A tablet does not yet make your maintenance process more efficient

Utilities: well prepared for a fault

It is half past seven. A service technician from a network operator receives a work order for a fault on an installation, dozens of kilometres away. Before the technician sets off, a tablet shows the location, the fault report and the maintenance history of the installation.

The maintenance history shows that there have already been problems with a particular component. The technician therefore checks whether the required spare part is in stock and takes it along if possible. An extra trip to the warehouse or a second visit to the installation can easily cost several hours.

Once on site, the technician opens the work order and follows the associated work instructions. Network coverage is not a given on remote sites. Thanks to data synchronised in advance, the technician can still access the work order and relevant asset information offline. During the inspection, a component turns out to be defective. The technician takes a photo, records the findings and logs the relevant measurement values.

If the right component is missing, the technician records why the work order remains open and what follow-up work is needed. As soon as the connection is back, the app synchronises the data. Work preparation then has the fault information, photos and measurement data and can prepare the follow-up work and required materials on that basis. The next technician on site does not have to establish again what is going on.

If the component is available, the technician fixes the fault straight away. After a check of the installation, it is possible to record the work carried out, the time spent and the materials used immediately.

In this way, mobile support contributes to a higher first-time fix rate, fewer unnecessary journeys and a shorter lead time for fault repair. Even when a second visit is needed, the preparation runs more efficiently.

Oil and gas: working safely and recording it demonstrably

On a refinery, one of your technicians is tasked with carrying out maintenance on a pump. The technician opens the work order on a tablet and consults the work instructions, the safety plan and the associated checks.

Before maintenance starts, the technician checks among other things the work permit, the isolation of the installation and the required lock-out/tag-out procedures (LOTO). Which risks have been recorded? Have the right precautions been taken? And has the responsible person formally released the installation for the work?

Via the tablet, the technician consults safety information and inspection instructions and records the prescribed checks digitally. That supports execution according to the applicable procedures, without replacing the formal work permit or safety release.

During the maintenance, the technician discovers an additional deviation on a valve. It is not on the original work order, but it can affect the integrity of the installation. The technician records the deviation straight away, including a photo and explanation. The responsible colleague can then assess whether further investigation or an additional work order is needed.

Afterwards, the technician records the work, inspection results, materials used and any points of note. The technician also updates the status of the work order, so it is clear what has been completed and which actions are still open.

For asset integrity and compliance, it is not only about the registration itself. The follow-up of deviations must also be demonstrable. By linking inspection results, findings and follow-up work to the right assets and work orders, an auditable maintenance history is created. With that, you can find during audits and internal checks which work has been carried out, under which conditions and what happened to deviations.

Manufacturing: not only repairing quickly, but getting it right first time

In a factory, a production line stops. One of your maintenance technicians receives a work order: a sensor on a machine is giving an error message. Replacing the sensor seems the quickest way to restart production. But is that also the right solution?

The technician looks at the maintenance history on the tablet. It shows that the same sensor has already been replaced twice in the past six months. Is the sensor really the cause? Or is there a recurring failure pattern in which the sensor keeps registering the result of another problem?

The technician compares earlier fault reports, causes and repairs with the current situation. Are the connections in order? Could another component be causing the error message? With this information and expertise, the technician investigates more specifically what is causing the fault.

Once the cause is clear, the required parts are checked. Which spare part belongs to this machine and configuration? Is it in stock, in which warehouse is it, and is a suitable alternative available if needed?

After the repair, the technician checks whether the machine is working properly again. The technician records the fault cause, associated failure codes, work carried out, parts used and time spent on the work order straight away.

That registration helps not only with the next fault. By analysing fault codes, causes and repairs systematically, a reliability engineer can recognise recurring failure patterns. It may turn out that a component is structurally overloaded, or that the installation needs a different maintenance approach. In this way, the data from day-to-day execution also provides input for improving the maintenance strategy.

Here it is about the difference between Time to Fix and Time to Right Fix. A machine that is running again after twenty minutes, but fails again a few hours later, has not ultimately been repaired effectively. By finding the real cause and recording that information, you reduce the chance of repeated production downtime.

Set up mobile support around the work of your technicians

The three examples show why you should not set up mobile work processes in the same way for all technicians.

In network management, technicians need the right work orders and asset data in advance, including for locations without network coverage. On a refinery, safety information, inspection checks and the registration of deviations must align with the applicable procedures. And for fault maintenance in a factory, quick access to the maintenance history, failure codes and materials information is important.

Those differences determine which information you make available in advance, which actions you include in the mobile work process and which registrations you make mandatory. That way you avoid technicians having to go through unnecessary screens or input fields, while essential information is missing.

Want to know how IBM Maximo Mobile can support your technicians better? Get in touch with Emile van Rijn on +31 (0)6 18 42 35 31 or e.vanrijn@gemba.nl.