he has broadened his 

expertise into the fields of Big data 

analytics, machine learning and 

systems simulation. 

VIBRATION ANALYSIS AND 

MACHINE LEARNING METHODS 

The future goals impose new requirements 

and raise uncertainties considering the whole 

lifecycle of the power plants. They generate 

a need for the development of new tools and 

methods in a wide range. 

Within the operational 

phase of the lifecycle, 

particularly in the domain 

of structural condition 

monitoring, vibration 

analysis techniques have 

long been the cornerstone 

of getting precise insights 

into the health of rotating 

machinery and along with 

the operational data estimating 

their remaining 

useful life. On the other 

hand, increased computing power, and the 

emergence of the industrial internet of things 

(IIoT) have created a foundation for continuous 

operational monitoring in real-time, or at 

least in near real-time. In this context, vibration 

analysis (VA) and machine learning (ML) 

methods can be used to build precise and 

efficient state recognition models for rotating 

machines as shown in this case. 

OPERATIONAL STATE 

RECOGNITION OF A GENERATING 

SET 

This article introduces simple and computationally 

light models for the operational state 

recognition of a generating set (genset). The 

Figure 1. Tangential force at crank pin due to gas forces for different loads. 

(percentage of the rated power). 

models were developed in a research project 

(Digibuzz-VTT) forming part of a joint research 

effort called DigiBuzz financed by Business Finland 

and are thoroughly described in a master’s 

thesis [1]. DigiBuzz was led by LUT University 

between 10/2019 and 01/2022. One of the 

partner companies 

in DigiBuzz, Wärtsilä 

Vibration analysis 

techniques have long 

been the cornerstone 

of getting precise insights 

into the health 

of rotating machinery 

and estimating their 

remaining useful life. 

Finland Oy, provided 

the dataset for building 

the operational 

state recognition 

models. The data 

consists of accelerations 

acquired from 

a Wärtsilä 20V31SG 

genset measured 

at various constant 

power output levels, 

as well as during 

some occasional 

fault situations. Gensets combine an ICE and 

an electric generator. They are typically used 

for producing power to the electric grid. While 

the electric grids have constant frequency, 

the power demand fluctuates. As a result, the 

gensets operate at constant speeds but with 

variable power output. The grids may encounter 

occasional disturbances which cause abnormal 

operation of a genset. Thus, the dataset effectively 

covers the acceleration response of a genset 

within its typical operational range. 

INERTIA FORCES AND GAS 

FORCES 

The operational state recognition models discussed 

in this article are built around the cyclic 

nature of the operation of ICEs. The general 

assumption is that the dynamic behaviour, at 

steady load and constant rotational velocity 

across engine cycles, repeats itself and that 

load variation can be seen as a notable change 

in the dynamic response. Thanks to Newton, 

most of us know that acceleration and vibration 

is caused by force, and think that the relation 

between them is linear. Considering ICEs, 

the principal forces exciting vibrations can be 

divided into inertia and gas forces. The origin 

of the inertia forces are the moving parts of the 

engine, namely the crank and piston mechanisms. 

Thus, at constant rotation speed the 

inertia forces remain periodically stationary. 

However, due to the virtual linearity between 

force and acceleration, the gas forces, provoked 

by the cylinder pressure, do vary in sync with 

load variations, even though the rotation speed 

remains constant, since they are responsible of 

making the engine run and they must adjust to 

the load demand. Normalized tangential forces 

at crank pin for different loads during one 

engine cycle (four-stroke) are presented in 

Figure 1. 



Therefore, if the detection of variations 

in the load is of interest, it is crucial 

to extract only the effect of the gas forces 

on the vibration response. Unlike the gas 

forces, the inertia forces have an analytic 

solution which happens to be periodic. It 

states that the inertia forces have cyclic 

components only at the frequency of 

rotation and its second multiple, which 

then leads to all the other frequency 

components of the vibration response to 

depend only on the gas forces. The harmonic 

frequency components of a signal 

can be efficiently computed using fast 

Fourier transform (FFT). The harmonic 

coefficients of the torque of a four-stroke 

gasoline engine at full load and at idle 

presented in Figure 2 were determined by 

Porter as early as in 1943 [2]. For a fourstroke 

engine one engine cycle equals two 

rotations of the crankshaft. In Figure 2 

order 1.0 equals the rotation frequency 

and hence order 0.5 the engine cycle frequency. 

Accurate ML models are seldom 

trained using raw data. The training of 

ML models often needs features that 

are sensitive to changes in the quantity 

being predicted by the model. Considering 

ICEs (and all the previous explanations), 

a feature sensitive to power 

output variation is extracted from the 

vibration response by simply computing 

the harmonic coefficient at order 

1.5. This feature extracted from the 

three signals of only one suitably placed 

triaxial accelerometer can be used for 

training an accurate classifier of different 

power output levels of a Wärtsilä 

20V31SG genset. The accuracy of the 

classifier model can be increased by 

adding the signal power of the three signals 

to the features of the model. 

Figure 2 Harmonic coefficients by Porter [2] , a and b are the Fourier coefficients.. 

Figure 3. Confusion matrix for a classifier 

trained with features extracted from two 

engine cycles long signal segments. [1] 

Therefore, the 

right balance between the 

accuracy and 

timeliness of the model 

must be sought 

depending on the application 

and needs. 

SMOOTHING OUT CYCLIC 

VARIATIONS IS POSSIBLE 

However, the operation of an ICE in 

practice is never perfectly constant 

between engine cycles even at steady 

load and therefore there is always cyclic 

variation in the acceleration response 

as well. This is typical especially considering 

spark ignited engines, such as the 

Wärtsilä 20V31SG, for which the peak 

cylinder pressure between consecutive 

cycles varies significantly. Considering 

the presented state recognition models 

the effect of the cyclic variation can be 

smoothened by extracting the feature 

values from signal segments that are 

multiple engine cycles long. By extending 

the length of the signal segment 

the prediction given by the model gets 

further away from real-time. Therefore, 

the right balance between the accuracy 

and timeliness of the model must be 

sought depending on the application 

and needs. In this case the accuracy is 

very high even when using signal segment 

length of two engine cycles. At the 

nominal operation speed of the genset, 

that is at 750 rpm, one engine cycle 

lasts 0.16 seconds. 

The confusion matrix of a classifier 

trained with features extracted from 

two engine cycles long signal segments 

is presented in Figure 3. Logistic 

regression was used as the classifier 

algorithm and the features were the 

acceleration amplitude at order 1.5 and 

the signal power extracted from the 

signals of one triaxial accelerometer. 

The classes are different power output 

levels givens as percentages of the rated 

power of the genset: 0 %, 50 %, 75 %, 

90 %, 95 %, and 100%. 



NOVELTY DETECTION CAN 

RECOGNISE ABNORMAL 

OPERATION 

The recognition of abnormal operation 

can be done using novelty detection. Novelty 

detection is a subtype of binary classification 

in which a trained model predicts 

if a data sample belongs to the same class 

of the data it was trained with or not. The 

same features that were used for training 

the classifier model can be used for 

training the novelty detection models as 

well. Separate novelty detection models 

can be built for each power output level. 

The result of two novelty detectors trained 

using different algorithms, One-class support 

vector machine (OC SVM) and local 

outlier factor (LOF), are presented in Figure 

4. Features extracted from continuous 

one-minute-long signals of one triaxial 

accelerometer were given as input for the 

novelty detectors. The novelty detector 

value 0 represents normal operation and 

value 1 abnormal operation. The result is 

given as a moving average taken over a 

window of one engine cycle and step size 

of one. The abnormal operation of the 

genset took place at around 30 seconds 

which is clearly detected by both novelty 

detectors. [1] 

FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF 

THE RECOGNITION MODELS 

An ambitious future goal is not only the 

timely detection of abnormal operation 

but also the recognition and classification 

of different types of faults. The scarcity 

of data measured during fault situations 

hinders the development of such models. 

However, one possible solution could be 

the production of data through simulations 

of fault situations. In fact, the first 

steps in that direction have already been 

taken using finite element method simulations 

of a genset (Figure 5) [3]. Further 

development of the operational state 

recognition models and their deployment 

in industrial settings has been planned 

to take place soon as part of new joint 

development projects between Wärtsilä, 

VTT, and (hopefully a long list of) other 

interested parties. 

Figure 4. Abnormal operation detected by novelty detectors. [1] 

Figure 5. Finite element model of a genset. [3] 

REFERENCES 

[1] Junttila, J., 2021, Operational State Recognition of a Rotating Machine Based on Measured Mechanical Vibration Data. Master's thesis, Arcada University 

of Applied Sciences (2021) 

[2] Porter, F.P., 1943, Harmonic Coefficients of Engine Torque Curves. In: ASME, Journal of Applied Mecchanics, 10(1): A33-A48. DOI: https://doi. 

org/10.1115/1.4009248 

[3] Junttila, J., Sillanpää, A. Lämsä, V.S., 2022, Validation of Simulated Mechanical Vibration Data for Operational State Recognition System, 2022 IEEE 

23rd International Conference on Information Reuse and Integration for Data Science (IRI), San Diego, CA, USA, 2022, pp. 138-143, doi: 10.1109/ 

IRI54793.2022.00040. 


HSE 

at the workplace challenges 

occupational health 

The inhalation of wood dust is an occupational safety risk. Approximately 40,000 employees are 

exposed to wood dust in their job causing potential health hazards. This can lead to prolonged 

respiratory infections which, in turn, can result in longer sickness absences. Exposure to 

hardwood dust also increases the risk of rare nasal and sinus cancers. 

TUULA LIUKKONEN, Chief Specialist at Finnish Institute of Occupational Health 

TUULA RÄSÄNEN, Senior Specialist at Finnish Institute of Occupational Health 

Wood is a widely used 

material all over the 

world. The main components 

of wood are 

cellulose, hemicellulose 

and lignin. In addition, depending on the type 

of wood, it can also contain hundreds of different 

chemical compounds such as terpene 

compounds, fatty acids, resin acids, phenolic 

compounds, alcohols, tannins and flavonoids. 

Botanically, tree species are divided into 

deciduous and coniferous. The deciduous 

trees are also called hardwoods. Similarly, 

conifers can be referred to as softwoods, although 

these designations are not directly 

related to the "hardness", i.e. density, of the 

wood. When working with wood, dust is 

released into the air, and the particle size of 

the dust varies widely due to, for example, 

the machining method, the type of wood 

and the humidity of wood. The dust particles 

which can enter the human respiratory 

system are called inhalable dust. 

In Finland, approximately 40,000 employees 

are exposed to wood dust at their 

work, e.g., at sawmilling and planing of wood, 

in the wooden board industry, and the manufacture 

of wood products and furniture. In 

addition, exposure to wood dust can occur 

in many other industrial sectors, such as the 

manufacture of paper pulp, the construction 

industry, the manufacture of vehicles, pattern 

making in the manufacture of metal and 

concrete products, as well as in educational 

institutions. 

WORKERS’ EXPOSURE 

TO WOOD DUST 

In Europe, exposure to hardwood dust is 

regulated by the EU Directive (2017/2398) 

on the protection of workers from the 

risks related to exposure to carcinogens or 

mutagens at work. The binding limit value 


HSE 

for the inhalable hardwood dust in air was 

earlier 5 mg/m3, but the directive set it at 

2 mg/m3. In Finland, the national indicative 

occupational exposure limit value for 

the dusts of all wood species has been the 

same 2 mg/m3 since the year 2007, but the 

new binding limit value for hardwood dust 

took effect in 2020. 

The research project “Wood dust and 

new binding limit value – can the provision 

of information have an impact on exposure 

and working conditions?” was conducted 

in Finland in 2020-2022. The main aim of 

the study was to inform workplaces in the 

woodworking sector about the changes in 

the regulations, and to assess the influence 

of this information through inquiry and 

workplace surveys conducted before and 

after the information campaign. 

Wood dust concentrations were measured 

during surveys at the workplaces of wooden 

products and furniture manufacturing. The 

geometric mean (GM) concentration of inhalable 

wood dust in the beathing zone of the 

workers was 0.8 mg/m3 (number of measurement 

167, range 0.03–16 mg/m3), but 11% of 

the dust concentrations measured exceeded 

the limit value 2 mg/m3. 

According to measurement results 

from the services made in the manufacturing 

of wooden products and furniture in 

2017-2021 by the Finnish Institute of Occupational 

Health, the mean (GM) wood 

dust concentration in the breathing zone 

of the workers was 0.6 mg/m3 (n=131, 

range 0.06—12 mg/m3), and 11% of the 

concentrations exceeded the limit value. 

HEATH EFFECTS CAUSED 

BY WOOD DUST 

The largest particles of inhalable dust remain 

mainly in the upper respiratory tract, 

where they can cause irritation symptoms 

on the mucous membranes of the nose and 

larynx. According to studies, respiratory 

irritation symptoms are common in wood 

dust concentrations above 1 mg/m3. 

Wood dust is one of the causes of occupational 

rhinitis. The smaller particles 

of wood dust enter deeper into the respiratory 

tract, and they can cause for example 

coughs and non-asthmatic airway contraction, 

which is reflected in a decrease in 

spirometry values. Exposure to wood dust 

is also associated with an increased risk of 

chronic bronchitis. Wood dust can also irritate 

the eyes and skin. 

Depending on the type of wood, wood 

dust can contain many chemical compounds 

that may cause skin sensitization. 

Allergy symptoms can also occur in the eyes. 

Wood dust can cause allergy to the upper 

respiratory tract, causing allergic rhinitis 

and lower respiratory tract, causing asthma. 

Wood dust can be controlled in the 

workplace and workers' exposure 

reduced by: 

¬ automating machining processes 

and increasing remote control 

¬ reducing exposure time 

¬ reducing dust production, e.g., by 

choosing a machining method, 

optimizing machining parameters 

and blade geometry 

¬ enclosures, process, and local 

exhaust ventilation 

¬ using workstation-specific supply 

air and general ventilation 

¬ preventing the spread of dust, e.g., 

cleaning floors and other surfaces 

regularly, cleaning machines and 

equipment 

¬ avoiding the use of compressed 

air in cleaning and maintenance 

operations. 

If the technical control measures and 

work arrangements do not sufficiently 

reduce workers' exposure to wood dust, 

respirators can be used. Especially in 

short-term or infrequently occurring, 

but highly exposing tasks, such as 

cleaning and maintenance work tasks, 

respirators are often the only feasible 

option for controlling the dust exposure. 

In addition to wood dust, other 

exposure agents can be present 

in workplace air, and they must 

be considered when filters for the 

respirators are selected. 

According to the assessment by the International 

Agency for Research on Cancer 

(IARC), wood dust is carcinogenic to humans. 

The most recent evaluation in 2012, 

states that wood dust causes cancer of the 

nose and nasal sinuses (sinonasal), as well 

as nasopharyngeal cancer. This evaluation 

covers dust generated from all wood species, 

hardwood or softwood categories are 

not separated. There is stronger evidence of 

a link between sinonasal cancer and exposure 

to hardwood dust, and in the EU, only 

hardwood dust is classified as a carcinogen. 

SAFETY MANAGEMENT 

Safety management is an important part of 

business operations. It aims to ensure the 

safety of employees, reduce risks, and prevent 

accidents and incidents. In SMEs it can 

often be overlooked due to resource constrains 

or lack of knowledge. The following 

issues are included in good safety management 

practices: risk assessment practices, 

safety plan, employees training, knowledge 

of safety legislation, safety activities monitoring 

and creating a safety culture. 

According to the results of the inquiry 

of the project “Wood dust and new binding 

limit values – can the provision of 

information have an impact on exposure 

and working conditions?”, there is room 

for improvement in the management's 

information practices on issues related to 

occupational safety. The personnel representatives 

were most critical of this. Also, 

not enough information has been shared 

about possible health hazards related to 

wood dust, especially in the opinion of 

employee representatives. However, the 

information related to the project had had 

some effect, and the answers to the second 

survey were somewhat more positive. In 

micro-companies, this issue was seen more 

positively and, according to the answers, 

more information about health hazards related 

to wood dust has been shared to them 

than in companies of other size categories. 

The other results of the inquiry showed 

that co-workers seem to play a significant 

role in training in safe working practices 

in small and medium-sized companies. In 

micro-enterprises and small enterprises, 

the role of the foreman is also emphasized 

somewhat more in training than in mediumsized 

enterprises. Overall, the answers to the 

survey before and after the information campaign 

were very similar. 

The level of occupational safety has also 

been measured in other studies with a similar 

survey and the results have been very 

similar for some questions. Such questions 

include for example whether the management 

has communicated clear goals for the 

development of occupational safety, does the 

management regularly inform the employees 

about matters related to occupational safety, 

and does my workplace organize sufficient 

safety training. 

Most of the respondents had received the 

additional information they needed about 

wood dust-related matters during the information 

campaign of the research project. The 

e-mail messages with information links used 

as one information transmission channel in 

the study proved to be a significant source of 

information. The study could not clearly demonstrate 

the impact of information on working 

conditions, knowledge about wood dust or 

exposure to wood dust. The research yielded 

valuable, previously missing information, 

especially on occupational health and safety 

issues for micro-enterprises and small and medium-sized 

enterprises and exposure to wood 

dust. In addition, a model was developed for 

assessing wood dust exposure. The modeled 

exposure levels were of the same order of magnitude 

compared to the measurements, but 

the model needs to be refined with additional 

measurements and its suitability for other exposures 

should be tested in the future. 


INTERVIEW 

Mr KREŠIMIR BRANDT, HDO 

Changes do happen; 

more and more women 

enrol in technical colleges 

Master of Mechanical 

Engineering Iva Condrić is 

the head of the Maintenance 

Coordination Service in the 

Thermal Power Plant Sector 

of HEP Proizvodnje d.o.o 

– a company belonging to 

the elektroprivreda (HEP) 

concern. She is one of the 

few managers of technical 

services at HEP Proizvodnja. 

We met Ms Iva Čondrić 

at her workplace in 

Vukovarska street 

in Croatia, smiling 

and relaxed. The 

frequent ringing of the phone, which 

she will turn off for a while, and a pile of 

documents on the table, papers, books, 

magazines, who knows what else, is very 

revealing. It tells how many strings have 

to be pulled to keep the complex technical 

systems of thermal power plants 

functioning. We asked her how she 

would describe her education. 

– I don't think that there are interesting 

peculiarities here, she explains. 

– I finished elementary school in 

Trešnjevka, Zagreb, then I attended and 

graduated from the 10th high school 

and entered the Faculty of Mechanical 

Engineering and Shipbuilding in Zagreb. 

But, when you start working, education 

doesn't stop. I don't even know 

how many seminars, training courses, 

congresses I have attended. I have also 

passed the professional exam for a certified 

engineer. After completing my 

studies, I worked for a short time at VIP, 

and then I got a job at HEP. 


INTERVIEW 

Maybe the peculiarity is 

that you were probably one 

of the few girls, women, 

who enrolled in the study of 

mechanical engineering. 

– That's right, there were only seven 

girls out of 420 students. During my 

studies, I had several friends among my 

colleagues and only one female friend. 

Quite simply, a few of us girls scattered 

across various fields of study. Today it is 

already different, the number of female 

students at FSB and at FER may have 

increased tenfold. Even today though, 

80 percent of students at technical faculties 

are male. 

Men and women have the 

same reasons for enrolling in 

engineering studies; interest 

in natural sciences, mathematics, 

engineering, desire 

to establish themselves in 

well-paid and dynamic jobs. 

They are equally capable, 

however... 

– Prejudices and division into male and 

female occupations still prevail. 

Research has shown that, depending 

on the part of the world, men make up 

80 to 90 percent of engineers in companies. 

Some women swayed by prejudice 

give up engineering studies or finish 

them and engage in other jobs. 

Have you had bad experiences, 

with regard to the "male studies", 

then the "male occupation" 

you have acquired and 

the "male job" you perform? 

– Relatively often! 

Really? 

– Occasionally in business circles, occasionally 

in private ones. One way or 

another. 

I still have a hard time understanding 

it. 

– Some colleagues, friends, and acquaintances 

from time to time compliment 

my appearance, nice outfit. I don't 

think the least bad about them because 

I believe, I'm sure they don't have any 

bad intentions, well... 

... but it is still about our patriarchal 

stereotype according 

to which it is desirable that a 

woman is always beautiful, 

well-dressed. 

– Exactly. 

And for a woman to compliment 

men like that... However, 

when I asked you the question, 

I was referring to your engineering 

occupation and leading 

position in the maintenance 

sector. 

– Occasionally. I had a bad experience 

already during my studies. Interestingly, 

my colleagues accepted me very well, 

there were never any doubts or teasing, 

but at some point a professor asked me 

if I had mistakenly entered the door of 

the faculty, with the illusion that the 

door of the Faculty of Philosophy was a 

hundred metres away. It was a stressful 

moment, but I decided to prove to him 

and to myself that I came to study at the 

right door. 

I know quite a few great professors 

from technical studies, 

but this attitude is very sad. 

– I don't think it happened often. All in 

all, I got encouragement from that situation. 

Today, it can happen that my colleagues 

are surprised behind my back: 

a woman, a machinist, a maintenance 

manager... I lead a meeting, we solve 

a problem, and I'm the only woman 

among men! I'm not saying it's a rule. 

Even the opposite; just as the vast majority 

of professors supported female 

students during their studies, the vast 

majority of my colleagues are also great, 

they support me, they don't let those 

who are surprised say a single unargued 

word against women in engineering. 

So I don't feel the least bit of pressure, 

frustration. In the end, we are maintainers 

who make sure in every way that 

our facilities work and function as well 

as possible. I have no problem with a 

prejudiced minority. 

How was your journey from an 

engineer in the maintenance 

sector to a service manager? 

– Some processes took place in parallel. 

HEP, as well as HEP Proizvodnja, is a 

large company. On the one hand, it takes 

half a year to get to know all the sectors, 

the way they work. At the same time you 

are educated about the tasks, the work 

you need to do. At the same time, the 

maintenance service was developing, 

the systematisation of workplaces was 

changing... I personally tended to connect 

management systems. When I got 

hired, I found a maintenance management 

system, but each plant had its own 

separate system, and you could never see 

the whole. True, each system is special, 

but even those seven parts must have 

some common denominators - and as far 

as the organisation of production, work, 

procurement, maintenance, costs... Analytics 

have shown that some things can be 

optimised in terms of working methods, 

material, and human resources. HEP- 

Proizvodnja has a well-known product 

– electricity, and the savings are the result 

of technological and business improvements, 

it cannot be the other way around. 

Even today, process optimization is one 

of the focuses of my interests. 

Let's go back to HEP and the 

current crisis on the energy 

market. I assume that, in 

the last decade and a half, 

neglected thermal power 

plants suddenly found themselves 

in the focus of interest 

in this situation. 

– No, thermal power plants were 

never neglected, their operation was 

optimised in accordance with market 

requirements. You must look at the 

bigger picture. For now, you cannot 

satisfy the market with electricity from 

renewable energy sources. Wind farms 

produce electricity only when the wind 

blows. Photovoltaic cells produce only 

during the day, if it's sunny, more, if 

it's cloudy, less. And we use electricity 

when it is cloudy and when there is no 

wind, both during the day and at night. 

Electricity from hydropower plants 

is the most favourable according to 

some parameters but look at what happened 

this year: from spring to today, 

there was very little rain, reservoirs are 

empty, and it happened that thermal 

power plants in the system of covering 

the needs of the electricity market produced 

more than hydropower plants. 

At the end of 2022, production from 

thermal power plants and hydropower 

plants is expected to equalise. 

How many power plants do we 

have in Croatia and how much 

electricity do we get from 

them? 

– HEP-Proizvodnja manages 26 hydroelectric 

power plants, seven thermal 


INTERVIEW 

power plants, one non-integrated solar 

power plant (until the end of 2022 and 

another) and 15 integrated solar power 

plants installed on the roofs of our 

operating buildings, whose produced 

electricity we use for our own consumption. 

The system primarily receives 

electricity from renewable sources and 

from a nuclear power plant that works 

constantly, and then electricity from 

other sources. We meet 70 to 75 percent 

of our needs from Croatian sources. The 

rest of the electricity is imported. 

You personally manage the 

coordination service for thermal 

power plant maintenance. 

Where are they located? 

– Thermal power plants are located 

in Plomin, Rijeka and Jertovec, and 

thermal power plants-heating plants in 

Zagreb (two), Osijek and Sisak. 

Jertovec? 

– Yes, KTE Jertovec in Hrvatsko zagorje 

is a so-called intervention power plant. 

If needed, it can be online in eleven 

minutes. 

Are new technologies being 

invested in thermal power 

plants? 

– Investments are made in reducing 

emissions (DeNOx), trying to reduce 

them correctively, strengthening preventative 

and predictive maintenance, 

modernising and improving safety for 

work, the environment. Two blocks in 

our TE-TO in Osijek and Sisak run on 

biomass. 

The thermal power plant in Rijeka 

was abandoned ten years ago 

– The plant was not abandoned. TE 

Rijeka stopped production seven years 

ago due to non-competitiveness on 

the market due to the high price of 

fuel oil, the power plant was partially 

conserved, but basic maintenance, i.e. 

legal obligations, was carried out for 7 

years. Since there has been a disruption 

in the market with high gas prices, 

the constant production of electricity 

throughout the world is uncertain. In 

this regard, TE Rijeka is preparing for 

possible production. 

I suppose that the restart of 

production was prompted by 

the general energy crisis caused 

by the Russian aggression 

against Ukraine, the sanctions 

against Russia and the resulting 

chaos. 

– That is correct, but I have already 

mentioned to you that this year the 

hydrological conditions in Croatia were 

very unfavourable - a dry year, and that 

without electricity from the thermal 

power plants we would be in great trouble. 

Is there a problem of pollution 

and is there resistance to the 

start-up of the Rijeka Thermal 

Power Plant? 

– TE Rijeka is located southeast of Rijeka 

at the Urinj location. Construction 

of the thermal power plant began in 

1974 with an installed capacity of 320 

MW. At the time of commissioning, it 

was among the largest production facilities 

in Croatia. 

HEP respects the highest standards 

of production and environmental 

protection, and each plant has a valid 

environmental permit for operation. 

Of course, some people were worried, 

but I believe that the situation needs to 

be looked at from several angles. In the 

end, we all need electricity, people need 

to heat, cook, light up spaces, machines 

need to work. 

Is it a big challenge to start the 

operation of a technical system 

after seven years? 

– Yes, there were problems, there are 

still some, but we are solving them successfully. 

If anyone didn't do a job for 

seven years, they would find themselves 

in trouble. If you didn't write for almost 

a decade, I assume that you personally 

would have a problem reactivating 

yourself. 

Now we come to an interesting problem 

that has been discussed in maintenance 

and management circles for 

years, namely the advantages and disadvantages 

of outsourcing. About twenty 

years ago, there was a trend to move 

transport, maintenance - everything 

that is not the main focus of production 

out of the company. Outdoor maintenance 

has some advantages, but over 

the years we have also come to know the 

disadvantages. Companies that provide 

outsourcing services change, employees 

change, engineers and technicians 

come from other parts of the world 

- other languages, technical cultures... 

Before outsourcing, some John or Steve 

lived with the plant. He maintained, for 

example, the boiler and knew at first 

sight when it was not working properly. 

He knew it by the sound, the vibrations. 

He knew how to train him in the shortest 

possible time. Today we lack some of 

those skills. 

Finally, do you have any 

message of encouragement 

for future engineers, women 

in technical professions, in 

technical sciences, in maintenance? 

– During my studies, together with my 

colleagues, I participated in the founding 

of the Association of Students of Industrial 

Engineering and Management (SIIM), 

which still operates at the Faculty of Mechanical 

Engineering and Shipbuilding in 

Zagreb, and which is part of the European 

Association of Students of Industrial Engineering 

and Management (ESTIEM). 

It is a non-profit, non-governmental 

student association that aims to connect 

students who combine technological 

understanding with management skills. 

The goal is to foster relationships among 

students across Europe, support them in 

their work, and encourage girls and women 

to pursue these professions. While 

working in the association, I met a lot of 

wonderful people - both men and women 

- who today are experts in their fields, who 

do very diverse and even leading jobs. I 

always encourage women to pursue engineering 

jobs. I also persuaded my younger 

sister, who is now in her fifth year at the 

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and 

Shipbuilding, to do so. Any team with both 

men and women is stronger than one with 

only men or only women. 

Thanks to the work I do and involvement 

in the association during my studies, 

I know a lot of female engineers – in 

Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, 

Turkey, Serbia..., not to mention, all 

over Europe. All of them are very, very 

successful, and a large number of them 

have received doctorates or are in the 

process of receiving doctorates. On 

average, women in engineering are few 

but very successful. Unfortunately, it is 

still easier for them abroad, because in 

Western European countries they got 

rid of gender prejudices before us. But I 

can say in that regard, things are changing 

for the better in Croatia too! 


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Maintworld Magazine 3/2023

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