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APM and AI Myth Busting and the Critical Role of New Technologies
In this blog, the first in a two-part series, Steve discusses the important role of APM technologies and debunks three myths about digital transformation and AI. In part two, to be published in the next few weeks, Steve will discuss how the Stork AspenTech partnership benefits customers. Thanks to Steve for participating in the AspenTech partner guest blog series.
Key issues in (Physical) Asset Management
Managing physical assets is about dealing with risks over the lifecycle of assets. However Asset Management is often misunderstood: not realizing that it is also a way of thinking that involves the organization and business as a whole.
The metamorphosis of a maintenance department
"I really regret that I could not work in such a workshop much earlier." One of the E&I technicians at the Vynova location in Beek (NL) is speaking. He recently reorganized the workshop according to the 5S method, together with the colleagues in his team. He is proud that this is the reference now for other colleagues, who each approach their workplace in the same way. This is just one of the many changes that have been made by employees in the past 12 months, to their own great satisfaction.
Smart maintenance with Virtual and Augmented Reality requires new skills from mechanics
What skills are required for technicians when using Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR&VR) applications in maintenance activities in the industry? This is the core question that we try to answer from the WCM Smart Maintenance Skills lab. Based on several pilots at Stork and Kuehne & Nagel, we have evaluated how technicians deal with the interpretation and analysis of information provided for guidance and implementation of maintenance activities when applying VR & AR applications. The research shows that age, experience and education level are of great importance for mechanics in VR & AR applications in daily practice.
Shaping High-Performance Teams for international projects
For the successful realization of an international project it is of utmost importance to have a High-Performance Team (HPT). However, building and maintaining such a team is always a challenge. In this case study, I will guide you through the what-and-how of HPTs based on experience gained from an international project where I am in the team leader’s role. It will give insight in how to build an HPT. And how to ensure that it functions optimally.
Periodic inspection, continuous condition monitoring or APM 4.0?
Selecting the right asset reliability strategy is a question that keeps many of our customers awake at night. Currently, on social media, at conferences, in email marketing, a lot of attention is on the newest technologies like machine learning, predictive analytics and anomaly detection. It seems like APM4.0 or Predictive maintenance is the only valid strategy. But is that true? Is there a one-size-fits-all approach to asset reliability strategy? Although this might be the best approach in some cases, in many cases, this strategy's business case isn't proven and achievable.
Decision making in uncertainty
Decision makers are passing an unusual period, when techniques that used to help them in making decisions are not fully adequate anymore. Uncertainty (due to COVID-19) has changed the stage and requires different techniques. This relatively high uncertainty comes on top of already existing cognitive biases which were (unconsciously) effecting individual or group decisions.
Green recovery after Covid-19 crisis
These are strange times. The corona crisis shows a number of effects that we can all clearly observe. Companies are completely or partially closed and have reduced their activities. It is unclear how long this will take, but the lockdown will for sure lead to a serious economic downturn. On the upside, restricted travel, working from home and much less commuting results in cleaner air and as people are looking for ways to help each other, social cohesion is getting stronger. It is interesting to see that government decisions are clearly based on the appreciated insights of scientists such as biomedics and virologists.
The future of green hydrogen
There is a lot of buzz around the possibilities of hydrogen as fuel and new energy carrier in our energy system. Hydrogen can be a key ingredient to reach carbon-neutrality in Europe and an important solution to move away from fossil fuels. To explore the opportunities and risks of introducing large scale green hydrogen production in the Netherlands, Stork started a research named “Green Electrons to Green Hydrogen” (GE2GH2). The goal is to find a way to leverage the partnerships and connections in the value chain to drive awareness and action and to ensure that the Netherlands can become an internationally leading hydrogen country.
Working at Heights | From bamboo to rope to drones…
Scaffolding has been around forever, right? Well, yes and no. Yes, because people in prehistoric times were already using a scaffold made of bamboo or wood to work at heights. It was only in 1913 that “Scaffixer” was patented; a coupling device that was far more robust than rope.