What are the prerequisites for optimal asset utilization, low downtimes and low maintenance costs? How can the costs of downtime be identified and minimized? Why are EAM systems such as KENEXOS® so important in this cycle? In this article, we use a practical example to illustrate how important a digital ecosystem is for a company’s profitability in terms of maintenance costs.
The greatest possible cost-effectiveness and efficiency secure a company the decisive advantages on the market – not only in mechanical engineering, but also in the automotive industry, in the chemical and food industries or in the logistics sector. The key to success here is the optimum utilization of plant and machinery with minimum downtime in conjunction with transparent and precise cost control. Asset managers in the industry are well aware of the importance of these areas, as an Enterprise Asset Management Trend Report from 2021 shows. It cites uptime (33.73 percent), efficiency (30.47 percent) and cost control (19.53 percent) as the most important KPIs.
However, there are also areas where there is still considerable scope for optimization, as they have a significant impact on profitability. For example, 60.45 percent of respondents had to deal with unplanned downtime in the past year. Interestingly, however, around 82 percent were unable to quantify how high these costs are per hour. Knowing these costs would ultimately have produced a completely different result. Anyone who knows these figures, makes them clearly available in the company and uses them in a targeted manner will save enormous costs and increase productivity overall.
The costs of downtime must be known – and minimized
The condition and production performance is directly linked to timely delivery to the customer, which in turn goes hand in hand with the overall image on the market. The reliability of production is therefore essential. If machines and systems are properly maintained, they save enormous costs thanks to maximum service life without sudden breakdowns, a long component service life and high energy efficiency.
However, economic efficiency also includes knowing the costs for the required maintenance and servicing and putting them in a suitable ratio to the increase in productivity. Maintenance costs include time, labor and personnel costs. Spare parts and other materials plus their procurement are also included. A precise analysis of these cost centers makes it possible to identify inefficient measures and therefore also so-called cost drivers. A conscious approach also helps to make well-founded decisions that can sustainably reduce costs.
Is predictive maintenance worthwhile?
Predictive maintenance can be used to determine the optimum time for the preventive replacement of system parts and thus make it possible to plan maintenance work, which ultimately minimizes downtimes. This method of maintenance is very much in vogue, which proves that there is great potential for increasing efficiency in this area. The aforementioned trend report also confirms the willingness of companies to use it: almost half of companies name IT or IoT solutions as their most important investment.
However, production efficiency can be influenced by more than just the choice of maintenance and repair. Comprehensive data can also be used to quickly decide who carries out the appropriate measures: a technician on site, who may need to be trained, or a specialist who may only be able to arrive with a certain lead time. Both methods generate different downtimes. Existing data and intelligent systems help to optimize decision-making processes.
EAM systems as an essential interface between machines and people
There are also numerous pitfalls in documentation and communication, which can become cost drivers in many cases. An advanced maintenance and servicing approach alone is not enough here. Plant managers within a company also need to know what the maintenance of their assets costs in practice, what the costs of a failure are and how the maintenance methods affect availability and production. For this reason, the data must not only be systematically recorded and analyzed, but also prepared and made accessible to all stakeholders in the company.
Among other things, KENEXOS® was designed to enable the digital management of machines and systems throughout their entire life cycle, including the planning, optimization, documentation and implementation of maintenance measures. As a cloud-based platform, KENEXOS® takes the control and communication of systems and all personnel to a new level by providing tailor-made features for practical use, but can also be individually expanded or extended if necessary. Everything happens in one place within seconds, whether on a PC, tablet or smartphone. KENEXOS® can be tested free of charge for 14 days at any time. Individual consultation appointments are also possible so that you can plan the perfect workflow with KENEXOS®.
About KENEXOS®
With Kreutzpointner Business Software GmbH (KBS for short), Kreutzpointner is setting a significant milestone in the technical development of the entire group of companies. Kreutzpointner Business Software GmbH focuses on the special requirements and digital needs of industrial customers with an independent business model. The operational launch took place in October 2020.
With KENEXOS®, KBS offers corporate customers an individually expandable application platform with its own software products and focuses on the implementation of industrial applications. KENEXOS® offers modern web technology for access via a wide range of end devices and enables integration with existing systems via an API interface. The standard modules include, for example, construction site documentation, task and ticket recording, plant management and maintenance and many more. The application platform is available for in-house installation (on-premise) or as a cloud solution (SaaS).
The ideas and the technical basis for Kreutzpointner Business Software GmbH have been successfully developed in recent years as part of the company-wide “Research & Development” process. In addition to the IT systems division, the new digital unit ideally rounds off Kreutzpointner’s large portfolio.
