Amid an overwhelming threat to physical and economic health, organizations are finding new ways to maintain business continuity. That is especially true for industrial maintenance and reliability groups that have already adopted new cloud-based technologies for asset monitoring, maintenance tracking, workflow management, and reporting. Many are in decent shape to maintain their operations within the confines of lockdowns and social distancing.
For those still on the fence, the current crisis is making the benefits of the cloud more obvious than ever, driving companies to investigate how the cloud-based software can turn volumes of data into meaningful maintenance intelligence that is accessible from anywhere.
A cloud-based computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software is available over the internet rather than from a local computer or company-owned server. Cloud-based software is an ideal solution for maintenance because it lowers data storage costs and delivers continuous results on a high-speed network. This can be an excellent method for running assets smoothly to improve performance and reliability metrics at your organization. A cloud-based CMMS can also easily integrate with Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) sensors – from condition monitoring tools to production systems – and software across your organization, like ERP and other business systems.
Enterprises often see significant benefits from transitioning to a cloud strategy that connects their critical assets with maintenance software. A study by Advanced Technology suggests that 80% of industrial maintenance companies link a CMMS to increased productivity.
An Overview of Cloud-Based CMMS
By migrating your maintenance operations to the cloud, you can plan ahead for features that fit into your maintenance plan, whether this involves PM scheduling, asset monitoring, or related activities.
Cloud-based CMMS tools are agile and scalable to your plant infrastructure. When properly implemented, you’ll be able to automate many internal tasks and adopt best practices across sites with shared data histories.
The benefits of a cloud-based CMMS software include:
- Easy setup with fewer hurdles – Cloud-based CMMS is accessible online from most browsers and native apps so you don’t need to install or configure any hardware.
- Next to no IT limitations – Cloud-based CMMS reduces the cost of IT support since you aren’t adding software to the server or trying to maintain data centers.
- Updates occur immediately – Version control is automatic once you log in to accept new features and patches to reported issues.
- Protects and secures databases – Cloud-based CMMS tasks vendors with assisting you with system repairs and ensures that your data is transferred safely.
Why a Cloud-Based CMMS is Preferable to On-Premise
Cloud-based CMMS software solutions differ from on-premise ones in several ways, given that they form a connective ecosystem to store information on your assets. It can also augment your preventive maintenance program using resources that expand on mobile, visibility, and communication capabilities.
Data security is also a key component of cloud-based CMMS platforms. Going into the age of 5G and Industry 5.0, when our systems are more connected than ever, and in some cases more vulnerable than ever, data integrity is a key concern – 89% of companies are worried about their data security and privacy, according to CXP Group.
Enabling authorized users to have remote access to applications and data, cloud-based solutions help eliminate data silos and lack of collaboration between departments. This facilitates faster and more effective problem resolution while maintaining stringent security requirements equal to those of the U.S. military to protect against unauthorized access.
A cloud-based CMMS empowers asset maintenance and uptime by promoting employee efficiency, where everyone sees the same work orders, reports, and past purchases. This allows you to coordinate technicians during busier times so they are aware of ongoing problems and have the spare parts to address them before equipment failures can happen.
Unlike their cloud-computing counterparts, an on-premise CMMS must be installed at the office or on a local server due to hardware limitations that rely on technical skills and labor resources. For example, many organizations have built out their custom software for maintenance management. IT personnel have to maintain the network and deploy security measures on physical architecture just to provide working components for the users.
Cloud-based solutions like eMaint can deliver exceptional scalability, flexibility, and security for asset condition tracking, work order and workflow management, compliance, and other critical maintenance tasks. Data can be transmitted from sensors or test tools to the cloud via software such as Fluke Connect.
Key Data on Demand
The cloud enables maintenance techs to create a work order on a mobile device, include failure codes, and requisition spare parts while still at the inspection site. Asset-based devices can automatically generate alerts based on specified abnormalities to create work orders.
Technicians on the plant floor can view resources such as product manuals, diagrams, and asset history on their mobile devices and compare baseline measurements to current readings to spot problems quickly. If they have questions, they can access online tutorials related to the component in front of them or connect to a supervisor and collaborate using live data to reach a timely resolution.
With remote condition monitoring devices and a cloud-based CMMS, maintenance managers can monitor assets located around the world from their home, office, or other remote location via a PC, tablet, or smartphone.
What Tools to Look for in a Cloud-Based CMMS
As a company evolves, it will need data-driven integrations to keep up with modern systems, which means selecting a SaaS model to host your dynamic workloads. What sets it apart is having a third-party vendor manage the IT segment instead of an in-house team manually writing code on disjointed legacy software.
You should understand the key features of each cloud-based CMMS solution before listing off the potential vendors. Demo the software before you buy a premium plan.
Another feature you might want to consider is data management because it offers secure backups of your equipment logs and reports to make sure nothing gets deleted after a disastrous event.
What you want is a 360-degree view of asset profiles, work orders, inventories, and detailed analytics from the dashboard. Those tracking tools can do wonders for taking action on preventive maintenance indicators.
Innovate Operations and Workflows for the Better
A cloud-based CMMS can provide your facility with a shared interface for labeling and collecting asset data from off-site locations. Most have their own training materials to explain how assets are designated to specific buildings, floors, and rooms.
With improved visibility, they let plant managers check the progress of work orders and update the documents to reflect new changes in the asset ecosystem. Technicians are sent job requests that remind them of breakdowns in HVAC, heat exchangers, motors, and other electronic units.
Additionally, work order templates are applied evenly so that reporting mechanisms are consistent to pave the way for accurate documentation. Another advantage is having floor layouts for condition monitoring from a remote location which transmits KPIs to desktop or mobile devices within range of the network. You could even look into predictive factors like temperature and pressure or set up notifications for detecting failures to quickly get machines back online.
To upgrade your maintenance management system with flexible configurations, you can use eMaint CMMS to concentrate on equipment reliability and perform standardized audits when inspections eventually roll around.
The COVID-19 pandemic, supply shortages, and global conflicts have resulted in unexpected business interruptions, leading to growing reliance on remote workers to keep companies operating. For this reason, and others, this may be an excellent time to explore the advantages of cloud technology to help ensure the continuity of your maintenance operations during the next unpredictable crisis. Cloud-based CMMS software will not only help you tomorrow – it will also improve the efficiency, safety, and ultimate profitability of your facility today.