Remote operations
Marc Prempain
7 May 2024
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Handling assets can be a challenging task especially when it comes to heavy machinery or industries with hazardous work environments. Scheduling preventive maintenance programs may require too many personnel and excessive resources, so some enterprises may opt for a run-to-fail type of maintenance.Â
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Run-to-failure maintenance, also known as reactive maintenance or breakdown maintenance, is an approach where equipment or systems are only repaired or replaced when they fail.Â
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It is usually used in situations where such resources as labor, time, and money are scares because run-to-failure maintenance is more practical.
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It is also suitable for occasions when companies have backup systems that can save the situation in case of the breakdown of other systems, so the failure of one does not disrupt the operational flow.Â
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While this type of maintenance may have some advantages in certain situations and serve as a sufficient measure in times of collapse, it also comes with several disadvantages.Â
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This article with exploring how remote visual support can mitigate the downsides and turn run-to-fail maintenance into an efficient and cost-effective way of conducting interventions.Â
If you choose to intervene in the management of your equipment only when it is facing malfunction, you risk running into the series of the following obstacles:Â
If machines are fixed only when they undergo severe downtime and there are no preventive or scheduled maintenance programs in between, the collapse may occur very unexpectedly. These sudden disruptions will lead to extended periods of dysfunctioning assets that will be followed by missed deadlines, dissatisfied customers, and decreased reputation of the company. Â
Since a run-to-failure maintenance program is used only when downtime happens, it may be too late for the equipment to be fixed. The need for emergency repairs, expedited parts procurement, the total replacement of the assets in some cases, and the need for specialized expertise can significantly escalate expenses.
When the equipment runs until failure, it may disrupt safety on-site. Equipment failures can result in hazardous situations for both employees and customers. Malfunctioning machinery may cause accidents, injuries, or even property damage, posing potential legal liabilities for the organization. It will drastically decrease the team’s productivity as employees may need to be reassigned or diverted from their regular tasks to address the immediate repair needs. This can cause delays in other operations and hinder overall workforce efficiency.
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Overall lack of routine maintenance may lead to cases when the equipment breakdown before it is supposed to. Without proactive monitoring, companies fail to replace faulty components and prolong the lifespan of the assets. As a result, the team cannot use the equipment as proactively as they need, and frequent replacement of it leads to higher capital expenditures.Â
Instead of focusing on the regular tasks, in case of run-to-failure maintenance, the teams have to be mobilized to solve the problem. This can disrupt planned maintenance activities and shift the focus to troubleshooting and repairing, leading to inefficiencies in resource allocation.
Frequent breakdowns can result in reduced output, inefficient production processes, and increased lead times for products or services.
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Moreover, from a psychological point of view, sudden malfunctions can cause stress and frustration to employees. They may feel demotivated when they have to work in an environment where machinery is unreliable and unpredictable, leading to decreased job satisfaction.Â
When equipment is allowed to run until it breaks down completely, there are several optimization opportunities that go unexplored, which could have otherwise resulted in cost savings, increased efficiency, and improved overall performance. If companies do not keep track of reoccurring issues, they miss the opportunity to develop long-lasting strategies that could improve the efficiency of the assets.Â
As it has become clear from the listed disadvantages of the run-to-failure program, the majority of difficulties originate from the lack of visibility of the equipment’s state. What also influences it, is the possibility of not having the workforce available at the time of the occurred breakdown. Since run-to-failure maintenance is designed only for emergency situations, there can be scenarios when the right expert is not on-site, or the malfunction is so serious, that vast expertise is required. How can the company provide it if the question of resources (not only the monetary ones) becomes a stumbling stone?Â
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Remote visual assistance solutions are the key to avoiding unnecessary expenses while performing maintenance in the most effective way. It addresses the most important pain points of run-to-failure maintenance: provides visibility on the problem, rapid assistance, and facilitates knowledge sharing. Let’s delve into it.
Thanks to remote visual support, technicians can remotely troubleshoot and receive assistance from experts in a matter of one click. Modern visual support tools provide a 360° view of the problem: the expert can use the technician’s front and back cameras to examine the malfunction, hear the noises, and use collaborative tools such as drawing and adding text to the snapshots to guide the technician.
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Imagine the psychological relief that the personnel feels when they are assisted like that! The technician is now able to handle the assets’ breakdown until the arrival of the expert or, in some cases, even fully resolve the problem remotely.Â
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The accessibility of remote visual support solutions is what makes it a go-to tool for various companies that provide technical support. It takes the expert a couple of minutes to launch a video call and send the technician the weblink via SMS or WhatsApp to join the session. There is no need for downloading any third-party apps or cumbersome processes when the expert has to explain to the technician how to join the video call. The technician receives a personalized message that makes the interaction professional and brings the sense of the expert’s proximity.Â
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Sometimes, out of rush and stress, the technician may be unable to assess the situation correctly and think that a full replacement of the equipment is necessary. Thanks to the remote visual support the expert can examine the problem thoroughly and make an unbiased conclusion on the state of the asset. Such examinations may significantly reduce expenses for the company and the need for displacement.
Documenting the maintenance activity in case of the equipment’s failure is the key to successful problem resolution. After every video support call, the interlocutors will be able to access the recording of the session in the work order’s archive. This is one of the ways the expert can request the assistance of the colleagues in case the malfunction is complex. He/she can share the archive with colleagues, run another video call in the same work order, or during the first interaction, he/she can invite the team members to join the session.Â
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Advanced remote visual support tools like ViiBE allow up to 26 experts on the call and do not impose any limit on file-sharing capabilities. All the documents added to the session, regardless of their format and size, will be added to the archive. Â
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New coming technicians can consult these archives as a part of their onboarding and future training. Being informed about the reoccurring malfunctions will allow them to gain insights into troubleshooting techniques, problem-solving approaches, and equipment-specific issues, enhancing their ability to handle similar failures in the future.
Since predictive maintenance typically involves the use of advanced technologies, such as sensors, data analytics software, and predictive models, it is understandable why some companies may refrain from it. However, with video recordings of the sessions, they can build a repository of recurring issues and take proactive measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. These video archives will not be a full substitute for the analytics software, but they can provide helpful data that can lead to efficient resource utilization and increased operational efficiencies.
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In the future, when the company decides to expand its toolkit by adding new technologies (e.g. machine learning algorithms), video data can contribute to their enhancement by identifying early warning signs or anomalies that indicate impending failures.
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Remote visual support solutions can also be used as a ticketing system on their own. Run-to-failure maintenance often lacks a structured plan or allocation of resources. Companies can program maintenance activities directly in the video assistance solution’s interface and keep track of the performed interventions. Collaborators may share comments, enrich the tickets/work orders with more data, and launch video calls synchronously and asynchronously.Â
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What if the company already uses FSM, CMMS, or EAM software? Remote visual assistance can be seamlessly integrated with them. Experts will be able to conduct video calls directly from the familiar interface and plan their maintenance activities accordingly.Â
In summary, while run-to-failure maintenance may seem like a cost-saving strategy in the short term, it comes with several disadvantages that can negatively impact operational efficiency, safety, and overall business performance. By implementing remote visual support in their product suite, companies can proactively mitigate these drawbacks and consequently, improve the efficiency and effectiveness of maintenance activities, reduce downtime, and better address equipment failures.
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