The Top Features & Benefits of FactoryAI and its Impact on Maintenance Management

Unplanned interruptions to production are detrimental to a manufacturer’s overall efficiency and profitability. Some interruptions stem from issues such as poor scheduling, unplanned personnel absences, or environmental issues. Others happen when equipment fails to function properly, requiring a shutdown to investigate the issue and implement a solution. Depending on the severity of these equipment issues, taking a reactive approach to maintenance often means a longer equipment downtime and a greater impact on the shop floor’s overall productivity.

Thus, the ability to predict a piece of equipment’s performance and potential disruptions to that performance is extremely valuable. Luckily, with the help of computer learning and artificial intelligence (AI), that ability exists and is readily available for manufacturers looking to improve the maintenance management function of operations. As manufacturers explore available solutions, they prioritize technology that can provide BOTH real-time monitoring of machine performance AND accurate predictions regarding potential failures or performance deterioration. Being able to proactively schedule maintenance efforts means fewer equipment malfunctions and lessened repair costs as issues are caught early.

The FactoryAI application from IMCO Software is a sophisticated piece of software that accurately predicts machine performance, allowing organizations to avoid unplanned and costly manufacturing downtime and disruptions in production.

Predictability of Equipment Performance

Without accurate historical data on the equipment within a shop floor, it is near impossible to predict machine performance over time. Even equipped with the right data, there is a large margin of error when predictions are done using humans. Many manufacturing software solutions now rely on machine learning (or computer learning) to more accurately analyze historical data and trends and develop predictions for each machine and its performance moving forward.

The FactoryAI software solution combines historical data with artificial Intelligence algorithms to very accurately predict future machine performance, including potential breakdowns and malfunctions. These predictions far surpass human calculations in terms of accuracy. They can then be used by managers to plan and implement predictive maintenance efforts to keep those machines running efficiently and prevent unnecessary downtime due to malfunctions by avoiding the malfunctions altogether. 

But, can’t we rely on the equipment manufacturer’s recommendations for preventative maintenance when developing and implementing a maintenance plan? Not necessarily. These recommendations don’t consider any historical data of the equipment as it is currently being used in the manufacturing process. They may suggest unnecessary maintenance efforts, causing manufacturers to schedule unneeded downtime for implementation. Even more dangerous is the fact that these recommendations don’t trigger maintenance when a piece of equipment clearly displays signs of malfunction. Relying solely on manufacturers’ recommendations often means organizations spend time and money on unnecessary maintenance or don’t identify serious malfunctions until they halt production completely in order to be addressed. Either way, a manufacturer is losing production time and revenue.

Reliability of Predictions & Recommendations

Its ability to predict maintenance needs for all equipment on a shop floor is just the first feature of the FactoryAI software. Equally as important is its reliability in making these predictions. Because the software makes predictions and recommendations based on both historical data and carefully crafted algorithms, these are very accurate – especially when compared to human-drafted predictions.

Due to its high reliability, FactoryAI often identifies issues with a piece of equipment much sooner than a human would – which tends to be when defects are noticed on the production line or when the equipment malfunctions or abruptly stops functioning. By identifying potential issues and equipment deterioration sooner, companies can implement repairs on a much smaller scale than if those issues were left to worsen over time.

The Positive Effects of Implementing FactoryAI on Production

Because of its unique and highly accurate algorithms and its use of historical data when making predictions and recommendations, FactoryAI can be implemented across a number of different industries. Overall, manufacturers who’ve implemented the software most often experience decreases in production interruptions and unplanned downtime and reduced repair costs by identifying issues before they escalate. The cost of addressing equipment issues increases significantly when they go unnoticed or unaddressed.

More specifically, manufacturers have experienced on average:

• A 20% reduction in emergency maintenance
• A 10% improvement in schedule attainment
• A 16% improvement in manufacturing cycle time

FactoryAI reduces unnecessary maintenance while still catching issues in machine performance early enough to schedule needed maintenance. Doing so allows them to avoid unplanned production shutdowns stemming from neglected maintenance. The software comes with a highly intuitive interface, making it easy for decision-makers to view and analyze data in real-time. When combined with other software solutions, especially a manufacturing execution system (MES), FactoryAI allows organizations to gain better control of the shop floor, improving visibility and accuracy throughout the production process. 

IMCO Software works with manufacturers to select and implement the right tools and software solutions to help them achieve their manufacturing goals – be those improvements in maintenance management, increased energy efficiency, or gaining better visibility throughout the production process. We offer software demos to show these solutions in action so that decision-makers can begin to visualize the potential transformation of various aspects of the production process at their own facility. If you are interested in a demo or simply are wanting to discuss your unique manufacturing needs and how software from IMCO can help meet those – we would love to share more! Give us a call at (904) 855-8885 (ext. 108) or send us a message today to get started!