In the age of Industry 4.0, “predictive maintenance” is increasingly popular. 

What is “predictive maintenance”?

The definition of “predictive maintenance”

“Predictive maintenance” is a new approach to control industrial machinery or systems by monitoring parameters through complex software and algorithms based on Artificial Intelligence and machine learning. “Predictive maintenance” will help you know when machines need maintenance, expected maintenance time, and predict which machines need maintenance. 

A necessary condition for a machine to be capable of predictive maintenance is the ability to collect data. This can be done by installing IoT sensors in a warehouse, such as in Modula vertical storage. The machine will be able to predictive maintenance on the basis of historical data. This is possible because we can predict the future if we know what happened in the past (of course, we will need software that can do these complex calculations). 

With Modula Cloud, your storage will have predictive maintenance capabilities through data collection and analysis, as well as you can access and manage the storage remotely. 

How does data collection happen? 

Data collection systems included in Modula Cloud will connect to Modula's software available in smart warehouses, then retrieves data directly from machines, processing that data with mathematical calculations. It can recognize data that deviate from the norm and report anomalies for better intervention planning. This helps the warehouse to avoid falling into a production stoppage or a long machine downtime (due to stopping for repair), which increases production costs. 

Modula Cloud: an integrated, secure logistics management system 

Even the Modula vertical warehouses have adopted this approach, thanks to the Modula Cloud platform that connects to the Modula WMS software. 

Modula Cloud collects and processes information and activity coming from warehouses (even across various systems in different cities and countries) so that data of each warehouse, individual item is available, consists of: 

• Number of empty or full trays, status of trays 
• Consumption 
• Warehouse status (online - offline - error) 
• Warehouse working performance, warehouse cycles 
• Registration data system 
• Maintenance Status 
• Machine logs and much more.

The IoT platform will store telemetry data, creating a historical database, which is essential for training machine learning algorithms to identify possible errors and malfunctions in the future. This data is collected chronologically and put on the net, so that all supervisors can use them after logging in. 

As this data is put online, data security becomes an essential requirement, that's why Modula Cloud is fully developed using Microsoft technology and hosted on Microsoft Azure (a platform equipped with all secure certificates for cryptographic and information management systems) for authentication and data exchange. The only thing you need to care about is having a stable and constant internet connection to the Modula Server PC workstation. 

Plan for warehouse maintenance to avoid production stoppages due to machine failure 

Thanks to Modula Cloud, historical data is collected and statistically analyzed according to a mathematical model, helping you to identify signs of wear and tear over time, the most common failures, and estimate the consequences of failures on the basis of deviations from established parameters, helping you to make effective and timely maintenance decisions. 

Aggregated data is displayed and communicated in real time from the platform to the customer, as well as customer care and support. This means you can remotely monitor your warehouse health, OEE parameters, and other KPIs through customizable dashboards, alarms and notifications. In addition, this information can be used to automatically generate work orders related to maintenance activities. 

The ability to anticipate problems gives you the opportunity to improve processes, prevent unexpected production outages, and keep management costs to a minimum. It also maximizes the efficiency of maintenance plans by eliminating all unnecessary and wasteful activities. 

Solve machine downtime remotely with Modula Cloud  

With Modula Cloud, you can easily manage your warehouse remotely and can completely deal with machine downtime without having to be there. 

Indeed, Modula Cloud provides a direct support line to users through a “direct call from Copilot” feature that eliminates the need to call or email. With a simple click from the warehouse, all the data needed for problem analysis is sent directly to Customer Care.

The combination of all these technologies makes it possible for technicians to work almost 100% remotely and instruct machine operators without having to be physically present. Statistically, 80% of warehouse outages can be resolved this way without on-site intervention. 

Read more: Information of Modula Cloud